Show rr 7 f TOE TIIE MAN HAN S WIIO WASN'T f S I ROBERT RO ERT S BENNET I f BY c 3 j PRETENDING i SYNOPSIS Alighting from a atrain atrain atrain i train at Denver a well-dressed well tray trav traveler miler eler Is la familiarly accosted by a aman man about his hla own age The traveler tray trav eler ignores the advance A few minutes later he la Is greeted as all asWill Will WIlI by an elderly lady and gentleman gen tieman who atop their auto to speak He lie Imagines it a case of S 'S mistaken Identity and announces himself as aa Richard Clinton on his way to the coast The couple appear greatly surprised and learning learn learn- R 4 ing he Is la to be in town until midnight mid t night the lady introducing herself z aa u Mrs Tars Kirkland and her husband as Doctor Kirkland Invites him to dinner explaining the action by his hili r fi-r truly remarkable resemblance to a aS a'S ti S 'S friend of theirs He lie accepts At Atthe S. S the Kirkland home he meets meets' a ayoung young lady who greets him as her heri i fiance She Is Ellen Kirkland and k plainly is Js greatly hurt b bj by his assertion assertion asser asser- tion that he Is Richard Clinton S At dinner Clinton learns that his host is a medical specialist and that he Is believed to be Will Low Low- rte rie a young man who had been suffering from a nervous breakdown break n down and had gone east for medi medical c cal tl treatment Lowrie had had In his possession bonds of the value of belonging to the bank 1 t where he ho was employed which S I cave disappeared and of which he has no recollection v D CHAPTER II II Continued I 11 a 3 c I I have tried to convince con you of m my Y identity but it seems seems' to be breath h i My intention was to give you u some of the details of my life during the last hist year or two I That hat would be quite useless Mamma Mam ma mil explained that you jou are suffering g ti from m double personality and I rem em her h r papas papa's once telling me that in su such ch case cn cases e the memory often Is s distorted and confused But papa will 1111 soon soon cure cur e y f you 0 of your delusions S 'S He shall not have the e chance d declared declared de de- e a Glared the young man unable to conceal conceal conceal con con- S ceal his annoyance I will leave town tow n tonight O oh O 0 o oh o-oh oh I But if It papa proves prove s to you this evening that you are re my my- my our Will I He could no longer resist her insistS insistS' Insist insist- S' S encl ency nc Very well he agreed I promise to believe the proofs Will c you do the same Of course I Dont Don't I know alrea already y You Tou too will be convinced 1 l Radiant with delight the girl turned r to the plan piano and dashed into a brilliant bril bril- pant selection from Chopin The The music mu mu- sic str ii covered ov red the sound of the opening u r rant bont door from the hall ball beyond the thedr dr drawing wing room Presently a gentleman I appeared unannounced In the arched entrance of the drawing room ills His gray-brown gray eyes shone with shallow Ow brilliancy as they rested upon file e couple at the piano Clinton had risen lie He stood gazing down at Ellen KIrkland with an air of attentive ad ad- easy to mistake for something something somethIng some some- thing d deeper and more serious Bemm sauntered over to a bookcase Though ie he ie made no noise Clinton glanced r along the room and perceived him The girl no less alert raised her head bead f Oh its it's you Charlie 1 l she cried I Th Then n he remembers you I She looked at the guest her eyes dark with gentle HAJ a reproach Will Willi I how can you rem em te her ber Mr Bemm and not me lie He Ie smiled ruefully A woman unconvinced unconvinced un un- convinced against her ber will willI will will- I 1 am convinced of ot my Will she corrected Clinton burst I ir into to o a laugh so Infectious infect t that first Bemm and then Ellen Joined laMy In la 7 My dear remarked Mrs KIrkland i quietly entering at the side door Good evening Charlie What is It you a fled find so very amusing Such a joke mamma mammal I It is about Will being himself Will Willi queried the lady with a deS delighted de de- de S lighted glance at the guest lf r lIe He met her gaze with a semi semI comic comic look Miss Kirkland still Insists thaL that tha t L I am not myself I certainly will not be much longer if you join joh her ber and c Mr Bemm in trying trying- to convince m me merm e Fm rm not In my opinion replied Mrs Kirkland KIrk I land Jand It will be as well for Ellen t tf to o f finish the selection she was playing I i Y Ellen met her mothers mother's glance as and d i 4 at once continued her Chopin Sh She was still playing when her father r i burst In upon them Good medicine he commented f Nothing better than Wan music to stir dork dormant dormant dor dor- k mant associations unless it is odors f Go on Dont Don't let me stop you jou k i Ills His daughter began again the passage pas pas- sage that he lie had interrupted He sa sat t down lown close beside his wife and looked a i meditatively at the backs of the tw two o young men who stood on each side o othe of f the girlish musician i You phoned Amy Any he ask asked d. d i Yes She bhe Is fully prepared Sh She e tm would have ha flown out to see bee him herthe here her here here- e- e i. i the dear