Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1920 — THE MEN WHO WASN'T HIMSELF [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE MEN WHO WASN'T HIMSELF

By ROBERT AMES BENNET

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J BYNOPBIS. (Denver & well-dressed traveler Is familiarly accosted by a man about hie own age. The traveler Ignores the advance. (A few minutes later he 1b greeted as “Will” by an elderly lady and gentleman, who stop their auto to speak. He imagines It a case of mistaken Identity and announces himself as "Richatd Clinton," on his way to the coast The couple appear greatly surprised, and learning he Is to be In town until midnight, the lady. Introducing herself as Mrs. Kirkland, and her husband as Doctor Kirkland, Invites him to dinner, explaining the action by his truly remarkable resemblance to a friend of theirs. He accepts. At the Kirkland home he meets a young lady who greets hlnf as her fiance. She Is Ellen Kirkland and plainly Is greatly hurt by his assertion that he Is "Richard Clfcton.” CHAPTER ll.—At dinner "Clinton" learns that his host Is a medical specialist and that he Is believed to be Will Lowrie, a young man who had been Buffering from a nervous breakdown and had Kne east for medical treatment. Lowrie d had In his possession bonds of the ftralue of 1100,009, belonging to the bonk Where he was employed, which have disappeared and of which he has no recollection. With Dr. Kirkland "Clinton" goes to the Lowrie home, the doctor being satisfied that Amy Lowrie, Will's sister, will convince "Clinton" he is really KowTie, suffering from loss of memory. CHAPTER lll.—Amy declares at once be Is her brother, and Insists on treating him as such, to his great embarrassment. CHAPTER IV.—Doctor Kirkland arranges to send a telegram to the sanitarium where Lowrie Is undergoing treatment, Inquiring as to his whereataputs. CHAPTER V.—Ellen and Amy try In Vain to convince “Clinton” he Is Will Lowrie, brother of one and the fiance of the Other. He visits the bank with Doctor Kirkland and cashes a draft. Bemm tells Ithe president of the bank he is sure "CUn|ton" Is Will Lowrie and agrees to find out the whereabouts of the missing bonds. CHAPTER Vl.—With Bemm "Clinton" Visits the athletic club and there Bemm discovers that a birthmark, familiar to iLowrle’s friends, has disappeared from > “Clinton's" arm. Bemm is somewhat disconcerted but unconvinced. That evening fcn answer to Doctor Kirkland’s telegram arrives, with the Information that the superintendent of the sanitarium is away, ftnd the matter Is left thus. . TER Vll.—Bemm Is very much In Amy Lowrie. Her brother has discouraged the intimacy, and Bemm thinks he can prove to Amy that her brother has made away with the bonds And is In danger of prosecution, from Wnlch only Bemm can save him. CHAPTER Vlll.—That evening Amy Visits her “brother” In his room, In sisterly playfulness insisting he brush her hair. She tells him part of Bemm’s conversation and he Is indignant. To convince her he Is not her brother he shows ■ her his arm, from which the birthmark IS gpne. Amy, believing at last, hastens from the room In maidenly shame, and "Clinton” at once leaves the house. CHAPTER IX. —"Clinton,” about to leave town, is arrested, and Doctor Kirkland and the ladles visit him at the police station. The doctor arranges for his release. CHAPTER X.—At the Kirkland residence, where the party goes, Bemm, still Pbrt&ta “Clinton" is his former acquaintance, Lowrie, makes a proposition to him to return the bonds, promising Immunity from prosecution In return for his Indue- ; fng Amy to accept him as her fiance. '"Clinton” throws him out of the house. Doctor Kirkland makes up his mind to have the.young man remain In his sanitarium for observation and probable cure.

f He Ignored her, to gaze down Into “Amy's distressed face. “I asked the privilege of speaking with you—alone.” I He started the room with 'Amy. Ellen hesitated, glanced about at the alert attendant, and slowly followed. Clinton met her glance of timid appeal with cold antagonism. “If you will pardon me, Miss Kirkland,” he remarked, “this Is getting to be rather too much of a farce. Everything that I say or do Is distorted by your deluded fancy into all sorts of strange meanings. Is it not enough that your father has very adroitly trapped me —” i “Hush, dear,” reproved Amy. “Can’t iyou see how y§u are hurting her?” “I wish I could be brutal,” he irritably rejoined. “It might force her to realize that I cannot be her fiance.” I “Nothing can do that, dearest,” murmured Ellen. “Besides, there’s the telegram,” added Ajny. • . “Whkt telegram?” he queried. “Mamma told us,” replied Ellen. “It came to papa when we were all at iuncheon.”

