The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

lAIX RIGHTI RESERVED.] BRAVE AND TRUE. By MAY WYNNE Author of "Knowing His Mind," "Broken Ribs," "Mistress Cynthia," "The Best Man," &e. A lunatic ccaped from the asylum? You ion't say so!" exclaimed Mrs. Barkson, in horror. Ellen Jane nearly nodded her cap off. Yes, mum, if you please, mum," she re- :orted, it's a fack. The baker's young man told cook just now. It's a dangerous loonatick :rom Marland Asylum, an' no one ain't bill able to catch him, though there's some says ihev've seed him on the common. There's all sorts of orful stories bein' told, the baker says, but whether they're true he don't know, 3niy it'y a fack that the loonat'ck^s loose somewhere round here." E!len Jane paused breathless, her freckled face quite apoplectic with excitement. Ann Garleigh looked up from her sewing. "The tale is probabl-y very exaggerated, auntie," she said, consolingly. "I should llot worry, if I wore you." She looked reproachfully at Helen Jane as she spoke. But Mrs. Barkson .was not so easily eoiqforted. All very well for you to talk like that, Ann,she retorted, sharply, "but you. forget that Joan and Myra ,I be walking home from Raistead after th-eir concert. it is too distracting to thillk of. A dangerous lunatic, seen or, the ecmrr.o-n And you know John's heart is not strong. Any sudden alarm 111 iy} 11 be—might he fatal. But you have no sym- pathy, sitting there so and quietly, teEing mc Hot to werry Of course, as long as you are not in danger yourself it. is quite I easy to offer that sort of advice." 'u ie liad retired discreet")- to the kitchen, having heard the back-door bell and hoping, perhaps, to glean more news of t!y ■; latest s"sat.on. Ann's l'ps quivered. She was only a second cousin of Mrs. Barks-oil's, though she called that -lady "auntie." \vh-i!st. her posi- tion in tloe house was practically that of a laiy help"—"which meant hard wcrk and very little praise. A ii,, I, being orphaned and without money, was glad enough of the home, and was not. afrakl of t-he work. It was speeches of tip's sort that really hurt, and, afier all, ii, was but poor consolation to know Mps. Barkson did not mean half the nnk'n-rl things she said, but wa-s hopeiessly imeont-rf.-liod in temper. Ann's silence under provocation still fur- ther annoyed her anxious relative. If you had any proper feeling," the kit- ter exclaimed, "you would go over to Rai- stead Crange and ask Mr*. Legard to let tlve g It's most danger- ous for them to come back across tJiat lonely common without a man's escort." l Ann rose and put away her work. She v did not tliustheroolf to speak lest she should burst, into tears.. I itrf., you going to?" asked Mrs. I Barkson later on, ItS she noted Ann was wear- ing her blue golf-eoat and cap. not going out ? M Ann's chin was tiltetl Resolutely, whilst- she gripped the baluster with ,o-ne hand. Ye-s." replied, "I am going to Raistead Grange to--to a.sk Mcs. Legard to keep the girls there to-night. I am taking the few Filings they will need." Airs. Barkson hesitated. She had not in- tended her young cousin to take those aiigtv z, words seriously, but now, feeing Ann so calmly prepared to undertake on errand which I would relieve her mind of such untold anxiety, she could not bring hereeif to hold her back. I Of course, r-hc ought to tell Ami not to go. I It was very wrong to allow the girl to take the risk; aid yeL-,an(i yet it would be such a comfort to kiiov. that dear Joanie find" Myra I were not. being exposed to a danger which, I according to EH en J, Ine "I cook. was near and. pressing. So Mrs. Barkson did not answer at. all, but just stood asid-s. watching Ann pass down the passage. When, however, the hall door" closed sharply on the retreating figure, the elder woman started forward. "Aim," she "you really must not go. Come back." But in her heart of hearts he knew that Ann could not possibly have heard that de- taining call. With a weary sigh Sirs. Bark-son returned to her »itti»g-roo*n.. What