The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-09-08
Captains Double


ing. This man has been a soldier; he
has even the carriage, and the walk,
and the air-it is only when he speaks
that one can detect the faintest differ
ence in inflection-the voices are iden-
tical. The accent, of course, has diff
ferent modulation-one was trained at
a public school and in a good home,
only an expert could tell that, and no
one will dream of noticing. The decep-
ton will be complete and perfect
1T is an extraordinary coincidence!"
"But fortunate for our purpose.
Have I permission to begin at once?
Time has been spent already, and ev-
cry moment, l should suppose, is of
Importance" Again the chiefs look
was dark.
'The society arranges place and
time," he said, coldly. There is no
intention to delay. The present mat
ter is to provide for the absence of the
principal while the other takes his
place."
And is it permitted to know how
the management of the case'
''He will be removed for the evening
or the day, or whatever time is agreed
on. He will not be harmed, for his re-
turn is necessary to avoid suspicion of
other agency than his own in the mat
ter. He will go with his own free will
and return in the same manner. But
he must be kept away by our will, not
his"
*And am I empowered to arrange
that also?"
mot so. You do the work you have
been given, no more. 1t will probably
be by the skill of Countess Ilka that
he is detained-the silken net spread
by a woman holds when a: fetter Of
steel would break"
''ttIndeed!'' There, ,was nothing but
respect in the tone, but it managed to
convey a surprise that bestowed a slur
On the powers already displayed by
that trusted tool of the chiefs, as per-
haps no spoken words could have
done. There was no answer. The
society rose and voted amid silence:
the uZ.al proceedings were gone
through, and silently, softly, the mem
bers dispersed. The man who had a
beard again at the corner Of the main
street was overtaken presently by an
other soft-footed. silent pedestrian.
They walked together conversing in
whispers, for the thoroughfares were
empty, and they were unremarked by
any spies.
1T is strange chance, as the chief
said, this likeness" said the second,
In voice of curiosity. II am a student
OF likenesses, and hold that the opin-
ion of some that every man has his
double is mere fallacy. There is al
ways some point of difference between
two human beings, however much it
may escape the unobservant eye. I
could point you out dozen different
ways by which the difference could be
noticed between these two now; they
might even escape your notice, sharply
as you look"
The other smiled confidently.
would you like to see him for your
self" he asked, with tinge of pride.
''That next corner is mine; I have my
key, the house is asleep, and so will he
be. I did not give him beer without
drug to quiet him.,
The other nodded. They turned in
at the narrow street, and took their
way to the door of the vulgar little
house. The key was noiseless and
well oiled; they crept up the. narrow,
evil-smelling stair in the darkness, and
shalted before the door of th@ bolted
room. The man who lodged there
drew noiseless match from under
his cloak, and lit a dark lantern that
stood on a broken bracket at the head
of the stair. He motioned the other to
pass inside the door, which he 4n-
bolted, and then followed him with a.
swift and stealthy step. On the mar
row bed, his head thrown back, his
eyes closed, lay the man who had
come down by the late train from
Wateloo. His heavy, regular breath
ing sounded peaceful in the silent,
room. He had thrown off the long
thick coats and the muff1ings that hid
his face. His hair was close cropped,
and he wore mustache. Flushed and
sullen as he looked, there was still. a
curious air about him of superiority to
his surroundings. One would have
said he was a man Of gentle blood
who had strayed ipto:this strange at
mosphere, where all was SO 'incongru-
Gus. The man who was the others
guest took the candle from the chim-
ney-piece, and silently lit it at the
lantern the other carried. -+@
The face of the sleeper was still IN.
the shadow, but the sight Of his figure,
relaxed in sleep, and his profile against
the dingy pillow had made the man;
with the pillow st Now he shaded.