Show I IThe t The Ma Man Who W t Himself I E By ml Q ROBERT v AMES BENNET RENNET I Copyright by W. W G. G CHAPMAN G m mm wm m ro DEAR WILLI He saw a beautiful blush blush- lag face race a a. pair pair of era gray eyes eye low with love lore a shapely month m month curved cuned in a tender smile a e She reached up her hand bands and nd nd clasped them thorn on hilll his hil ll shoulders while her eyes eye gazed up into his his full lull of loving ex ex- II HI He He stepped toward her with the evident purpose of pushing p past palt it into the hall She darted ito to meet him and before belore he could evade vade her flung her arms arm about his neck He grasped her wrists but her fingers were locked fast To have hare freed himself he must have resorted to outright violence 4 4 Miss I 1 I Miss Lowrie he stammered ta really this thil is is-is is is isSott Sott m st t- t is U Promise to stay day I she he demanded de de- clinging tighter He looked down into her upturned J face The rown Brown own eyes were soft oft with ten ten- oe affection and bright with merry rry triumph IP T IChard Richard Richard Clinton alighting 4 rom roan m a train in Denver Denyer on his hi Tray ray to California is i. affection affection- greeted by Dr and Mrs as Will They are over oyer the j I nce ce ce but apparent apparently accept 1 and nd Dd carr carry him home with Hiem em m to dinner There he runs J Ellen Kirkland Wills Will's ee That's That the he first fird girl ud d you see ee what what happened nearly early happened 1 Clinton inton discovers he is sup sup- ii i ed j to be Will Lowrie sup sup- fid ed to be in a sanitarium for lor memory Dr Kirkland iiI st a- a famous alienist so 0 of urle he doesn't believe Clin Clin- bj p And then Clinton runs run I. I o Amy Lowrie Wills Will's sister ister jfe Boats Boat's the second girl And you youl l what did happen Clinton did da stay And upon naturally began lO pe most interesting ex- ex BS Read them and re- re 11 t. t 1 I 0 CHAPTER I. I 1 1 Will o the Wisp sauntered from the train in Ino i ir n o r of the hurrying crowd of his bit passengers there was nothing Lm In his appearance Iii His s ill were In good taste his manned manner manne r d well bred his look intelli intelli- rs IS Id tI ascent and Indifferent On th the thee e i e a gave every indication of b bey be- be only y and attractive young geni gen gen- lie i walked with the t ted I n athlete In L training training and and t In ht tI i ki b told him where h he e rt trek j his suitcase lie He si ed ede nub t he e arcade to ent enter r the depot r jI the Iron fence an elep ele- ele el e- e P p 3 eSsed young fellow beside the In waved a hand to him and let Hello old man 1 1 te jou were what returning r returning tur ln what what of wrier veler after a moments moment's quiz tiny had started on Into the ea out betraying the slightest st The young elegant r t i lied to him flushed and bit bitI toot quickly his shallow gray gray- is Ier I 1 ir hardened and he recovered lant it nt poise With a swift swift- apt a as masked by the utter lacka lack a p V his manner he slipped ei es at J Agate e gate and across the arcade I pot a ht t t of the man he had adir ad ad- lr ir O hIm to an abrupt halt behind a pillar and andt fight t a cigarette The travie trav- trav ar r the ie checking counter de- de 11 S suitcase Having rehe re- re 1 eek eck he turned away withof with withof of one who is in a stran strange e no particular desire to do i l 1 fo Iliad had bad taken half a dozen rushed by a middle aged to Clit ht lt have passed for a pro- pro prot t i nt clubman of rather pro pro- res Why howdy Mr ck lck In Denver again I see sec r a nit as a fiddle Glad your t V t tone s lone done one you so much good I slightly mistaken reveler re rev II I I e veler eler Ier ignoring the others other's hand I do not happen r n ou n and I care neither AI I same game nor a gold brIck through the main exit f ot t leaving the man who 1 him lm agape and blankly j J I. I I tensed with the l upwell upwell- f L' L LI gy He noted the line d n up outside the depot salt oJ 0 grounds and started forward brisk and purposeful At the same time a small touring car that had been standIng stand stand- standing Ing beside the curb before the ladles ladles' waiting walling room curved around and rolled smoothly out across the block pavement pavement pave pave- ment anent toward the Welcome Welcom arch Car and pedestrian reached the crossing at the same time The driver a portly haired gray-haired gentleman tooted a warning and swerved over on the crossing Checked by the sound of ot the horn the tile traveler carne came to an abrupt halt baIt and stood poised waiting for the automobile to glide past The be elderly driver was too intent on steering the machine to give further heed to him But the matronly lady inthe Inthe in inthe the rear seat looked In his bis direction and met his gaze full and direct Instantly Instantly In Inv she flung out her hand and leaned toward him her face aglow with surprise and delight Will wm Willi f I she cried Stop Karl stop Dont Don't Will you see The car came to a n stand within Its own length and the dignified driver twisted about to peer at the traveler As he lie met the young oung mans man's look of well-bred well annoyance his Joyful astonIshment astonishment astonishment