a headstrong girl she is," she comphinecll to hem?If "so different to my own. Of course. knew perfectly well I did not intend her to go— it was sheer temper. I "declare, the more I think'of it the better pleased I am she'did go." Meantime, outside in the darkness of 1:1t. spring evening, A-nn was finding she needed^ all her courage. Ordinarily, she would not have minded the walk at all. She wanted to be brave because Dr. Vi- bru i would appfctud1 bravery, and yet i.t was not nearly so easy to practise ■that virtue as she had imagined. Secretly, Miss Garleigh had farcied the I heroines of history had won their laurels very easily. But she did not think so now Yet, oh dear! whoever had of ihe bravest fair being eom!cnnied to face a track of dark, lonely common-land, where a dan- gerous lunatic was said to lurk? If Ann had begun to run, paiiic sheer and absolute would have seized her. So she did, run..She merely walked as fast as she could, and pretended that her knees were not trembling in the lea^t. trembling in the Brit what a relief it was to reach Raistead Grange Mrs. Legard came into the hall hcr- solf as Ann stood there delivering her messag'e. "My dear Miss Garleigli^" she cried,* "you don't mean to say that you have come across that common alone? Ann smiled fai-ntly as she gave her message in answer. Mrs. Legard was genuinely horrified. "Of cojirsc I am keeping the dear she said. "Their mother might have guessed that I m 11 should hear this dreadful tale. Unfortunately, I all the concert guests had left before I was told about it, or I could have pac1{("] them off cir. P,i,t tlitit ;s way tftul I had not a man fir boy to send to the Lodge. I was just asking Joan what we had better do when your ring came at the door. But, my dear child, you can't return nlone I don't know wViat your aunt was thinking of." Ann laughed rather shakily. "I suppose it tvas my own fault," she replied. Mrs. Legard protested in vain. I must get back," was all Ann said, it is not very far, and auntie will be working herself tip into a state, imagining that Joan and Myra may kive started before I reached here. "Joan and Myra!" eelioed Mrs. Legard, indignantly. "It is a. pity there is not some- one to take the same care of you, you poor child." I And then, finding Ann was not to be per- suaded, the kind little woman went bustling off to find Joan and tell her that her cousin L was the meet obstinate and the bravest girl she had erer met wi her life. It's darker than ever," thought Ann, "but the moon will soon be rising. I don't know, though, that I'd rather not be without the ghostly glimmer' across the common. If —if it's dark the lunatic couldn't see me, and I might get away. I—I wonder if mad men are like mad dogs and bulls that only run straight? She laughed nervously to herself, and pre- tended to believe this adventure of hers was rather amusing. She wondered whether—if he ever heard of it—Jim Vibrun would be impressed by her bravery. And then—just when that horrible glim- mer" showed her black masses by the road- side which she knew were nothing more alarming than gorse-bushes in real life "— something came moving very slowly out into the dim light which was clearest on the road- way. Of course, this was the lunatic. It was a perfectly patent fact; at least Ann never doubted it. There he stood, a tall, broad- shouldered figure, hatless and masculine. And he must have seen her too, for lie waited till she came up. Then, instead of leaping upon her, waving a murderous knife after the graphic description of Ellen Jane, he spoke quite quietly. "Ah!" he said. "I wonder—could you help me? Please tell me what I can do?" she asked, simply. The man moved a little nearer. She noticed that he limped, but she could not see his face. 1 In fact, the light was nothing but an apolo- getic gleam. I have sprained ITlf. ankle," explained the lunatic. Fact is, fc—er—had a nasty tumble off my bike. the remains of which I have hidden amongst the gorse-bushes: if you could help ma along