girl I But I explained you jour our r 4 wish to see what would be the effect t i 1 s i 4 on him of ot coming home and first see seeIng Ing wg her there If U only Mrs Lowrie e 1 I r r t were home too I He lie Is extremely fond fon d of ot his bis stepmother CHAPTER III Welcome Home The playing ceased Doctor Kirkland Kirkland Kirk Kirk- land rose and advanced upon the group grou p at the piano One moment Ellen he be said Two o young men at a time Is one too manyI many I am going to run of off with Mr Clip Clin ton Papal Papa I If he will take a little spin with wit h me me But nut why take away take away take hl him hl away now He lie will be Interested to meet Amy O Of course How stupid of me 1 But nut t if youre you're hurried papa Charlie can cnn n take us down in his car To b be sure agreed Bemm If Mr Ir Clinton has no objections I prefer to take him hint myself at once once May I ask ask ask- began that joung youn g man Certainly certainly I shall shaIl explain explain explain ex ex- ex- ex plain on the tho way down do C Come me The Tho e ladles ladies will soon follow us In Charlie's Charlies s car At At once I exclaimed Ellen No ordered her father glancing g at his watch Not before half an hour at least Come Mr Clinton The guest stiffened at the peremptory peremptory tory tone of his host Does It not strike you jou OU sir that this proceeding is rather odd he asked It must indeed seem so to you Mr Clinton replied Mrs l Kirkland But nut my husband will explain on your way do down n. n I see he rejoined and he lie stared at the physician his blue eyes bright with angry suspicion You are all under a delusion that I am daft- daft insane You have spoken of a sani sani- tn lum I have heard of supposedly Insane per persons ons being decoyed Into In In- Decoyed I You think I 1 gasped the physician He lie choked between indignation and mirth and waggled his plump hand at his wife T tell T tell him why what what why I 1 She smiled at the guest with unmistakable unmistakable unmistakable candor In n her look We should have explained the situation to you at once she said It is true we still doubt your Identity My husband considers con siders skiers that the quickest way to settle the matter Is to take you home to your jour our sister Home Sister You still stIll stIll- Very well then then to to see Miss Amy LowrIe Your Your pardon pardon me me- me his mother Is away as I believe we told you at the depot But nut even though she is not there Amy will will m be certain to know you you She will know me for what I aman am aman aman am- am an absolute stranger to you all he qualified Oh Will please l I implored Ellen We shall see my dear soothed her mother The moment he and Amy see each other there will no longer be any doubt of the truth Then I shall be glad to togo go at once said Clinton This misunderstanding Is as embarrassing to me as I fear Itis it itIs itis is distressing to Miss Miss' Kirkland The sooner it is settled the better Do not follow for at least half an hour Doctor Kirkland ordered the others as as' he went out with his guest At the curb he sprang Into the front of his car and motioned to Clinton to tose se seat t himself in the The moment mo moment rno m ment nt they were aboard the car shot out into the street and whirred away much faster than the city speed limit A light high up against the starry blue-black blue sky outlined the dome of the time capitol Doctor KIrkland ran on onto onto onto to within a block of the capitol grounds and drew up before an old brick mansion Here lIere we are he said and he he- started in across th the sidewalk without looking about at his passenger Good evening Tillie TUile said Doctor Kirkland opening the screen door I guessed It was your ring doctor said the Woman with the familiarity of ot an old servant Come right Inand in inand In- In nand n- n and the other gentleman too Miss Amy is just just my my lands If it aint Mr Will Well WeIl I never never I Looking silk too I Well WeIl I am glad to see you jou home again Mr 11 Will 1 Ill I'll run at once and tell teIl Miss Amy Shell She'll he most tickled to death She left the tho visitors and hurried back rock along the narrow hallway hall callIng calling call call- Ing breathlessly Miss lIlls i Amy AIDY I Miss l Amy Amyl I Where are ore you Lord bless us l Heres Here's Mr Will VIII homo hom again I Where are you Heres Here's Mr Ir Will I Where Where- Will Will WIlli Oh Ohl I Then he bascome has bas come come Oh I 1 came a girlish shriek of delight In the hall above Clinton had stepped Inside after Doctor Kirkland Looking up at the turn of the stairs he caught sight of etwo two little feet twinkling on the steps of top the the I flight In la a n moment mo mo- ment went their owner swung around the turn and flew down the tile tong long straight lower flight as if It winged The young VJ t Y M man had a swift vision of ot a n graceful animated little form torm with arms arms of a charming little dimpled face of a pair pall of ot brown eyes Then the vision was at the tho foot toot of ot the stairs He drew Suck with what seemed tobe to tobe tobe be Instinctive reserve Doctor Kirkland Kirk Kirk- land frowned and shot a glance from him to the girl She had not paused If In her excitement she perceived the young mans man's attempt to avoid her she disregarded