aston aston- became clouded with doubt ut the doubt vanished vanished and left him beaming with cocksure delight It Is Will he exclaimed Most unexpected I 1 Such a a-a- a a My dear Will My dear boy I l broke In the lady To think that you you you- For the first time the traveler rallied from the half balf daze Into which he had been thrown by this sudden attack I beg your pardon madam he Inter later Interrupted the lady You have hae rather the advantage of me Evidently you jou ou mistake mistake mis mis- take me for some friend v who ho has been away o 0 oHe oHe He smiled as If in sympathetic amusement but the others n a a. ance once nce became became became be be- came grav grave grae e. e The lady gazed at nt him In shocked surprise The gentleman replied replied replied re re- re- re plied to him with dignified Irritation This Is no occasion for practical 4 I c I I Ti I I 1 i Clinton Is My Name Richard Name Richard Clin ton Jokes Will Very unlike you 1 t Merely because you have grown a mustache Is no reason why you should should- should should- One moment sir broke In the young man and he be drew out his card ard case case My name Is Clinton Richard Clinton Clinton Cllnton I am a stranger In to Denver er It wont won't do wont won't do Will Willi 1 Irritably Irrl Irritably tably taby rejoined the older man Youve changed a great deal wonderful deal wonderful Improvement Im Im- provement But o of course its it's all owing owing owing ow ow- ing to your complete recovery Never saw you look so robust Theres There's a resonance resonance res res- In your voice voice voice- Its It's no use affecting af at the Boston oston accent You cant can't disguise your voice Sir It is you who Insist upon a practical Joke jole because of a n fancied resemblance resemblance re reo re- re semblance declared the young man his big blue eyes glinting with annoyance Fancied I exclaimed the lady I beg your pardon madam he re rev replied replied plied and he presented his bin card to herAs herAs herAs her As you see my n name me Is Richard Clin ton I r Iam am on my way n ay through to the Coast and am nm stopping ov In n Denver only for the change of cars Ah Ab yes to be sure she murmured i her eyes on his Jils card caid So stupid of us Pray pardon me a moment She turned her ber shoulder to him and leaned forward to hand the card to her portly companion OhI Ohl I what can It be Karl she whispered See Seel to Seel to I-to to have Lave had bad cards engraved He lie really seems to be bo serious seri serio serious ous and its it's so unlike him to Joke Can Cnn It be possible that his loss oss of memory mem mem- ory that ory-that that It has failed entirely entirety The bushy eyebrows of ot the gentleman gentle gentle- man tuna came down over his keen eyes and his face clouded with concern Possible f Possible 1 I be he muttered Amnesia dissociation secondary personality I My dear Its It's not only possible Its It's highly probable I And I 1 thought he was Joking poor boy I Hush I Leave it to me We must detain him He cannot be allowed to leave town No no while nol while In this state state Im Im Impossible possible IThe I 1 The lady turn turned d to the young m man man n with an nn air of gracious apology Mr Mr Clinton you hear my husband We cannot allow you to leave the state without first having made amends to you for this this this-this this annoying mistake Pardon me rather for my rudeness rudeness rude rude- ness ness he ha hastened to reply It must have ha seemed to you so tm pertinent she Insisted Only you see our friend WIll friend Will vrle Lowrie you know know- know know- She paused expectantly buthis hut but his his clear gaze betrayed no more than polite attention She flung up her hand In a little gesture of ot bewilderment bewilderment bewilder bewilder- ment Y You ou are Will and Will and yet ret your expression expression- Pardon me but If only you realized what an extraordinary resemblance resemblance re rev semblance As I was going to say Mr Lowrie has been away way more than hal half a a Ii year He ne was quite ill III when my husband took him east This This This-t It Is as If he had come back tous to tous tous us strong and well veIl A perfectly natural mistake the I young man good reassured I her Two persons between whom there Is only a moderately close resemblance resemblance resemblance re re- semblance are often mistaken for tor one another when apart though their differences differences dif dlf once they are together maybe may maybe maybe be very noticeable But you and Will Will I I she replied Even after your explanation I have to refuse to believe my own eyes 1 I have no doubt that my husband as aswell aswell aswell well as myself myself- Pardon me I am Mrs Kirkland and this is my husband Mr Clinton Doctor Clinton Doctor Kirkland The young man met the Intro Introduction with a manner nicely balanced between well-bred well reserve and cordial warmth He lIe bowed to the lady and stepped forward forward forward for for- ward alongside the car to grasp the chubby hand of the physician It Is a happy case of mistaken identity Identity identity iden Iden- that gives gf me m me the pleasure of your acquaintance he remarked Very I agreed the physician masking maskIng maskIng mask- mask Ing his diagnosing scrutiny under a benevolent benevolent be be- smile