to the nearest house Worse and worse The nearest house was Harley Lodge, and Ann could hare found it in her mind to laugh hysterically at the mere idea of bringing home the very terror she had been sent to warn the girls to avoid. She moved forward. The lunatic was leaning considerable weight on her shoulder, and Ann could hear ho-w a groan was suppressed as he limped along by her side. Should she escape from that grasp, since obviously it would be easy to run away? But escape would be difficult now, since the clasp was firm. making her a sure prisoner. o, fclvere was nothing for it but to walk slowly on till they met someone, and then to scrca-m for, ussistanee. In the meantime the walk promised to be nerve-racking in the cxiwine. How far is it from here to Marland l" he asked. Ann's heart fluttered wildly. Of course, It was from the Asylum at Marland that the man had escaped. A-about six miles," she falterod. Do you—do yon—know the place?" "Very wail indeed," he- "replied; '"in fact, I came from there'carrier in-the evening." Of course, only a lunatic would have given himself awny so completely. Or was it that he knew Vie had her in his power? "And—you wi&h to reuirii?" she hinted. Again the man J&ughed. Later en, later return owing to tit's wiklq. If it had not b, i, i If(.,i: that a-ocide-n-t i slioui-d not have gone back tÜ! Me checked himself so abruptly thr.t Ann gasped. 1 She bad been foolish to ask if he knew Marland at -all, as, of eoiu'ge, ii mack* lura tli-ink; of tJw twsyium and escaping. Ami whe#e are yoct bound for at so late nn hOU1' ? con thine*! ihe kinatLc, v. itli a 11 abrtj-p-t turn to .t!K conversation. Ann liew-teited. She waa not quiek at lib- bing.. and is wu-e "obviously inipocible to tell the muon five tm-Ui. Would no passer-by ever loom "I had to go down to the Grange," shf replied, briefly, iter eonipat!-ic:i nod-dod. "Ail -the s>aiti he, tlx?.ve k. ^v road;3 are iK:t the pMcos for a young girl to go wandortng a'ong after dark." "I—I am not nervous—r. re- tor ted Ami, hiov.'ik; st-iJi is ore slowly. Bh-e had i'aneied uJie heard the distant toot-ie-ot of a motor horn, ana pray::d desperately that the ear might .com-? this way. "'As a vnle." •••! L'KL- cihrv; !ad you any special reason for Ixrn-g nervous to- night ?" The Inn-ati-c—cunning as all such j-.onto are—w«s trying to find out she iiae: his identiLy, and of if lie il.onulit that this was the eiue. he would iu\«!ur. grow cold with terror, for :<' pr-c:»on_ied strain wa-s .on her l!(:'}.('.<t, At the top of the road gleaintVi a yellow light. Thank heaven the car was etxn'-ng ibis way: Rut would it m.-s t-h-sm tn^eea? Ann felt d-sspe^a: e. J1' thai- 'moUvr i!' :hcd by she would Itenloup. facing an alm-^t cer- tain fate, since lier companion was evidently becoming suspicious. "Oh!" she gasped, and, with a sudden twist, freed herself from that strong grasp, and stepped into the middle of the road. Did you want to commit tuici-de, you foolish girl?'" asked the lunat;e, still rerais- ing a firm hold on her rdvcve. But Ann had found bttr Help She cried. Help A very well-known voice answereu n-cr. "Miss Ann," callod Dr. Vibrun. Vou? Il'at "hn-" The doctor was out of hi" car, an i lvad turned one of th clamps so that the hghfc fell full on the two figures icstuig against the bank. t I I.(, lunatic," gasped Ann; "the lunatic from Marland Asylum." Bui. Jim Vibrun was holding oat his- hand— not to her but to her companion. Ah, Framson," :-aid he, "we were wondering what had become of you. Have you found any trace of tl,.e But, You're hurt." "1 think," replied the lunatic, gravely, il is the who requires your attention. 1 had iv) idea she had heard the story of Gailock's escape, oi» He turned towards Ann. "You poor ehii: he added. What- torture you must Leen through—-an-a what «-nlc-iid:d fchowed. So vou 1 was the ». i.n:p-d lunatic all tlve time? AIHl ai"on't you?" whispered Ann. Somehow the shook of this surprise was too much for her, and she slipped fainting to il- ground. Oli, picas?," protested Ann, lur (; I poppy colour in embarrassment, ..11 me brave. 