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F’
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- ‘ minding myself that you are not he. It
i"
> blance to Will: It’s simply absurd
4
to replypthe most proper response, he thought. ’
"It must have seemed to you so impertinent." she
insisted “Only. you see, our friend-Will l..owrie.'
‘ you know--" She paused expectztntly. but his clear
gaze betrayed no more than polite attention. She
iiung up her hand in a little gesture of bewilder-
ment. “You are Will-and yet your expression--
Pardon me, but if only yourealized what.
truordinary resemblance! . . .'. As I wa:
East. This-it. .13 .as it he, had come back htogusg;
strong and well," . > ' v
“A’perl'ectiy natural mistake," the young mgu-.'
“Two persons be
good-humoredly reassured her.
tween whom there is only a moderately close
semblance are often mistaken for one mother when
apart. the their differences, once they are togetherf,
may be very noticeable.”
“But you and wul-1" she replied. snveuazter-'
yourexplanstion 1' have to refuse to believe my,’-
own eyes. I have no doubt that my husband, aswell
< as myself: Pardon me.
"l'he young man met the introduction
5 .
to say, Mr. Lowrie has been away more than ‘:11! ,2 .
year. He was quite ill when my husband tzok hini ‘ :'
I am Mrs. Kirkland, and?
thisis my husband. Mr. Clinton-Doctor Kirkland.”
'CH1cAoo LEDGER
-my dear Mrs. Kirkland, happy to meet you. Rot-
ten luck over that ride, y’know. Tho Miss Amy had
been so good as to accept the loan of my car and:‘‘
' He stopped short and thrust out his hand to the
traveler, who was in the act of facing him. "Why,
nello, Will! so here you are! I say. what the deuce
made yer. cu: me there in the depot?‘ ‘
- - eier smtiet; qurzzicaiiy as he took the
r,:c5e:'ed .1 1. “It seems that I have more friends
"in Denver than I had supposed."
“Vrieuds? ‘."l:y-er-have I ever given you rea-
believe l‘:n not a triend?” demanded Bemm.
coniuseuly. “It's over three years since
" iisshed a look oi inquiry av; the Lady‘
SC
W
land.
man >ls,not Will'at all. He is Mr. Richard Clinton.
Isn't the resemblance marvelous-that is, at first
sight? “Looking closer you or course see the diner-
ence.’aud possibly explain it to us.”
“Ah-now.‘I: must say-what's the answer?" in-
quired Bemm, looking the traveler up and down with
'fIt’s absurd, really absurd, but this gentle-
7"But of course we shall not permit him to go.”
said Mrs. Kirkland. "We must all treat him so well
that he will decide to stay in Denver for along
time.’‘' p ‘ ‘
Bemm raised his narrow eyebrows. but caught the
"cc at 1219 'r:hysiolz.n and blanoiy waved his
hand upwards. “Yes, to ne 2- -2. Cnce we gel:
3:: thin! the we!ccme arch duty to Denver wiil not
permit or L :::.izive at his escape. E6 122’; ‘oz
stay." ‘
“For a week at the least," added Mrs Kirkland!
"We'll look for you this evening, Qnariie. .4‘. ‘
persuade , are going uptown with 11
“Not at present-co,” ' , ‘V
"Then un‘-il this evening. Mr. Clinton, if you will
step in.” . .
” "kg in response to the general cordiaiiiy, the
312: :->22-ed the door of the car and took the
seal. heeiue ice iady. The machine rolled out thru
the arch, leaving Bemm standing‘ hat in hand, his
countenance taking on alstrnnga. puzzled look..
He waited until the party was a block away. and
then sauntered from the depot grounds to catch the
ilrst uptown stqeet car. ‘ , .
Lani .:,
C.’-
with a manner nicely balanced between
well-bred reserve and cordial warmth. . >
He bowed to the lady and stepped for- : .
ward alongside the car to grasp the 7
chubby hand of the physician. ’
‘"It is a happy case of mistaken lden- .
tity that gives me the pleasure of your
acquaintance,‘ he remarked.
"Very!" agreed the physician, mask-
ing his diagnosing scrutluy under s be-
nevolent smile. “The pleasure is not
all yours. l.lr.-Clinton.'' , ‘
."Indeod. no. tir. Clinton!‘ vivaci-
ously confirmed the lady. "Even if-it
were torlno'- more than your resem-
how like you are. I have to keep.re-
mukes me feel quite as it you were an
old friend. How long did you say you
expect to remain in town?‘
‘ " vly train leaves shortly belore mid-
night.” A‘
' "Not tonight?“
"Yes." .
“But that never will do! You say
you are a stranger in Denver. You
must stop over a law days at least to
see our beautiful city. You are not
hurried by business?“
“No. I am merely on a pleasure trip
to California.”
"And you would pass straight thru
Colorado!” she reproached. "Does not
your ticket permit you to a stop over?"
"I believed: does!
‘Then of course you will."
He hesitated.
cold town to strangers."
""I'bat is a baseless calumny. as we shall prove to
y0u,"- she declared with redoubled gruciousness.
‘Since we have become acquainted in this delight-
fully unconventional manner you must pardon the
unconven ronauty of an invitation to dlnawith us
’ on such short notice.”
