Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1920 — THE MAN WHO WASN'T HIMSELF [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE MAN WHO WASN'T HIMSELF

By ROBERT AMES BENNET

SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.—Alighting irom a train at Denver a well-dressed traveler Is familiarly accosted by a man about hie own age. The traveler Ignores the advance. A few minutes later he la greeted as “WIU” by an elderly lady and gentleman, Who stop their auto to speak. He Imagines It a case of mistaken identity and announces himself as "Richard 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 him as her fiance. She is Ellen Kirkland, and plainly is greatly hurt by his assertion that he is "Richard Clfcton." CHAPTER IL —At dinner "Clinton” learns that his host is a medical specialist and that i he Is believed to be Will Lowrte, a young man who had been suffering from a nervous breakdown and had Ene east for medical treatment Lowrie d had in his possession bonds of the Value of SIOO,OOO, belonging to the bank 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 Lowrie, suffering from loss of memory. CHAPTER lll.—Amy declares at once be is her brother, and insists on treating Aim 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 whereahputs. 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 the president of the bank he is sure "Clinton” is Will Lowrie and agrees to find out the whereabouts of the missing bonda CHAPTER Vl.—With Bemm "Clinton" visits the athletic club and there Bemm discovers that a birthmark, familiar to Lowrle’s friends, has disappeared from “Clinton's" arm. Bemm Is somewhat disconcerted but unconvinced. That evening an answer to Doctor Kirkland’s telegram arrives, with the Information that the superintendent of the sanitarium is away, and the matter is left thus. QjWIPTER VH.—Bemm is very much is Amy Lowrie. Her brother has discouraged the intimacy, and Bemm thinks be can prove to Amy that her brother has made away with the bonds and is in danger of prosecution, from which 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 gone. 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 certain "Clinton” is his former acquaintance, Lowrie, makes a proposition to him to return the bonds, promising immunity from prosecution in return for his inducing 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

j, CHAPTER XII. f - Midnight. Clinton followed the girl to his door and watched her sprightly departure down the corridor. When she disappeared In the elevator he stepped back andnodded to the attendant. “Tell Doctor Kirkland I do not wish to see him today. Oblige me by closing the door and keeping it closed.” “As you wish, sir.” v The door closed noiselessly. Clinton went to the window, stepped up on the hot-water radiator windowseat, lowered the upper sash a few inches, and felt for a loose screw in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. All the screws were Immovable. He reached over to the other side. One of the screws in that comer turned under the twist of his fingertip, and the screen swung outward. K He tffew"lt shut, pushed up the window, and stepped down to examine the window-seat radiator. There was nothing about it to which a line could be fastened. He stepped up again and Rooked at the window cord. Taken together, the cords of both sashes might be strong enough to bear his From the window he went to the ■ bed. The sheets and coverlet, though light, were of fine, strong material. ■*--• —* Having made these investigations, he settled down beside the pile of magazines and began to read. He was not interrupted until close upon the fashionable hour for dining,-when an attendant opened the door and announced that dinner would be served to him in his room. A small table was presently brought in, and the meal served as neatly as in a first-class restaurant. The cooking wji excellent, though noticeable for fm[ absence of all highly seasoned dishes and of all stimulating drinks. Neither wine nor coffee nor even tea was served. Clinton drank his creamy milk without ‘ complaint, and complimented the cook and the pretty waitress. ' The girl, who. was a trained nurse, reported B 19 in good appetite and good humor. With the removal of the table, a male attendant brought in a

suit of pajamas. After this Clinton presumed that he would be left alone for the night. He smoked a cigar that he happened to have in his pocket, read until eleven o’clock, took a bath and went to bed. Within a minute after he had turned out his light, the door opened and an attendant stepped In, with an apologetic: “Beg pardon, sir; but your clothes.” “What about my clothes?" demanded Clinton. There was no reply. Clinton sat up In bed and saw by the moonlight which streamed in through the window that the man was deftly emptying the pockets of his trousers. “Here —enough of that!” he ordered. “Keep your hands out of my pockets.” . “But I cannot take out your clothes, without emptying them, sir,” replied the man. “Who the devil wants you to take out my clothes?” demanded Clinton.. “The management, sir. We are required to clean and press all garments." “Leave my clothes where they are, or I’ll knock your head off.” "Yes, sir; very good, sir.” The man bent over with, his back to Clinton, as if replacing the trousers. When he rose he had Clinton’s shoes in his hand. Before the owner could protest, he was at the door. A respectful explanation drifted back through the opening as the door was drawn shut: “Must polish them, sir. You’ll find them here In the morning.” Clinton leaped out of bed and ran to jerk open the door. It was locked. He raised his hand to knock, and dropped It, probably remembering that the door was deadened. He faced about. On - the floor lay the articles that the man had taken from his pockets. He went to replace them before the moon could glide down behind the ragged black mass of the mountains and leave him in darkness.