js “£nd it proved that you are youl” [exclaimed Amy. “You needn’t scowl, iold bearkins, because-it does. It tells ihow you escaped to Chicago, and there [the superintendent lost all trace of you. That was when this change of personality came on you. So when you found yourself —not your real, but your new self —with all the bonds, you thought they were yours, and put them In a bank and started for Isn’t that plain?” “Very. Only, as It happens, I opened njy Chicago bank account several months ago." Ellen looked at Amy and nodded, forgets what papa says about 'retrogressive time memory in some [caisns of dissociation.” ! Culnton flushed with exasperation. :“Mlss JfHrkland, permit me to express my conviction that your father has made an unmitigated—owl of himself,” “No, no, please, dear I” begged Amy. He drew away the hand with which Idle sought to cover his mouth, and icon tinged; “This farce has gone quite tar enough. It has become a bpre.” >■ Ellen straightened with the h&uteW

of an offended queen. “You say that? First you Insult my father, and now—” “Wait, dear, wait!” Amy sought to Intervene. “It can’t be he means—” “Can’t be?" demanded Ellen, all her love and gentleness overwhelmed In the bitter upwelling of her outraged pride. “Look at him, scowling at me I” “I beg your pardon, Miss Kirkland,” he apologized. “I was not aware —” “ ‘Miss Kirkland’ 1” she exclaimed. “That is quite sufficient. To think that after I— *’ She blushed scarlet with mingled shame and anger, “Rest assured, Mr. Lowrie-Clinton, I Shall no longer bore you with the farce of my attentions.” “Elleq 1" breathlessly remonstrated Amy. “Surely you cannot intend —” “I dol” cried the girl, stripping the engagement ring from her finger and holding it out to Clinton. “Here 11 M,

sir! I quite agree with you that it is time to end this farce.” Clinton recoiled from the ring. “But —but, Miss Kirkland, you misunderstand —” “Really?” she scoffed. “How about yourself? I. have the pleasure of returning you your property, Mr. CllntdnLowrie.” She bowed and left the room, smiling and composed in the face of the attendants in the corridor. “Oh, dear!” sighed Amy. “What a kettle of fish!” Clinton looked down into her quivering face, and his irritation gave way to remorse. “What a brute you must think me! Yet what else could I do? This muddle has become intolerableintolerable !” iy “Do you mean because doctor wants you to stay here and rest a few days?” “You think I can rest here?” he exclaimed — “Here among a pack of lunatics, and the daftest of all this bally ass of a quack!” “No, no, Will; be calm!” she chided. “Remember, doctor is our dear old friend. He is only doing what he thinks is best for you.” “The idiot!” cried Clinton., “If he thinks it best to drive me mad he has set about It the quickest way. I have a horror of being locked in—confined.”, “Only for a few days,” she soothed. “How do' I know that?” be “No; I tell you a single day will be, enough to make me furious at the—theasininity of the whole thing. Then he will be certain to keep me here, and a few more days will see me in a frenzy. I tell you I’d rather jump out of this window at once and —”

Amy’s sweet eyes dilated with dread. “Please!” she whispered. “If 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 for my money,” he replied. The grim humor of the remark deepened her dread. "Oh, dear! If only I can think how— I’m sure you’d behave If I had you safe— ■” “Safe at home,” he suggested, as she hesitated. “Would you, Will, really?” she exclaimed. “I shall go to the doctor —” “No,” he ordered. “That would be useless. You know it.” “Ye-es, it would,” she reluctantly assented. t “But how —” Suddenly her face brightened. "Tell me, honest and truly now—would you behave and be quiet as a mouse and not run awayt if I took you home?” “Anything to get out of this lunatic asylum I” he yowed. “Promise J” .fr f*l promise.” “Ipn’t It a beautiful view?” she remarked, facing the window.

The sudden break perplexed him, but he mechanically Imitated her movement. She went on in the same tone:, “Seem to be looking out. It’s the window screens. The frames are metal and the wire is the very strongest steel. Besides, there are some copper wires; they are connected with an alarm. You see why bars are not needed at the windows.” “I see,” he replied, clenching his Jaw. “But there’s a way,” continued Amy. •*1 peeked Into a room and saw a win-dow-cleaner do it. One of the screws in the upper left-hand corner of the upper screen is loose. You turn It, and the screen will open. I don’t know how about the lower screen.” “Well?” asked Clinton. “What of It?” "Old stupid! Don’t you see? After the moon sets I’ll be waiting for you with the coupe.” “You’ll be —” He burst Into so sudden a laugh that she sprang away 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 to follow the young lady. Amy looked reproachfully at her mirthful companion. “Why do you laugh at me?” “Pardon me,” he apologized. “I was not laughing at you. It was the planning of our elope— I should say, my escape; all the accompaniments of melodrama, but with the parts reversed. Can’t you see how comical It Is?” 1 She peaked her eyebrows at him. “You were never so—so humorous in your real personality. Sometimes I could almost wish —’’ “Yes?” he inquired.

But she averted her gaze and hurriedly changed the subject. “The question is how are you to get down?” His look became grave. “You really mean this. Miss —” “Not if you call me Miss Lowrie!” she flashed. “It Is not that I do not like —Amy,” he said. “It is a beautiful name.” “Then use it, goose! Now, that settles everything. Won’t it be funl You must be ready at the ghostly hour of midnight. The moon will be down then. I’ll stop at the first house on this side across the alley.” “But —wait— Who’ll you tell?" “Nobody.” “That won’t do. You can’t £ome alone. I can’t agree to 1 that.” “It’s when everybody Is coming home from the theater,” she replied. “Be ready. Good-by.” She tripped gayly across to the door and chirped to the attendant guard as she passed out: “I have cheered him up. -le has promised to be quiet. Please disturb him as little as you can,” fTO BE CONTINUED.)

“It Is Time to End This Farce."