"I must get closer.
They're coming this way. I'll hide in the woods," and, getting behind a
big oak, the boy awaited the oncoming of the line of sad-faced men.
Slowly the patients filed past. They all seemed to be suffering from
some ailment, mental or physical, and all had an unhealthful pallor.
Walking ahead, in the rear, and on both sides, were men dressed in dark
blue uniforms.
"Attendants," mused Frank, "though none of the patients look as though
they were violent."
By this time the head of the line had turned and the sad little
procession was moving away from Frank, as he stood behind the tree. The
men in the rear were now passing close to him, and the boy, seeing that
the end of the line was near, prepared to go forward when they all
should have passed. As he was about to step from his place he caught
sight of the face of one of the patients, and, as he did so, he uttered
an involuntary cry. Before he was aware what he was doing, Frank had
stepped from behind the tree.
Several of the patients saw him, and gazed curiously at the boy. One--the
one at the sight of whom Frank had uttered the exclamation--did not look
up.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125