Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-03

whom. see.n
And now, Mr.. Sherrieff. am going to
say what may make you think me mad,
but which trust to you not to repeat, not
to hint to any living person: That man is
not Osmund Questin."
IF ever l did establishment as well on
the boards as at that moment my fortune
would be made,n Dick said long after He
was simply astounded.
"Who-who the-who is he, then, Miss
Garnham?"
''That is what mean to find out-and
where
Here she stopped, turning very pale
Dick looked away from her, knowing her
thought If So where, indeed was poor
Osmund? There was but one answer: In
the grave, or this impostor would never
have dared represent him.
when our eyes met, as he apologized
for knocking his cigar ashes on my dress,
there was not CLEAN of recognition in
his" she went on He looked at me as
at a perfect stranger; that was what sud
denly convinced me. The more l looked
after that the more certain I was. though
the likeness is so wonderful that it has to
me the horrible fleet of another spirit
having got into that body. Only L.
His father evidently believes that he is his
son.
Have you thought what strong evidence
that is"
Yes, but my certainty is stronger"
'sHas it occurred to you that Osmund
Questin may have met with some bad ac-
cident, or had an illness that affected his
mind? That would account for every
thing"
eyes, but it would not make front teeth
that were side by side fold over one an
other slightly"
Dick could not forbear smile.
'Well," he said, "there have been some
uncommonly queer cases of mistaken iden-
tity, even to scars turning up in the right
spot; but never mind, what do you want
me to do?"
AT first | meant to go myself to Bel
fort, and trace him onward, but, on think
ing it over, have decided that man can
do so much better than woman in such
a case; and therefore, if. as you tell me
you have nothing to do at present, you
would be so kind as to act for me-of
course" she added, coloring, 'at my own
eXpense-and as commission to be set
tied on quite business footing, shall be
more, oh, much more than obliged Do
you think $50 would do to begin with?
You must tell me, because I do not know,
and later on 1 could get more.''
Dick would have asked for nothing bet
ter than to undertake the adventure at his
own expense but it was absolutely i'm
possible to the poor fellow, SO he took the
straightforward proposal in the best man
ner possible, declaring that ESQ would go
an enormous way, and that, unless bribery
were called into play, he should hope to
spend less and that as for anything over
and above expenses (Which he silently re-
solved should not include his own living),
that was out of the question, and he was
much obliged for the chance.
All was very speedily arranged, and
then poor Anastasia looked over the list
of all the salvage of the family wreck.
She loved every article of it, every bit of
old plate, jewelry, china, old damask; half
belonged to Lottie, but they had been val
ued and divided, and if she could get
money in no other way she would sell her
half at Christie's. She was obliged to con-
suit Dick Sherrieff about it, and he was
most unhappy at the notion of the sacrifice
though it was not for him to prevent it.
Finally she picked out pearl necklace
and earrings and some bits of plate, and
sold them for rather more than she had
expected. Seventy pounds in crisp notes
she handed over to Dick, who said it was
his first experience of money responsible