Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-10-10

Of man he vas
Dick looked embarrassed. 81 dare say
you thought so, Miss Garnham. Some
men are such awful liars-I mean-hum-
bugs-where women are concerned. But
really, perhaps you might have idealized
him without beinng aware Of il, you
know"
yes" she answered, at is possible.
and human nature is inconsistent, l know
that. And yet. Mr. Sherrietf, win you
be so kind as TO take me as close to that
man as possible? And may ask YOU as
a favor 10 find out for me where he is
stopping? 1t is Of immeasurable import
ance"
81 am quite at your service-if you want
10 know more will find out"
Whatever you can, she said, earn
estly. 81 Cannot tell you why, but later
on"
''Never mind-I have faith IN you, and
you shall see by my acquittance Of this
trust how far you can depend on me. 1t
is a pact
Thoy went back, and seated themselves
where Anastasia could best observe the
Questins- father aud son.
Next TO the stage. give me a bit Of de-
tective work, Dick said to himself. He
really had faith that he was not being
made use OF to crafty some hysterical
freak; Anastasia' s face and manner were
his warrant against that"
In two days Dick brought his notebook
10 Miss Garnham.
stopping it'll old father at tho Lang
ham Lately come from abroad. spends
money like water-rich people vita some
sort Of place In only SON.
No intimate friends. Very few letters"
Please give me something else to do for
you. ! am tremendously Interested.
"lou know, perhaps, that had special
reason to be interested in Mr.. Osmund
Questin," TasIa said in a low voice.
81 understand that You were engaged,
in short but the girls never told me to
whom. / see."
And now, MI 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 Osmuud Questiu."
IF ever did establishment as well on
the boards as at That moment my fortune
would be made, Dick said long after. He
was simply astOunded.
"N ho-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.
"Whep 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 lie looked at me as
at a perfect stranger; that was what sud
denly convinced me. The more ! looked
after that the more certain | vas, though
the likeness is SO wonderful that it has to
me the horrible feet of another spirit
having got into that body. Only T..
His father evidently believes that he is his
SON"
Have you thought what strong evidence
that is"
Eyes but my certainty is stronger"
elias it occurred to you that Osmund
Qucstiu may have met with some bad ac-
cident, or had an illness that affected his
mind2 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 a smile.
"Well, " he said, there have been some
uucommonly queer cases of mistakeniden-
tity, even to scars turning up in the right
spot; but never mind, what do you want
me to do2"
AT first ! meant to go myself to Bel
fort. and trace him onward, but, on think
ing il over, have decided that a man can
do so much better than a woman i'm such
case; and therefore, it, as you tell mo
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
eNpeuse-and rs a commission TO be set
tied on quite a business footing, I shall be
more. OH, much more than obliged DO
You think $50 would do to begin with2
Nou must tell me, because do not know,
and later on | 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
ifiN~t iflN 40 tllt pour ttlAbWt ~ ne AIbh illt
straightforward proposal in the best man
uer possible, declaring that $50 would 90
an enormous way, and that, unless bribery
were called into play, he should hope to
spend less, and tnat 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 jewelrv china, old damask; half
belonged 20 L0rtie, but they had been wall
ued and divided. and if she could get
money ion no other ua ny she would sell her
halfat Chr.stie's She was obliged 10 con.
suit Dick ~hcrr.etf about it, ami he was
most unhappy at the notion of the sacrifice
though it was not for him TO prevent it.
Finally she picked out q pearl necklace
and earring, and some bits Of plate, and
sold them for rather more than she had
expected Seventy pounds In crisp notes
she handed over 4 Dick, who said it was
his first experience OF money responsible