Show I The Man Who RO ROBERT BENNET By f AMES lIT U. U a k vv Cl mr t Hi 17 S e lf T copyright by W O. O 0 Q CHAPTER XI Continued Continued 11 11 Ellen breathlessly remonstrated Amy Surely you cannot Intend Intend- I 1 do cried the tIle girl stripping the engagement ring from her finger and holding it out tp Clinton Here If it i n sir I I 1 quite agree with you that that that-it It Is time to end this farce Clinton recoiled from the ring But nut but but Miss Kirkland you misunderstand misunderstand stand stand stand- Really neally she scoffed How now about yourself I have the pleasure of or returning returning returning re re- re- re turning you your property Mr Clinton Clinton- Lowrie She bowed and left lert the room smiling and composed in the face of ot the attendants at at- In the corridor Oh dear I sighed Am Amy What a n kettle of fish I 1 Clinton looked down Into her quivering ring Bring face and his Irritation gave way to remorse What a n brute you must mUM think me I Yet what else could I do This muddle has become Intolerable intolerable- Intolerable l I IDo Do you mean menn because doctor wants doctor wants you v to stay here and rest a few days You think I can rest here h he exclaimed ex ex- claimed Here Her among a pack of f lunatics and the daftest of ot all rill this tally illy n ass s of a quack I INo No Xo no Will be calm 1 l sh she chided Remember doctor is our dear old friend lie Is only doing what he thinks is Is' Is f best est st for you The Idiot 1 I cried Clinton If It he thinks It best to drive me mad he has hasset hasset hasset set about it the quickest way I have havea a horror a-horror of being locked ed confined in In confined n Only for a few days she soothed How do I 1 know that he rejoined No Nor I tell you a single day will be enough f to make me fur furious ous at the the the- the asInInity of the whole thing Then he willbe certain to t keep ee me here and anda a few more days will see me in a frenzy I 1 tell you ou Id I'd rather jump out oui of this window at nt once and Amys Amy's sweet eyes dilated with dread tread Please I l s she e whispered If It youre you're violent they'll put you In a padded cell and not let me see you At least I shall have had a run t for formy formy r my money h he replied The grim humor of the remark deepened deepened deep deep- ened her dread Oh dear I If It only I 1 Ican can cnn think how how how- Im I'm sure you'd behave If It I hart had you safe safe safe- Safe at home hume he suggested as she hesitated Would you Will really she exclaimed ex ex- claimed I shall go to the doctor doctor- No he ordered That would be useless You know It t Ye es jt t would she reluctantly assented as as- B But t how how how- Suddenly her face tace brightened Tell me honest and truly now would now would you behave and be he quiet as a mouse and nod not run away If It 1 I took you home Anything to get out of this Inna iuna- Uc tic asylum I 1 he vowed I Promise 1 I 1 promise l 1 rt nt It a beautiful view sh she rep remarked re re- marked facing faring the window Th The sudden break t d d him but he be mechanically Imitated herr her movement She went on n In th the sane same I I s a ap p t tf f S Sri ri l lIt It It Is Time to End This Farce I tone Seem to be bp looking out Ite Its It's the window screens The e a-e I metal and the wire wiro Is Js the tile v vry v ry strongest strong strong- I est steel Besides there are some copt copper copper cop cop- t per wires they are connected with an n alarm You see why bars are not needed at the windows I see see he be replied clenching his Jaw But nut theres there's a way continued Amy I peeked Into a room and saw a win win- dow cleaner do It IL One of ot the screws In to Use the upper left hand corner of or the upper screen Is loose You turn it It and the screen will open I dont don't know how bow about the lower screen Well asked Clinton What of It IU 7 Old D Dont Don't nt After Atter you see 7 d the moon sets Ill I'll be waiting for tor you with the coupe be be- be belIe He lIe burst Into so sud sud- sudden sudden sudden den a laugh that she sprang away awny from him startled The attendant took a quick step into the room but paused and drew back when he saw that Clinton made no movement movement to fol follow follow tollow fol tol- low the young lady Amy looked r reproachfully at her mirthful companion Why do you laugh at me Pardon me h he apologized I was was not laughing at you It was the planning plan plan- fling ning of ot our elope elope elope- I should sn say r my escape all the accompaniments of ot m melodrama melodrama mel mel- I. I but with the parts re refer reversed ed Cant Can't you ou see how comical It Is s She peaked her eyebrows at him him You were never so so-so so so humorous in n your real personality Sometimes 1 I could almost wish wish- w Yes he inquired But nut she site averted her gaze and huT hur hurriedly hurriedly changed chang d the subject The question Is how are you OU to get down His Ills look became grave You really really real real- ly Iy mean this Miss Miss Miss- Not If Jt you call me Miss Lowrie l I she flashed N NIt It Is not that I do not like like Amy Amy he be said It Is a beautiful name Then use It goose I Now set set- settles settles ties everything Wont Won't it be furl fun I You must be ready at the ghostly hour