Catching up a handful of small change, he reached for his trousers. They were not where he had left them. They were neither on nor under the neatly hung coat and waistcoat It was evident that the man had smuggled them out under his Jacket Consternation alone saved Clinton from an explosion of his quick temper. It was truly a dilemma In which he found himself. To remain In the sanitarium might be to lose all chance of escape; but to leave without trousers —! The thought of fleeing In pajamas with a charming young lady whom one does not acknowledge to be one’s sister is, to say the least, em barrassing. He put on his remaining buttoned up the coat, examined his appearance In the waning moonlight, and blushed. Considerate of his feelings, the moon went down, and the merciful darkness cloaked him about. In the obscurity, his courage rallied. So dark a night, no one would see. With burglarious stealth he crept to the bed arid pulled off the coverlet and sheets. To knot them end to end was the work of only a few moments. He stole across to the window, lowered the upper sash, and tied one end of his line to the two window cords on one side. He did not open the screen, but stepped down to crouch in a corner and look at his watch by the light of a vesta. It was five to twelve. He had not completed his preparations any too soon. — —<*<—• As he returned to the window he saw the light qf a passing automobile. He sprang up on the window-seat and opened tjie top screen to peer out. The automobile Slackened speed and stopped at the first house across the alley from the sanitarium. It seemed to be ri coupe. At once he swung himself out over the wffldstff sashes, peered down to make certain that Ihe window below was unlighted, and cautiously began to lower hiiriself from the sill. When he put his weight on the sheet line it stretched with the tightening of the knots, but held. He slowly let himself down, hand under hand. BeA>re he came to the lower end, hlo stockinged feet touched the ground.

He turned out toward the vague blot under the overshadowing tree. The outlines of a coupe became dimly visible, then the white form of an outpeering face. “All aboard,” he whimpered, slipping into the seat beside the excited girl. The coupe glided out of the gutter and started up the street at quickly accelerated speed. As they swept across the lighted intersection Clinton crouched forward with his hands on his knees. Amy did ndt observe the embarrassed movement She was peering ahead into the darkness beyond the intersection. She ran the next block, swerved the corner, and turned on the coupe lights. "You’re a little trump 1” he exclaimed. “That’s nice of you, you poor dear boy I Isn’t it fun? Isn’t it romantic? & was shivering with fear that thtt

might pop out and — Lean back till we pass the crossing.” Involuntarily he obeyed. She glanced at him to make sure, and perceived his costume. “Oh!” she gasped— “Oh 1 Pldn‘t you have time? Where are your trousers?” “I—no —that—” he stammered — “that confounded attendant stole them.” . “Stole?” “Claimed the rules required him to take my clothes to be pressed.” “So that was It! That must be one way they keep patients from running off. But it didn’t stop you, you brave boy 1” / Amy burst Into a gurgle of Irrepressible mirth. “See here," he admonished. “Even If I am—” (• “Indeed no, not even if you are my brother. I mustn’t see. It’s—lt’s really too sh-shocking!” This time she startled the silence of midnight with u burst of ringing laughter. “Miss Lowrie!” he reproved In a tone that left no doubt as to his ruffled dignity. Though bubbling with repressed merriment, the girl had paid close attention to the driving of the coupe. She kept to the smoothest of the more secluded streets, and slackened speed while passing through the radius of