It From the foot of the stairs she darted past the physician to his companion Clinton continued to draw back He Ho put out his hands bands as if to keep her a away way from him Wait Walt w wait lt I he protested I must must must- J But nut she had slipped between his hands and flung her arms around him Her ner little bosom pressed so close against his coat that he could feel the beat o of her Joyously leaping heart the crown of her fragrant glossy brown hair touched his chin From between his lapel and tie came a muffled cry of ecstatic delight Dear dear WIll WHIP I I I 1 I say I I- I he stammered his face tace flushing crimson He started to grasp the girls girl's shoulders hesitated and looked appealingly at Doctor Kirkland Kirk Kirk- land Jand Good heavens I 1 This This she she does not realize You must at once once once-I I beg you you I IThe The girl flung back h her r head to beam up Into his perturbed face tace Oh VIII Willi I she exclaimed So that's It t 1 Youve You've an English accent and youve you've learned horrid English manners at the same time Youre You're ashamed to hug me before Tillie TUlle and Doctor You old silly I She released her embrace but it was only to clasp her ams arms around his neck and hold him fast while she reached up on tiptoe to kiss him At the touch of her lips his flush deepened and he sought to thrust her her- away from him Ills His expression was was a peculiar mixture of pleasure and shame Doctor KIrkland he begged you see that unless I use force force- You know I am not her ber brother I INot INot Not Will I cried the girl and she burst into a m merry rry laugh Just listen sten stent t to that Tulle Tillie lI He says hes he's not Will I 1 i 1 He Drew Her Arms From About Hit His Ne Neck k Ill I'll show him him Again she stood on tiptoe and kissed him with joyous ten There sir take that Now do you jou ou dare say youre you're not my brother He had not tried trIM very hard to avoid the caress but a moment after it he lie drew he her arms from fron about his neck and pushed her ber away with sudden determination de de- de termination I do not know what Mrs Irs Kirkland told you he said The truth Is that I am not your brother and I I- I Will l I Just try to Imagine what it means to me coming here an absolute stranger strange Oh dear I Then its it's true Youre You're not yourself Youve You've completely forgotten forgotten forgotten for for- gotten us all even all even me mel melI I I have forgotten nobody whom I know I am Richard Clinton and I must say this mess mess mess- He stopped gazed Into Amys Amy's eyes and changed his tone However If you jou OU wish me meto meto meto to stay tay I 1 believe I will The girl smiled with quickly recovered recovered ered confidence You will stay Then of course course its it's all aU right I told Miss Kirkland I would not stay But nut now now now- Ellen she corrected Say Ellen Can Cun you jou ou not understand Miss 1 Low- Low tie he said I have only be become ome acquainted with Miss Kirkland this evening I am nm not your brother I Iam Ia a am Of am-Of O ah a 0 ah I 1 she reproached I am Richard Clinton So you see fee how wrong It would be to Ut let you jou OU behave behave behave be be- have as if that It-that that is to allow you t tact to to- to act as If I were your brother She peaked her eyebrows at the closely observant ph physician It horrid of or him she poi potted ted howlong How Howlong Howlong long will It take to cure him 1 A telephone hell rang somewhere b back ck of ot the hall Doctor Kirkland watched Tillie go out to answer the call cull before lie he replied l to the question ques ques' question tion How flow long will It take H lid He probably can bring on his proofs in to a II afew afew few days Proofs But nut that's no answer I asked asked- Yes yes jes es sweetheart I 1 know You see until he I hm hm I wonder If It we could not agree on a compromise Suppose Suppose Sup Sup- pose we have an under understanding t that until Mr Clinton Clinton- IO Cllnton-IO J Clinton Cllnton r I Mr Mr Clinton produces hIs hia proofs we are all to act ad as aa If he ho really 1 is a your brother I 1 could not do It either In Justice to this young joung lady or to you and your f family sir Of all the obstinate pigs I 1 cried Amy You Yon ought to know youre you're yourself yourself your your- yourself self and yet you wont won't even pretend 1 I Is that quite fair laIr Ml Mi Ml's s 's s Lowrie he asked How lIow can an I 1 pretend to be your brother when I know I am not 7 How can we pretend youre you're not when we know you are she rejoined Tillie poked her head in past the rear hall hail door Doctor she called Missus lIssus Kirkland says to tell you youre you're wanted at once at lat the sail anc and shall th they y come on down now Yes yes jes es said the physician As the woman disappeared he stepped to the front door Must go at once Amy Be ne back bak again Meantime they're coming Doctor Doctor walt wait I I I- I exclaimed ton But nut the physician rushed off oft unheeding unheeding ing and the young man could not very well wel run after him with a determined young joung lady clinging to the tail tall of his coat J The captive paused In the doorway and looked over his shoulder at the girl She took a fresh fresh grip on his coat and braced one little foot toot against |