The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-10-15
for moment Demming gazed at the

FOR moment Demming gazed, at the
piece of metal in fierce wonder.
"In the name of God!" he cried, ex-
citedly,a"i you are not my spirit; If
you are mortal and in the flesh, where
did you get this coin?"
Il assure you," the other replied,
calmly, that am not your spirit;
that / am of the earth, earthly l
have had that coin for years-eyer
since was a babe. To the best of
my knowledge it is the only one of its
kind in existence-save one. But why
do you ask?"
For reply Demming thrust his hand
into his pocket, then drew it out, and
the other saw coin upon the open
palm.
He laid his own beside it and COM
pared the two. They were precisely
alike, even to the small hole in the
edge
- Il understand" the other said, final
ly, and smile spread over his face.
This is the other one Of which l
spoke"
But Demming paid no heed to his
words. His face had grown pale; his
lips were close-pressed; his eyes were
riveted upon the others.
"In heavens name!" he cried,
hoarsely; what are you-man or
devil?"
II am man." the other, answered,
his eyes twinkling; whether or not
| am devil is as men judge me. My
name is Archibald Demming."
For a moment, Demming gazed at
him, helplessly. Then a CLEAN of pa
thetic hopelessness crept into his eyes,
and he bowed his head.
"Then," he said, tremor in his
voice, sit is as feared I am dead"
His companion laughed.
NO" he replied, you are not the
late lamented. You are only mistaken
in your identity. You have been
known, practically all your life. as
Archibald Demming, when in reality
you are Ferdinand Randolph. Do not
interrupt me, but listen:
''You and are first cousins, and, vir-
tually, of the same age When we
were babes in arms, we were so much
alike that our parents could not tell
us apart. A relative-an enthusiastic
numismatist--gave our mothers these
coins, and they fastened them on
chains that we might wear them
around our necKs.
zone day there was a church pic
mic, or something, and our mothers,
planning to attend, agreed that one
of us should not wear our chain that
day. This would guard against any
possibility of getting us mixed 1t was
good arrangement and was spoiled
only by our maternal sires very care
fully leaving both our chains at home.
"The expected happened. When our
mothers returned from that picnic,
each had the others child. From that
day to few years ago, when learned
of my true identity by reason of fail
ing eyesight, which is hereditary in
the Demming family, l have been
known as Randolph. Since that have
been searching for you. That we are
residents of the same city is a coin
cidence of which did not dream. But
it is fortunate"
There was violent jolting of the
cars, the sound of brake-beams lock-
ing tightly, the noise of screeching en-
gines, and then
Demming heard roar like the crack
of doom, the swapping of timbers, the
kissing of steam, the grinding of steel
on wood. And he felt the sensation
of falling, of tumbling, of rolling, over
and over Then all was darkness and
chaos, and the air was filled with the
voices of men, women and children
raised in agony-voices pleading, pray
ing and cursing.
It was several moments before he
realized that the train had plunged
down a bank and that he was pinned
beneath the wreckage, but was unin-
jured. He struggled to free himself,
and touched human hand that
seemed reaching to him from beneath
mass of iron.
It was pulseless, bit the fingers still
clasped a curious old Roman coin.
In the Denver papers the name OF
Archibald Demming, of Cleveland,
twice appeared-once in the list OF
those killed in the wreck of the Den
yer limited and once among the we'd
ding announcements.