light as the' Intersections, that the coupe might not attract the unwelcome observation of a chance policeman. But between Intersections she threw on the high gear. “We must get home before they learn of your escape,” she explained when Clinton more moderate speed. “They may telephone about It, and If they should find I am not at home—don’t you see? —that would let the cat out of the bag. They would come for you at once.” “You’ve ventured to do all this absolutely alone?” “Of course. Keep quiet. Here’s our block. S-s-sh! Keep still now. No one must see us go in.” , She turned off the coupe lights and drove slowly toward the other end of the long block. The light from the nearest Intersection was just sufficient to show her clear young eyes where to turn into the yard. Under the pergola the darkness was so dense that she entered it at a snail’s pace, one hand on the steering lever and the other thrust out of the side to touch the grape leaves with the tips of her Angers. “The porte-cochere door is unlocked,” she whispered. “Slip out now, and creep up to your room. I’m afraid to stop." “If you insist,” he acquiesced. The stairway and upper hall offered him the relief of a clear passage. He stole up to his room. The door was ajaL After pausing to listen, he ventured to light a vesta. The little flare lasted long enough for him to make sure that all the shades were drawn down close over the windows. He closed the door, lighted a single gas jet, and dived tato the closet. When he emerged, his pajamas were covered with trousers and his stockinged feet cramped Into a pair of tight shoes. At The same moment Amy slipped In at the door, beaming with the mischievous delight and exultance of a college girl at a yddnlght feast. Her first act was to turn down the gas, her second to hold up her lips for Clinton to kiss her. Instead, lie caught her hands to keep her away from him. He tried to force his gaze away from her sweet face, and could not. He drew in a deep breath and murmured protestingly: “Miss Amy, you refuse to realize —” “No, It’s you,” she broke in. “Now that Ellen has jilted you and Charlie has jilted me —” “What! You weren’t engaged to Bemm?” The girl blushed under his Intent gaze. “I—l did think that perhaps I might— But that was before you came home. Since then —” She faltered and looked down. “It’s so queer I Actually I believe love you -twice as much more —so much that I haven’t any room for Charlie.” “You are certain?” “Positive. And the funny -thing is I was going to encourage him Just because you didn’t want me to. Then I begun comparing him with you, and somehow— Why, do you know — you

mustn’t tveu smile, because It’s —it’s really tragic—but actually 1 was becoming jealous of Ellen. Wasn’t that selfish of ine?” Swiftly he bent down to sweep her Into his arms and shower kisses on her lips and eyes, on her dimpled cheeks and white forehead, and on her exquisite pink ear and fragrant hair when, overwhelmed, she snuggled her face on his shoulder. Bewildered, blushing, filled Mth rapture yet still Innocent of Its meaning, she flung her arms around his neck and returned his embrace with blissful tenderness. “Dearest, dearest brother 1” she whispered. With even more suddenness than he had caught her to him, he gripped her slender shoulders and thrust her out at arm’s-length. “What have I done?” he groaned. 4, What have I done?” She sought to smile, but her eyes dilated with dread. “No, no, dear I” she soothed. “Be calm! You are all right. You are yourself—yourself.” “Yes —now —too late!” he cried. “How will you ever forgive me —when you know? For me to take advantage of you this way! I thought myself a man 1” “There, there, dear ; be quiet now. It’s merely all this excitement It’s all doctor’s fault locking you up In that horrid place. But you are safe now, dear, quite safe. So be quiet' that's a good boy. You know you promised.” “If only it was that!” he groaned. “Little eirl. think—noen vour eves!

You cannot be so blind! Can’t you see 7 Would a brother kiss you as I kissed you?” .. More than ever frightened and be* wildered, she stood silent. He bent nearer. At last the meaning of the look in his eyes forced Its way Into her consciousness. Her checks flamed scarlet and as suddenly whitened. “You see!” he said. “You have not understood your own feelings, because you have been unable to think of me other than as a brother.- But I, Amy —little sweetheart —” ’•‘No, no! don’t—don’t say It I” she panted. “But It Is with the utmost reverence—” “Oh, Will! no-no-no!” she shrieked, and she fled from him In wild panic. He sprang after her and caught the door as she attempted to Jerk It shut between them. His purpose, however, was only to close It without the violent jar that might have awakened old Tillie. Instead of following the frights ened girl into the hall, he shot the bolt. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Cautiously Began to Lower Himself.

“Can't You See? Would a Brother Kin You as I Kissed You?"