The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-23


hands. The man behind him undoubt-
eddy talked madness; but after five
years of dreary sanity madness had a
fascination. Against all reason it
stirred and reused him. For one in
slant his pride and his anger faltered
before it, then common sense flowed
back again and adjusted the balance.
You propose he said slowly, that
for q consideration of money l should
trade on the likeness between US and
become your dummy, when you are
otherwise engaged?"
Chilcote colored you are unpleas-
| antly blunt he said.
But 1 have caught your meaning?'
I'm the rough, yes
Loder nodded CURLY. "Then take
my advice and go home," he said.
You're unhinged'
The other returned his glance, and
as their eyes met Loder was reluctant
~ compelled to admit that, though the
| face was disturbed, it had no traces
| of insanity.
Il make you u proposal Chilcote
repeated nervously, but with distinct
| ness. DO you accept?''
| For an instant Loder was at a loss
| to find a reply sufficiently final Chill
cote broke in upon the pause.
| after ALL he urged, what L ask of
! you is a simple thing-merely to carry
| through my routine duties for a week
! or two occasionally when L find my
endurance giving away. when a respite
becomes essential. The work would
be nothing to man in your state of
mind, the pay anything you like to
name" In his eagerness he had fol-
lowed Loder to the desk Wont you
give me an answer? | told you 1 am
neither mad nor drunk
Loder pushed back the scattered pa
pers that lay under his arm.
only a lunatic would propose such
scheme" he said brusquely and
without feeling.
WHY"
The others lips parted for a quick
retort; then in a surprising way the
retort seemed to fail him. "Oh, be-
cause the thing isn't feasible, isn't
practicable from any point of view'
Chilcote stepped closer. "Why?" he
insisted
Because it couldn't work, man
couldn't hold for dozen hours,''
Chilcote put out his hand and touch
ed his arm But why?' he urged.
why? Give me one unanswerable
reason"
Loder shook off the hand and laugh
ed. but below his laugh lay sugges-
ton of the others excitement. Again
the scene stirred him against his
sounder Judgment, though his reply
when it came was sound enough.
4As for reasons he said, there are
hundred. if had time to name them.
Take it, for the sake of supposition,
that l We're to accept your offer. L
should take my place in your house
at-let us say at dinner time. Your
man gets me into your evening clothes.
and there at the very start you have
the first suspicion set up. He has
probably known you for years, known
you until every turn Of your appear
ance, voice cand manner is far more
familiar to him than it is to you.
There are no eyes like a servants
Il have thought of that My serv-
ant and my secretary can both be
changed. l will do the thing thor
oughly."
Loder glanced at him in surprise. |
The madness had more method than |
he had believed. Then as he still look |
ed q fresh idea struck him, and he |
laughed
You have entirely forgotten one |
thing" he said. You can hardly dis I
miss your wife,
"My wife doesn't count
Again Lodcr laughed I'm afraid 1 /
scarcely agree. The complications
would be slightly = slightly He /
paused.
ChilcoteS latent irritability broke /
out suddenly. Look here" he said.
this isn't chatting matter. 1t may |
be moonshine to you, but it's reality /
to me-"
Again Loder took his face between
his hands
Don't ridicule the idea. I'm in dead
earnest
Loder said nothing.
..Think-think it over before you re-
fuse
For a moment Loder remained mo-