hou of midnight The moon will be down then Ill I'll stop at the first house on this side across the alley But wait But wait Who'll you tell teI Nobody That Wont Won't do You cant can't come alone I cant can't agree to that Its when everybody Is coming home from from the theater she replied Be ne ready rendy Good by j. j She tripped gayly gayl across to the door and chirped to the attendant guard as she passed out I have cheered him up lIp He Ht has promised to be quiet Please s disturb disturb him as little as you can cun CHAPTER CI CHAPTER XII fc Midnight Clinton toll followed owed the girl to his door and wat watched hed her sprightly departure down wn the corridor When she peaked In the elevator he h stepped back and nodded to the attendant Tell Doctor Kirkland I do not wish wIsh wisht to see him today Oblige me by closIng closing clos clos- ing lag the door rind and nd keeping it closed As you wish sir The door closed noiselessly ClInton Clinton Clinton Clin ton went to the window stepped up upon upon upon on the hot water hot water radiator window window- seat sent lowered the upper sash a rev fey inches and felt for tor a loo loose t screw Inthe in inthe inthe the upper upper left hand corner corner of of screen All the screws were Immovable He reached over to the other side One ne of t the screws screwS' In that corner comer I turned under the twist of ot his fingertip finger tip and the screen swung outward l He Ile e drew It ht shut pushed up U the e win window yin yin- dow dory and stepped down to examine the tha window seat radiator There was waS' nothing about about It ft to which a line could be fastened He lie stepped up again and andI I looked at the window cord Taken together the cords of ot both sashes might be strong enough to bear his weight From the window he went to the lJ bed d. d The fhe sheets and coverlet though light were of ot fine strong ma ma- Having made these Investigations he settled down Reside the pile of ot magazines and began to read rE He lIe was not interrupted until close upon th the fashionable hour for dining when an attendant opened the door and announce announced announced an an- that dinner would be served to him Im in his room A small table tahle was presently brought In and the meal served as neatly as in Ina ina a first class res restaurant The cookIng was excellent though noticeable forthe forthe for forthe the absence of ot all highly seasoned dishes and of or all stipulating stimulating drinks Neither wine nor coffee nor even een ten tea was served Clinton drank his creamy milk without complaint and complimented complimented mt the cook and the pretty wait walt ress I The girl who was a trained nurse nurse reported ed B n 19 In good appetite and good humor With the removal of the table a male mule attendant brought In hi a asuit asuit suit of or pajamas After this tilts Clinton presumed that h he would be left lett alone for fur the night He Be smoked ed a n cigar that he happened to have in his pocket read until eleven o'clock took a bath and went to bed Within a n minute after he had turned out his light the door opened and a as aa attendant stepped in with an apologetic apolo apolo- gene getic Beg neg pardon sir In but f your our clothes What about my clothes demand demand- demanded demanded ed Clinton There was no reply Clinton sat saU up in bed and saw by the moonlight w whit which streamed in n through the window window win win- dow that the man mah was deftly emptyIng emptying emptying empty empty- ing the th pockets of ot his trousers Here ner Here enough enough nough of ot that I 1 he ordered Keep your hands out of ot my pockets But nut I cannot take out your clothes without emptying them sl sir replied the man Who the devil wants you to take takeout takeout out my clothes demanded Clinton The mana management ment sir We We- Weare are ale required required required re re- re- re to clean and press all gar gar gUr- ments meats r rf k f s a Leave my clothes where they are or Ill I'll knock your head off orr Yes sir very good sir The man bent over with his ba back k to Clinton as ag a If It replacing the trousers When he rose he had bad Clinton's shoes in to his hand Before the owner could protest he was at the door A Are Are- respectful re re- respectful explanation drifted back through the opening as the door was drawn shut Must polish them sir You'll find them here in the morning Clinton leaped out of bed and ran to Jerk open the door loor It was locked He lie raised his hand to knock am and I dropped It probably remembering that tha the door was deadened He lie faced about On the floor lay the articles that the thc theman man had taken from his pock pock- ets n He lie wen went to replace them before the moon moon could glide down behind the ragged black mass of ot the mountains and leave him in darkness Catching up a handful of ot small change he reached for his trousers They were not where he had left them They were neither on nor under the neatly hung coat and waistcoat It wa was evident that the man had smuggled smuggled smug them out under his Jacket Consternation alone saved saed Clinton from an explosion of r his quick temper It was truly a dilemma In which he found himself To remain remal In the sanitarium sanitarium sani sani- might be to lose all alt of escape but to