Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-29

I HOW 90 you KNOW ne i.
How do you know Pm a man. was
the sharp counter query.
The passenger stared.
The signs point that way, don't
they?" pursued the conductor, elabor-
ating from sheer veXation with the
others inconseQuence. well, I'm
Mason myself. and that gentleman was
given into my charge by Mason, as 1
said before, and he's got the badge OF
the order pinned on his breast. That's
As good evidence as beard and trou-
serS. | reckon. 1t passed, anyway"
There was smile at the questioner's
expense. The young man bending over
| the invalid moved his coat aside and
glanced AT the badge on his breast. He
had been working away with profess
Sional skill and prompttude, and his in
slant assumption of authority and re-
SpOuSiblity. as well as his evident abil-
/ ity 10 cope with the situation, suggested
/ in the minds Of the other passengers
SurmiSe that he was practicing within
| his own bailwick even before an abrupt
announcement changed conjecture into
certainty.
1--WE all thought" the lady across the
aisle commenced, then paused, smiling.
That | was a ranchman? Everybody
makes that mistake, madam. | come
| from out there, and doubtless have
| look of the plains so it's very natural.
Ranching isn't my trade, however. Pm
Dr. Hart Royal"
The sick mans eyes opened; his mind
was torpid, but struggled to perform its
/ functions. His lips moved and he NUT
tered slowly: That is my name, sir.
/ Who wants me?"
Dr. Royal No. was bending forward
with his fingers on the sufferers wrist,
/ his ear inclined for the feeble words
He Strengthened himself, tritle puzzled;
then his expression changed to one of
| half quizzcal amusement. He had
| known very i'll men before to acknowl-
edge their own names; even in a semi
CONSCIOUS condition name is mental
IanchOr The sick mans travelling bag
stood open near NJ hand, and in it was a
silver brandy flask. Royal turned it so
as 70 read the name engraved on the
side. then his hand went TO his pocket
| for his own flask. They differed in size
and in other trifling particulars, but
| both TASKS were labeled with the same
name-John Hart Royal. II was aQueer
coincidence. Dr.. Royal felt it so, and
regarded his nameSake with whimsical
sense of confused identity. He wonder
ed whether they could resemble each
other.
The other man lay with his white face
and closed eyes thrown wildly out by
the dull red background of the seat.
Beyond the facts that both men were OF
medium height and had brown hair and
mustaches aud blue-gray eyes, there was
no resemblance whatever. Even in
health the face on the pillow must have
differed materially in cast and express
sion from the one bending over IL. 1t
was older, and there were in it lines OF
thought and care which neither life nor
experience had traced upon the other.
Dr. Royal No. . leaned back in his cor
ner and let his thoughts run somewhat
in this wise:
"A queer sort Of happening, thiS-a
fellow with my full name and profession
besides, my double, in short, and cast
on my hands in this overwhelming fash
ion. I'll be hanged if l can make it out!
Out yonder I'd cut loose from him as
quick as lightning-pasS him on to the
next lodge. A double would have 10 be
/ the right sort of u mascot 10 MAKE ii pay
10 tie to him out there. But here in Nir-
ginia"- He paused, the association OF
ideas producing a new thought. Good
/ Lord, suppose il should be. A similarity
of names is no more sign of kinship
than paper collar is sign of a shirt;
I hut - /. Ia IN a.
ton in both cases. When that fellow
pulls together I'm going to ask him who
| his grandfather was. II he's Virginia
born he'll have plenty, and trot 'em out
on small provocatiOn Royals are, or
used to be, as plentiful as cookie burrs
hereaway. Ny father-God rest him!-
claimed TO be one OF large family. It's
comical thoughl-my almost breaking
my neck TO catch this train for the APP
parent purpose of playing good Samari-
tan to a kinSman in tight place
His nominations were interrupted by
mountaineer in the next seat. The man
had come in at the last station, and was
slowly taking stock of his surroundings.
He slouched forward with both arms on
the back of DR.. Royals seat, and
glanced curiouSly at the sick man.
Pretty bad off, your friend thar, l
reckon" he suggested cheerfully.
MY stranger. you mean. Yes, he's
bit shaky He's been overtaxing his
strength. but he'll be better presently"
with professional mendacity in the
presence Of the patient. "SOme of you
keep an eye on him, will you? l must
speak to the conductor
He addressed nobody in particular,
and his glance swept the car, but he
knew he could depend on his fellow pas
sengerS to attend to his request. The
young lady opposite turned an interest
ed. sympathetic face in his direction at
once, and the elder one assumed an alert
attitude and held herself ready for
emergencies.
DR.. Royal went forward into the
smoking car. He had assumed control
of the case with constitutional impetu
oSity, and now set about ordering it in
accordance with his own judgment. The
important-nay, the mperative-step
10 his mind, was the removal OF his
patient. as speedily as might be, from
the iolting discomfort of the train, to
some place where rest and quiet might
be obtained. He questioned the con-
ductor as to the capabilities of their
next station, and learned, to his salts
faction, that twenty minutes would put
them in Matoarca, a good sized town
among the mountains. When, however
he announced his determination to re-
move the sick man to a hotel and stop
over with him until his people could be
summoned, the official demurred and
suggested that the patient himself be
consulted.
"What tor?" demanded Royal. Every |
mile he travels is another nail in his |
coffin. He's bound TO know that as well |
ssIdo. Didn't you say he had been |
smashed up? don't know the extent OF
the damage yet, but guess it's conSid- !