Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-04

dainty missive bearing ladys. chiroR.
raphy was placed in his hand.
True, the envelopewas addressed sim
ply to MIR. North, Clement House,
City," and was not he that gentlemanP
But then, very probably at the time
the letter was written he was not with
in one hundred miles of the Clement
house and had never even heard of the
place.
1t may appear to the cool, dispassion-
ate reader that North's proper course
at this point was too obvious to admit
of any hesitation or mental debate.
Nevertheless he did hesitate; and he did
argue within himself what line of &C
ton he should adopt. Refuse to take
the letter? That would give rise to re,
newed questions, explanations and ridi.
Guile, which, in view of his late trying
experiences, he did not wish to pro
woke. How would it do, for instance
His reflections were suddenly arrested
by the discovery that the envelope was
not sealed. A vague sense of relief
came to his mind, as if he now saw an
easy and justifable solution of the diff
fculty.
can oversight, of course" hethought,
still contemplating the creamy envelope
that he held, from which arose faint
exquisite perfume as of withered rose
leaves; 'but there cannot be anything
very private or personal about this cor
respondence or the fair writer would
not have been so careless. After all,
whom is it for if not for me? Who is
the man whose perfect counterpart
| seem to be?"
He paused in his speculations. A
sudden suspicion darted like lightning
into his mind, then as suddenly was
dismissed.
"Oh, no, that is impossible!' he men.
tally declared the next instant "Quite
| out of the question. And yet the
name No, no! 1t cannot be! There
must be some other explanation of the
mystery. will glance over this letter
when get to my room and see if it at
fords any clew to the solution"
With this decision he turned to- the
books and registered in dashing but
| somewhat illegible characters:
"a. North, New York"
| "And now, colonel" he said, turning
| around to that gentleman, '''where are
| you going to put me?"
"Where am 1 going to put your
| The colonels amazed, countenance was
study as he repeated the question.
"What on earth are you thinking about,
Mr.. North3 Your rooms are precisely
! ns you left them this. morning. Here
| SAM" summoning colored porter,
''take Mr.. North's valTse up to 81"
few minutes latertNorth found him.
self in the suite assigned to him, evi.
IDENTIFY the apartment of his mysterious
double. He proceeded with much
curiosity to survey hissnew domains.
There was nothing in the appoint.
ments that especially attracted his at
tention, except large black walnut
writing table. The many drawers that
it contained were locked, as he dis.
covered when he attempted to open
them. The pigeonholes' were empty;
| few books were ranged neatly be-
meath them. Everything indicated a
careful preparation for the absence OF
the owner.
Having ascertained that his sur.
roundings were entirely'non-commit
North surrendered himself once more
to baffled speculations, which he pur-
sued from the depths of a luxurious
lounging chair.
"If n man is not what he thinks him.
self" he began, speaking aloud, as he
frequently did in soliloquy, ~but what
the world thinks him to be-. then 1 am
entitled to the possession Of this room
the use Of all it contains, all the pre-
negatives of the rightful tenant. AND
yet solcmnly affirm that 1 never was
in this deluded place before in the
whole course of my natural existence
Isn't that curious contradiction OF
facts and appearances? However, this
will all come out right some time
There is nothing so crooked that time
cannot make it straights and why
should trouble myself about Il misap
prehension for which am in no degree
responsible? l will pursue the ever
tenor of my way, neither aggressively
asserting my own identity nor endeav.
oring to assume that of my mysterious
double; and then, como what may, the
dear public, and not Twill be to blame
At this point in his soliloquy he sud.
denly recollccted the letter In his pocket
"Ah!'' he exclaimed, drawing it forth
, hastily and once more examining the
address, this is one of tho preroga.
. tivesl An open letter is supposed to be
public. Mr.. North, Clement House,
City Well. am certainly that gen.
} tleman, so here goes! 1 shall see what
my talr unknown correspondent mas TO
} say"
e Very little, but entirely to the point,
as he discovered on glancing hastily
a over these delicately traced finest
"Mra Maynard will be at homo this after
noon at two o'clock. VIII 1t be convenient for
MT. North to call ut that hourP'
e At the top of the sheet he now noticed
the handsomely engraved address: mo.
S IS3 Delaplaine street"
h "Maynard-Mrs. Maynard" unused
+ North. abstractedly, dropping the hand
e that still held the perfumed sheet in Its
d istless grasp and frowning at the car
c pet as If he expected to find somewhere
e amid its warp and woof the thread that
should unravel this mystery. ''Where
g have heard that name lately2 1t seems
e to me ought to know. Two o'clock
l, this afternoon at two o'clock He
q drew out his watch suddenly and con-
Vc111fad a. GtTk "a v1ovu T>rooiaa1v 1Q.R0