The pleasure is not all yours Mr ClInton Clinton Indeed no no Mr Clinton I vivaciously vivaciously viva viva- confirmed the lady Even if It It were for no more than your resemblance resent blance to Will WIll WIll- WIllIts WIllIt's Its It's simply absurd ho how like you are I have to keep reminding reminding reminding re re- minding myself that you are not he It makes me feel quite as if you were an anold anold anold old friend How long did you you say you expect to remain In town My train leaves shortly before midnight Not tonight Yes But that never will do l 1 You say you are a stranger In Denver You must stop over a n few days at least to see our beautiful city You are not hurried by business He hesitated Denver has the name of being a cold town to strangers That Is a baseless calumny as we shall prove to you yon she declared with redoubled graciousness Since we weh hove have h ve become acquainted in n this delightfully delightfully delightfully de de- unconventional manner you must pardon the unconventionality unconventionality- of an invitation to dine with us on such short notice It Is most kind of you he edged But my trunk trunk trunk-to No no Just as you are are quite quite Informal In formal she forestalled his objection He Ile could not resist her cordiality Since you are so kind I l i Jump Jump in directed the time r with an urgency urgency al almost ost peremptory Smiling In response response to the general genera i cordiality the trav traveler le opened the door of the car and took the seat beside the lady Doctor Kirkland was too careful a n driver to have any glances to spare fo for r his passengers after he had guided hI hIcar his hiscar hiscar s car up through the business streets o othe of f the city to one one of the most quiet o othe of f the Capitol hill bill avenues They went went on a few bl blocks south and then more swiftly eastward A Alast At t last the physician brought his car cur to toa t ta to toa o a stop at the curb before a residence set In a plot of emera emerald d green that merged with the lawn tawn of Congress park Here we are hornet home home I said said Mrs Kirkland in a sprightly attempt t twin to win some indication of remembrance from the young man at nt her side No doubt Ellen will be awaiting us us Her companions companion's look spoke only of polite Inquiry The mention of homand home hom and of Ellen had alike failed to stir him She concealed her disappointment disappoint disappoint- ment with difficulty I referred to my daughter she ex ex- Ellen went on a motor ride to the foothills with Amy Miss Amy Miss Lowrie Lowrie Low Low- rie you know know and and some of or their girlfriends girl friends Again she looked closely Into the face of ot her companion But the name of Amy Lowrie brought no flash of memory Into his frank blue ey eyes s. s He stepped down to hand his hostess from the car A neat little maid came darting from the front porch of ot the house down across the sloping lawn to th parked sidewalk Doctor she site called alted heres heresa a phone message Urgent case at the sanitarium nl tn rl um The physician took the note and I read rend It In a 0 glance lance Hm quite quite true That new psychopath Must go H He Re nodded to his wife as he stepped bac back k into the car Excuse me to Mr Clinton Clin CUn Clinton ton my dear I all return In time for tor dinner Mrs Kirkland smiled at her gues guest t as the car glided away The time o oa of ot ota ofa f a specialist Is little more his own than that of an nn old old fashioned family doctor doctor doc doe tor she said My husband is a an n alienist She turned to the housemaid house house- maid Is Miss Ellen at home Yes maam She came buck back half an hour ago ago Tell TeU cook Mr Clinton Is to dine with us us The little maid flitted up the lawn and Into the house Mrs Kirkland and the guest sauntered after her The west fronting of the porch afforded an across town across town view of ot the snowy range now haloed with magnificent a sunset The traveler paused in the porch midway midway mid mid- way between the steps and the door What a vIew l he exclaimed You enjoy It the lady was quick to catch him up Then If I 1 may ask you to excuse me for a few tew moments I shall leave you out here in the porch He sprang to open the screen door for or her But the moment she had gone Inside he went across to the porch walland wall walland walland and stood gazing at the sunset forgetful forget forget- ful of ot all else than the gold and scarlet scarlet scarlet scar scar- let and red that streamed up through the fleecy clouds above the Indigo mountains and white peaks peaks' into the azure sky Around the corner of the house strolled a tall tall haired fair-haired girl carryIng carrying carrying carry carry- ing In one hand a novel and in the theother theother theother other a fan The fiery splendor of ot the sunset caught her gaze and held It while she passed the corner and mounted mount mount- ed the end steps of the porch At first sight of ot the unconscious traveler she straightened with an impulse impulse impulse im im- pulse of ot maidenly reserve This was Instantly succeeded by amazement II as asher asher her eyes rested on the mans man's strong profile She stopped transfixed ga gazing gaz ling lag at the traveler as If dazed She had the look of |