The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-29


just met you as was coming down the
stairs. You were going up. You brushed
right by me. Why, spoke to you! You
didn't answer, though; you just went right
on up"
When saw that she was in earnest, and
was becoming momentarily more agitated,
came to the only rational conclusion pos
sible, namely. That some unauthorized
person had got into the house. This per-
son had met her on the stairs: she had
supposed it must be myself. and
he had prohted by her mistake. 1t was
true that the staircase was quite light,
there being window ON the landing
above, as well as the house door below,
and that 4 O'Clock of Sunday afternoon
was an odd time for q burglar to enter
house visibly occupied by wide-awake peo-
pie. Nevertheless. Lilly had seen some
body. and it was high time TO Ind out who
he was and what he was after.
Accordingly. laid down nv book. and
went upstairs. with Lilly bobbing behind
me. But when reached the upper pas
sage or hall new surprise awaited me.
My wife and the other daughter Of the
home we're still sitting in the bedroom,
and when they saw me in the hall they.
too. uttered simultaneously an exclama-
ton of establishment. They, too, de-
manded TO know how l came there. In
reply to my questions they said that thew
n;tu just ntatd some one go into the he'd
room. opposite-my wife's and mine Were
they sure it was L? They had not the
slightest doubt on the subject They had
seen my face, my dress and nv gait. 1t
was l. and no one else. How then, could
be in two places at once?
1t was my conviction tina. no such self
duplication was possible. But since the
mysterious person. whoever he was, had
entered oEr room, and had not come out
again; and since there was no means of
exit from that room except by that door.
was satisfied that the person IN question
was there: and followed him in with the
full expectation of finding myself imme-
diate.y engaged in hand-to-hand conflict
with either burglar, tramp or liInatic.
With q herolsm which | still admire, I
crossed the threshold. The room was net
large, and took in every part of il with a
glance. There was no living thing in If.
There was nobody under the bed. nor in
the closet. The windows were shut. tut +
opened ono of them and looked ont II
anybody had jumped down, he must tafter
shutting the window behind hiral have
jumped into the middle of the flower bed
Just outside the drawing-room window at
which had been seated. But no traces of
such leap were to DC seen
uere, then, was We'll authenticated
case of dopnelganger. Had the apnari-
ton been seen by Lilly only, it woald have
passed as u simple nut unusually success
tut instance of Authorization. But IL had
been seen. u moment after, and Quite in
disputaoly, by two other persons. who
never entertained so much as a Passing
doubt as 10 It's identity. until anpeared
in flesh and blood. They saw the arnari-
ton ut the instant that Lilly. having
passed it and addressed u on the stairs
had come Unto the drawing-room and be-
held me. in pr0Tlrfa pcrsoaa seated readiny
Emerson in the window.
How 10 account for this? Was IiUv,s
spiritual sight opened Ii so. is II NOT
singular that the spiritual sight eff the
other two ladies should have been opened
at the same timeg And how came the
spirit of = living and healthy man To he
stalking about n that manner? was not
IN a trance | was not even asleep. or
sleepy. | was absorbed in nv book and
whatever mental or spiritual faculties T
possessed were thereto directed Rywhat
night did | become thus divorced from
myself?
1 have never found on. about this and
no one have asked has been able Ia en-
tighten ME. Since then, nv double has
been seen twice. once IN New York and
once in ENGLAND: and there have bean
ramors. not fully couarmeSi. OF its aprear-
ance At other times and places. am to-
tally destitute of the medicysaistic fac,.ifv
There is nothing abnormal about me.
physically or mentally have never feIs
the worse for the detachment ~ this
shadow. nor has il heraiiel say u,isfo-trne
10 me Or mine. There is no moral to the
stcTy. therefore. JUAN HAvrHogSx