Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-22


Eyes, sir; my desk"
''WhO are you, sir? Your appearance
is remarkably like mine"
al am John Vaughan, the proprietor
of this office"
John Vaughan
''Yes, sir; John Vaughan. And who
are your
Il am he whom you claim to be
John Vaughan"
I grasped at the back of a chair to
steady myself, while a cold sweat
stood on my brow. My double sat
staring at me, with something of the
same evidences of terror In him that
were in me. Partially mastering my
self, turned to the head bookkeeper
and asked:
'Who is this person, Frazer?"
Frazer stood with mouth and eyes
wide open, staring first at me, then at
the man ut the desk, but answered
never a word.
"Who he is?" L repeated, addressing
young Curtis. a clerk.
"We supposed he was you, sir" he
replied heSitatiDCly.
My double turned to the persons ad-
verbatim. Had l gone daft? If so,
how account for the establishment of
the employees?
How long has he been hereT 1
asked.
He came in ten minutes ago, sir"
Curtis answered. HE was earlier than
you usually are"
where do you liver I asked the
pretender
Eat 3943 Chestnut street"
Again 1 clutched the back of the
chair convulsively. The man had
named my own residence.
Sir" he said, rising. 'if 1 had had
a twin brother l would surely think
you were he. AS 1 have no brother 1
am inclined to think either that l have
lost my senses or you are pretending
to be me for purpose"
A panied expression passed over his
face as though he had begun to doubt
his own sanity. Then, turning to the
gaping clerks. he said:
Come. Decide between us, and do
it quickly or we shall both go mad.
Am 1 John Vaughan or not?"
The clerks continued to cape.
"Decide!" l said on the verge of
frenzy.
Decide" repeated my other self.
land If l am not myself will leave
this office and betake myself to a mad
house"
AT this point Miss Towne, the type
writer. arose and with far more pres
ence of mind than the others surveyed
us both. Then. pointing to me, she
said:
"YOu are Mr.. Vaughan"
With shrek, my double sprang
past me, down flight OF stairs and out
Of the building. fell into a chair in
dead faint. When 1 recovered, all the
clerks were bending over me with
anxious faces.
what does 1t all mean?" 1 asked.
Have I been dreaming something ter
rible or was the scene realT'
cit was real" said the head book
keeper, "and the strangest experience
have ever had in my life"
"Where is Miss TOwneT'
"Here"
The circle opened and saw her
standing before the safe, which now
for the first time noticed was open.
"who opened that safe?" 1 asked,
astonished.
az, SIR" said Frazer. 81 opened 1t
on your-I mean the other ones order"
'How much money was there in it?"
asked Miss Towne Of me.
Fifteen hundred dollars and over.
Is it there?"
There's no money here that 1 can
see"
Something began to dawn on us all
at the same moment. The safe had
stood open all the time that 1 had
been talking to my double, but had
been too disturbed to notice it.
Frazer" l said, you've been vic
timized. We've all been victimized.
But 1 gladly lose my money to know
I'm in my right mind. Telephone the
police. Be quickr'
My double was finally caught and
most of the money recovered. He told
a very interesting story of how he had
conceived and prepared for his plan.
For long while he had frequently
been taken for me, on the street. in
hotels, everywhere that people are met.
Being one of the best confidence men
known to the police, he determined to
"do" me. He had learned all about
me and procured a suit of the same
pattern as one he had seen me wear.
When all was ready he walked into
my office ten minutes before my time,
ordered the safe opened and helped
himself. He was about to leave when
I entered, and he played role he had
thought of for such an emergency,
and played it admirably.
F. A. mitchell.