Newspaper Page Text
"His car looked like su physician's
and he went In with a case In his
hand."
"Oh," said the young man with
some feeling. "Then there must be
something the matter."
"Did you suppose she was doing
this for amusement?" asked his
Aj-A mother with some asperity- .
"-UTnll wm nt nnttlHia Tint T5nt
when I came past there the young
lady was training up a vine and
laughing and talking to the other
woman, just as well, -as natural as
any one."
"No doubt she has lucid intervals.
Perhaps they hope for her recovery
in time."
"I should think you'd get so curi
ous you'd have to call," ventured the
young man.
"Never! She might return It; and
I shouldn't feel safe for a minute.
Don't, you, either, think of making
a call, If you dqn't want me to pack
up and go to town."
Ogden had to at once disclaim any
intention Of so doing. He liked the
place and was looking forward to
spending his vacation there.
T?he next week he came out to stay
for awhile. In answer to his usual
question as to the developments
next door, his mother replied that it
'had been unusually quiet. Perhaps
the patient had been taken away.
"Well, then she's back again, for I
saw the young lady as I passed," he
said.
"Perhaps, after all, she isn't the
crazy one. They may," she added in
a creepy, shuddery tone, "have some
poor creature shut up there."
"I see it's up to me to fathom this
mystery."
"I don't see anything of the kind,"
snapped his mqther. "You let it
alone."
That afternoon he took a little
stroll down to a small stream, near
by to see if It promised anything in
the way of boating or fishing. In a
pretty, wooded spot, where the
' branches hung over the water, he
dropped ostensibly to watch for fish,
but in reality to idle and dream. He
saw a book lying in the grass a few
feet Sway. He looked around for the
owner. There was no one in sight
He listened, but there was no sound
of human company; so, after wait
ing a few minutes, he reached for the
book. It was Mrs. Browning's "Au
rora Leigh," a book not much read
these days, but a poem he greatly
likeU. He began to turn over the
leaves and to read here and there
bits that he loved. He saw that
many lines were marked, lines that
especially appealed to him. This led
him to look for the name of the own
er. He read on the flyleaf, "Grac
Ansley."
"I wonder Jf that's our neighbor,"
he thought. "I've never heard her
name. Well, I'm going to chance it.
He determined to return the book
in person. The door was opened by
the grim, elderly person. Yes, Mist
Ansley lived there, but she could not
disturb her just then. Kirk slightly
objected to leaving the book if it did
not belong to the lady, but she said
It would be returned to him if it did
not belong to Miss Ansley. She took
his name and address and dismissed
him. That evening the elderly lady
called with a note which Mrs. Kirk
took in. She handed it to her son
and waited with frowning impatience
for him to explain. In the note Mis
Ansley presented her compliments
and thanked Mr. Kirk for returning
her book.
There was no way out of it for the
young man but to tell the truth.
"There, you see," said his mother,
"the old woman probably had her
shut up for fear of a fit coming on.
I hope now you're satisfied."
Ogden said nothing, but he was far
from being satined. The next day he
again strolled down by the river.
Suddenly a voice called "Help!" He
harried to the spot and saw out In
the stream a girl in a rowboat She
was very pretty and her face wore
a look of comic distress.