“It is most kind of you." he acknowledged. "But,
my trunk--"
"No,"no: just as you are-quite informal." she
forestalled his objection. ’
He could not resist her cordlality. “Since you are
so kind!” - '
"Jump in." directed the physician with an urgency
almost peremptory. ‘ '
"Yes, do Mr. Clinton." begged the lady. "We
came down to see on your-pardon me-Will's
mother. Your aunt-I mean your mother's-Will's
.mother's sister (down at the Springs, you know)
was suddenly taken ill this noon. Nothing really
serious, however. Amy and Ellen were away on a
motor ride. So your-Will’: mother: Why. here
I: Charlie Bernm!" .
HE elegantly-attired young man who had hailed
the traveler in the depot arcade came saunter-
ing toward the automobile, seemingly oblivious or
- all else than a pretty girl across the roadway.
' Mrs. Kirkland raised her voice: “Charlie Bernm.
come here this instant! What does this mean?
You were to go to the foothills with the girls."
Bemnrrslsed his fashionable straw in the most
correct manner, and drawled his response while
hastening to present hinzselt berore the lady; .“Ah
“Denver has the name of being a .
’ ,
11
‘x
.v to
W
llillw
Tho the Qloaeneu ol Illa naiupe Mint Have snruea mm. up Snxllul run]
Looked at the occupnnt or the Cu ‘Vlth Good-natured Unconcern.
i I. -
thevalr cl aiconnoisseu inspecting ‘a canvas sus-
pected-gt being a copy. “Really this isn't quite fair,
y'know, when I make no pretense at being clever.
Mrs. Kirkland. Because Will has come home with
an English mustache and an English accent and an
English complexion. this farce of his, pretending
to forget his friends-it it really is a farce-"
"Indeed, no Charlie. It is anything but u iarce!;' ‘
exclaimed Mrs. Kirkland. "Mr. Clinton iinds it a
most anhoying mistake. He has positively assured
us that he. is not himself-that is, I should say,
that he is not -Will." '
“Er-what? You‘ mean’ that his loss of mem-
ory:" K
"Mr. Clinton is Mr. Clinton." broke in Doctor
Kirkland, and he gave Bemm 3 slgnllicant look over
the traveler's shoulder. "A few minutes ago Mr.
Clinton was a stranger in Denver. lie is not so now.
We have had the pleasure or making his acqualntr
once.” ‘.
“And he is to dine with us." added Mrs. Kirkland.
“You'll join us,pCbarlie?" g‘
Bemm‘ gave her a tragic look. "it only I could!
But a previous engagement, y’know-one I can't cut .
even for you. After dinner I may drop around. Yes,
it's quite likely that l wilt”
1‘Yes. do. Ellen may be home, and perhaps Amy
may be up. Come as you are, please. Mr. Clinton's
trunk is on his train."
"On his train‘! Then he does not expect to stay
over in Denver?" drawled Bemm, I taking out 3
cigarette. , .
"My train leaves about midnight," explaingd “,9
traveler. ‘
oF""‘GG
.......,.., gag, A7.’ W
V
. CHAPTER II.
FAIR ELLEN’. - "
OCTOR KIRKLAND was too
careful a driver to have any
glances to spare for his passengers
after he had guided his car up thru
the business streets of the city to ,
one of the most quiet of the Qapitol
hill avenues. H - -
Mrs. Kirkland? however, was gra-
ciously attentive to every remark
d .
an of her
Each time they approached, a build- ,
ing or note she watched him with
an air of expectancy, as tho look-
ing for some sign of recognition.
Invariably she was disappointed.
Ilis interest was keen, but itywus
the interest of a.strauger. Even
-7 when they passed thru the Capitol
grounds he failed to show the Slight.
est trace of reawakened memory.
They went on a few blocks south
and then more swiftly eastward. At
last the physicau brought his car to
“Sly Dear ‘VIII!
My Dear may."
a. stop at the curb before a residence set in a plot
03 emerald green that merged with the lawn of Con-
gress Park. ‘
"Here we are-home!" said Mrs.‘ Kirkland, in a
Sbflgllfly attempt to win some indication of re-
membrance from the young man at her side. “No
doubt Ellen will be awaiting us." ‘
H9’ “"ml‘““0“'5 100k Spoke only of polite inquiry.
The mention of home and of Ellenhadvalike failed
to stir him. She concealed her disappoin menu. with .
difficulty.
‘ “I referred to my daughter," she explained. “Ellen
went on a. motor ride to the loothillswith Amr-
WS5 I-Owrle. you know-and some of their girl
ends." -
Again she looked closely into the face of her com-
panion. But the name ot'Amy Lowrie brought no
33511 Of memory into his frank blue eyes. He
stepped down to hand his hostess from the car. ,
A neat little maid came darting from the front
Porch of the house down across the sloping lawn
to the parked sidewalk. "Doctor." she called.
"l19l'B'B B Phone message. Urgent case at the sani-
tarium." - >
The Dhysclan tool: the note and read it eta glance. ‘ K
"Il’m-quite true. That new psychopath. Must go-"
(Continued on. Page ll.)
..A;-.