Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-24
MY OTHER SELF.

Of which he shortly afterward became the
chief, be- was sent To c. 70 look up evidence
in heavy as depending upon proof Of Iedi-
gree, and 10 watch the proceedings Of the
other side, which suspected and rightly,
NJ tbs seggel shows Of being engaged
there, not in looking up evidence but IN max
ing IT, He therefore assumed the name Of
MeArdle and locked out for some quiet lodg
ing whence he could pursue his In yestig.,icns
unrecegnIzssi and abotssrved- IA. ii. ecurse
Of an hours ramDle about the outskirts Of the
city be found thu very place. An cid fash
Toned house. with gabied roofs and black
beams III white walls. standing in unpre-
tentious but bright booking garden, in whach
and here the chaTru-- a seniidetached
building, the sort Of structure which in
America would be called pavilion, contain
Ing two large rooms All the windows
closed and on tho door be observed the tat
tered remains Of bill on which the letters
LIE and FUR were sufficiently visible 70 jus
tify him in calling at the house and asking il
its dependence were 10 be let furnished
He could not obtain decisive answer; 1t
was-and 10 was not. The landlord had no
use for 1t. He'd like to find a good tenant,
and yet. MeArdle offered himself a. pos
s.assng all the qualities Of good tenant. He
would give very little trouble have no visi-
tors and pay literally in advance, but the
"and yet" was not recalled; if he would re-
tarn about that time next day be should
have a straightout yes or "no.H
He succeeded IN securing the place and
having taken possession, occupied himself
with the important legal ease which was then
occupying his attention. He had been thus
engaged for a fortnight when he came upon
the track OF an important discovery, which,
il verified would establish his beyond
question H. WAS walking home, rs was his
custom about ) O'Clock. with his mind full Of
it, and became more and more irritated at
whnt he thought was tho rudeness of all
other pedestrians Never, he fancied, had
NJ many people run against him got in
his way Now. 1t Is a fact that the streets
were unusually tull, for it was market day;
still. the chances are that if he had given a
little 81 his attention to where he was going
he would have got along without much
trouble, but he was giving no attention to
anything but his case-now bndly hurrying
along tn get at papers at home, now stop
ping short, a doubt struck him, to con
slider whether he had not better go back
whence he had come He did not hear the
angry inquiries as to where he was "a-going,p
and who he was "apushing Of" etc, etc.
He did not realize that for the too frequent
collisions h. was himself to blame He be-
came iflitatcl at the awkwarflness Of all
other ayfarers, then angry as it began to
dawn upon him that the pushing and OBJ
strurtioni were associated with one man
one man who, whether he were pushed from
behind or stopped from in front, or josttd
from one side, was invariably to be seen
walking ON undisturbed about five PAGES
ahead "Df course McArdle admitted
tand here | will take up his narrative,
lit was most unreasonable i'll me 10 hold him
in any way responsible for what hap
pening; but the i'ieh got into my thoughts
and ranked lie walked along as though
there was no one else in the street, and |
was in collision every dozen yards.
"A woman knocked OF my hat and then
declared thai had broken her parasOl with
it, and | was kept at least three minutes
pacifying her, When my apology was ac-
copied and went on again that man was in
his usual place, five PAGES ahead. 'Confound
your sad 10 myself IN get in front OF
you and theu we will see put on a squirt,
but though | am good walker and we had
by this time got into II less crowded part OF
the city. | could not overtake HIM Well
reasoned, II can't pass you | can get rid
OF you IN another way
direct route for home. This ran through
district unlimited 10y mechanics and was
qiite claar for as far az could sea few
children playing in front Of the houses and
solitary wagon rambling along the black
enel road we're the only objects in sight 1t
wasn't a pleasant way out, so | walked fast
tll | gaine the suburb where lived When
I reached tao point where had TO turn again
into the road had quilted | looked back 10
see If my aversion were in view. No; he had
either stepped on the way or passed OH in
some other direction. | associated him with
a rude pushing crowd in the din and rattle Of
the main street of large city. | thought OF
him as part Of the rudeness and the pushing,
the hot pavement, the smoky sky; and out
here walking ON the crunchy gravel of
country road seeing green fields through
hlossnming hedges, under clear blue sky,
there seemed to he no place for him.
1T was therefore, with no little emotion
that at a sudden bend in the road saw him
walking slowly along about fifty yards ahead
of me. but on the other side. Ny irritation,
which had deepened into anger against him,
now curdled into fear. l had important pa
pors In my pockets and some very damaging
knowledge in my head. Could have been
recognized and this man engaged by the
worked. with view to foul play, Seeing
him thus at an angle instead Of directly from
the rear had a letter view Of him, and now
l began 10 feel that must know him. at
least BY sight | quckened my steps and
this time with success getting to within our
former distance of about five yards The on
one side and on the other Of the roaGD at
which was content to remain and observe.
Yes. there was something in his manner, his
walk. even in the cut and description Of his
clothes that became more and more familiar
to me. His face was turned toward the
hedge-as often turn it myself for am a
bit Of botanist-as though looking for any
thing pretty or curious that might be
amongst the ferns and flowers of the ditch.
A good portion ot his profile, however, was
in view. and that thought had seen before,
though ransacked my memory in vain to
put a name to it. 1t seemed more like some
face that passed before me in dream or Of
which | had seen portrait, than one that
had actually met in the flesh. I am not
much of Il dreamer could recall no dream
that had impressed such q face upon my
memory could remember no picture which
could suggest it; and yet the feeling that l
knew it became every moment more intense.
We were now within 100 yards of my
pavilion. I hid determined would over
take and face hun. il | had to run for it: but
strange taintn IS came over me. and before
| had completed half the distance brought
ME to a dead halt He ~as then, suppose
about the width OF the road from me, Jaw
him cross and make for the garden gate Il
was right said 70 myself; "he has bust
ness with me" The latch of the gate Vas
rather complicated one. 1t worked, so 10
speak upside down, and had to tumble
with it for several days before l got the
trick OF i He lifted it at once and passed
in. As h. did 30 he turned and had . full
view Of his face.
ut was my face.
Il saw nita walk up the path I saw the
landlady Mr., Lake. come out and hand
him two letters. | saw him take them, open
the doos of the pavilion aud enter It'll
~My next sensation was one Of deadly
nausea; and l can only tell what passed in
the interim from hearsay. 1t seems that
wandered back into the town and so con-
Quoted myself that was taken into custody
by an active and intelligent policeman as
drunk and incapable The sergeant at the
station took more lenient view He thought
was an e. sl.d lunatic. II had told him