leave without trousers trousers trous trous- ers ers ers- ers I I The thought of ot fleeing in pajamas pajamas pa pa- jamas with a charming channing young lady whom one does not acknowledge to be bt b ones one's sister Is Is to say the least em embarrassing He put on his remaining clothes clothe buttoned buttoned up the coat examined his appearance In the waning moonlight and blush blushed d. d Considerate t of ot Ms his feelIngs feelings feelIngs feel- feel Ings the moon Doon went down and the merciful darkness cloaked him about In the obscurity his courage rallied f. f So dark a night no one would see With burglarious stealth he crept to the bed and pulled oft off ot the coverlet and sheets To knot them end to end was wa the work of ot only a few tew moments He lie stole across to the window lowered lowered lowered low low- ered the upper upper sash sash and tied one end endot of ot his line to the two window cords cordson cordson on on one one side He did not open the screen but stepped down to crouch In Ina ina a n corner and aM look at his watch by the light of ot a vesta It was wase five e to twelve rr He had not completed his preparations any too soon As he returned to the window he saw the light of ot a passing automobile He sprang up on the window-seat window and opened the top screen to peer out The automobile slackened speed and stopped at the first house across the alley from the sanitarium It seemed to be he a coupe At once he swung vung himself himself him Mm- self out over the window w sashes peered down to make certain that the window below was unlighted and cautiously began to lower himself from the sill slit When he put his weight on on the sheet line it stretched with the tightening of the knots but held He lIe slowly let himself down hand under hand Be- Be ore he se came to the lower end his feet touched the ground He lie turned out toward the vague blot under the overshadowing tree Th The outlines of ot a coupe became dimly visible then the white form tonn of an out out- peering face tace All aboard he whispered slipping into the seat beside the excited girl The coupe glided out of ot the gutter and started up the street at quickly accelerated speed As they swept acro across s the lighted Intersection Clinton Clinton Clinton Clin Clin- ton crouched tor forward ard with his hands handson on his Knees Amy did not observe the embarrassed movement She was peering ahead into th the darkness beyond beyond beyond be be- yond the Intersection She She ran the next block swerved around the corner corner cor cor- corner ner and turned on the coupe lights Youre a little trump I he ex ex- exclaimed claimed nl nice e of or you you poor dear dearoy boy oy I Isn't It itt It fun run Isn't It romantic I was shivering with fedr that they might pop out but u and and nd- Lean back till we pass the crossing Involuntarily In he obeyed She glanced at nt him to mike make k In sure and perceived his costume f t fOh fOh Oh I she gasped gasped- Oh 1 I Didn't you you have time l' l Where are your trousers r c n j I that no no that he stammered stammered- that confounded confounded attendant attendant stole them b Stole Claimed the rules required him to take my clothes to bo be pressed So that was It t I That must be one ono onoway way they keep patients iron from running off orr But nut it didn't stop you you brave braveboy braveboy braveboy boy lAmy I l Amy burst Into a gurgle of ot Irrepressible Irrepressible sible mirth See here he admonished Even If I am am- am Indeed no not even If It you are my ray brother I mustn't see Its It's Its It's Its It's really really really real real- ly too sh I This time she startled the silence of ot midnight with witha a u burst of ringing laughter Miss 1 Lowrie he reproved ed In tn a atone atone atone tone that left no doubt as to his rufed ruffled ruf ruf- tied fled ed dignity Though bubbling with repressed merriment the girl had paid close attention attention at at- to the driving of ot the coupe She kept to the smoothest of ot the more secluded streets and slackened speed while passing through the radius o of t S 'S light at the Intersections that the coupe might not attract the unwelcome come observation of ot a chance police police- man But between Intersections she threw v on the high gear We must get home before they learn of your escape escape she sIte explained when Clinton suggested a more moderate moderate mod mod- erate speed They may telephone about It ft and If they should find I am amnot amnot amnot not at nt home home home-don't don't dont you see that see that would let the cat out of ot the bag They would come for you at once Youve ventured to do all alt this absolutely absolutely absolutely alone Of Ot course Keep Seep quiet Heres Here's our block sh S-s-sh I Seep Keep still sUIl now No Noone Noone Noone one must see us go in She turned off ort the coupe lights and drove slowly toward the other end of ot the long Jong block The file light from the nearest intersection was Just sufficient to show her clear young eyes eyes where to turn Into the yard Under the pergola the lire darkness was so dense that she entered It at st a snails snail's pace one hand handon on the steering lever and the other thrust out of the side window to touch the grape leaves with the tips of ot her fingers The |