1—I wasn't brave a bit. I horribly scared. And that made me stupid, i suppose, or I bhould have-have found eat before that Dr. Fraziw-oii wasn't in ad. Only, you sec, I had never met a lunatic." Jim Vibrun laughed in genuine amu-vmcnt as lie looked into the shy, flushed face. Vou poor little girl!" said he. growing as q¡;j¡,, grave. It was a terrible experience, but am coming to that presently. First and fore- most, you ve got to know that you did a-■* with rare courage and presence of mind, i fact. you were so cool and collected Framson never dreamt that voll took ') Ifi.¡1t for other than wiif-t he represented, cyclist, who needed a helping arm to g to the nearest house. Ift,o., t careful not to mention lie had t'°'lie,e.,r o> search of an escaped lunatic f"r 1 { scaring you." cCa'i Ann's smile was rather slinky. ie n not Jook back any too calmly yet fl- night's advei-,ttire. "Eut the lunatic is caught." she t "So-so all' ,ell that ends well, {W < haven't thanked you yet for coining to 6 rescue." tn [hi "Ah." said Vibrun, "now we come j. other part of the story. What I know is what business you had out a'onajflii' the common, especially as you knew the lunatic?" I "I am going to give your aunt my of the part she played in last nigld3,^ ness," Vibrun said, sternly, after told him how she came to be out. le¡6 Please." entreated Ann, oh..$ don't- say a word! It is all over now. A and I'm perfectly all right this# Joan and Alyra will be back soon, and oo hate rcNA--Iz:. l] Dr. Vibrun leant forward and t°° g hands in his own. "There is only .g tion," he said, quietly. upon which make terms. If you don't- wish me ijjj anything to Mrs. Barkson about her in letting a young girl like you run s j« risk for the sake of her own doughter J must- grant my request. Ann." ..jtjflf f, "What is it?" Ann whispered. £ |i$ | everywhere but into his face, till j took her chin and turned her gaze ford bis smiling one. jf i' Tlx? right to look after you$ future, litTie girl," he said. K X' .j/ J 4 yes' to that, you wili make me man in the world, and read.y t-o forgiv'fi f Mrs. Barkson." j^! J "I think," confessed Ann, a little t j that I should have wanted to say jltflt how. It ie so wonderful, you know, WjOV a someone to want to take care of me. and I've loved you for ages, Jim." J? l "And I," he langhed, a« he stooped • her, "since first we met. which doe? i any great ages ago; but all the same, f shall always be grateful to that lu giv-ing me the clmnce of telling my eec( ? the bravest littig sweetheart a ma.!1 pp S ETRA F.LNiD.]

THE SOUTH WALES JAMS MARMALADES. PURITY GUARANTEED..j South Wales Jam & Marmalade Com CARDIFF. t i==————^ | "w" *<y> W ^'S -%• ",J.e Sam Garratt's | STUDIO, | m HIGH ST., BRECON.- LOCAL BICTUBE3 may ssT?eM 'X by appointment. W I IJ.. Signed ReproduçtiGOS, | L ri' 7/6 eoch- i: | < ^'Courskig," R.A., 19U- | "M f Jl Charles I at the Priory, I < I. Brecon." « 1 It f 't* (Eisteddfod Prize, 1913). ir » # f "V fj j [ uKes and Refreshment, a • *f' Three Cocks." 1 f '■ "f k « ,X- ''Birthplace of Mrs. Siddofl) f •¥ jj • Brecon." ft ¥ J 1 "Brecon Town from Dmas*" I J "Christ College from the I •5fr Captains' Walk.3' I J J Educational. — d Woodlands Day & Boarding School for Preparatory for Little Boys) ( CAMDEN ROAD, BRECON. j Principals: Misa Perk-Brown and Miss A.R.C.M. j,/ 1 Usual English Snbjecss, Natnre Study, ij/ work, French, Drawing, Pointing, v Exercises, Dancicg. Masse a speciality- SHORTHAND and BOOKKEEPl"" Ooiside bJtndenta may attend for .S above sabjects' E CASTLE HOUSE, > SeMOOb GIR1:>f ] ilso PRCPARATORY faP. 3 t Principal • MJSS SING- 1 PRIVATE TUITION- 0, i Principal • MJSS SING- 1 PRIVATE TUITION- 0, 1 MR. W. P. J. LBBROCQ, M.A-, I { F.R. Met. Soo. (Hononra, Christ's Cclle^' YJ „ PREPARES PUPILS for commissioo*™ Army and Navy, and for L»^» Oivil-Service and other Entrance Private lessons in Botany, practical jj#' use of Miorosoope, Mathematioe, FreiwOi fitudy, ete.