The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-04-19
M A NY A

sort of job?" he asked.
Lets hear about it, l replied.
We'll, I've made my pile, so it's not
much consequence to me, but there's
one man on the face of Gods earth
that if l could only lay my hands on
I'd be worth another $4,000. If you
can hunt him down anywhere, I'll pay
you WE'LL
"What's he like?"
Hes the dead image of me, as like
as the halves of a split %pea-what you
call over here my double. He's got his
Initials tattooed on the soles of his
feet"
"W'hat!' | exclaimed.
"Yes, on the soles of his feet. It's a
ticklish job, | admit"
Van Scoup entertained us With a
long rigmarole as to how he had only
to find this double, whom he knew to
be in London. and to produce him in
New York to have hin convicted of an
tmpudent fraud by which he had abso-
personating Van Scoup in several
places in the States.
OF course | never gave the matter a
moments consideration until one night
| felt | should like to have a Turkish
bath and so found myself in Northum-
berland VENUE Illustrating in true
eastern fashion.
l had not been in one Of the hot
rooms long before l saw the big,
burly form of the American coming
through the doors.
| rose from the marble slab to greet
him.
well, Van scoup, this is a queer
place to meet you. Why, were dining
together tomorrow evening""
$50 we are, but that's no reason
why we shouldn't enjoy ourselves to-
gether tonight, is it?"
O course not"
He took one of the wooden lounge
chairs beside the marble slab on which
was extended at full length, and we
had a very interesting conversation.
1--WE not found your double yet" l
said. "Have you seen or heard of
him?"
A>OS VIC LOl. ouI yOu MOuluu L SA-
pect to find him here, would you"
l l%aughingly replied: "No; perhaps
not. OF course you would be able to
see his feet here, wouldn't you?'
He laughed. "Ah, so you would!
Never thought of that. 1 ought to
have had a private detective put on
at every bath in London
l suggested, cit wouldn't have been
q bad plan if it was worth the trou-
BILE"
oh, it's worth the trouble!'
Time passed on, and my companion
was the first to announce his inten-
ton of being shampooed and left for
the cooler room.
stayed a little longer than | an.
t1cipated and was rather annoyed al
finding a considerable rush on the
shampooers, SO that possibly l was
not undergoing that delightful process
OF being thumped and banged about
Till quite twenty minutes after nv
friend had left me. Shampooers are a
very communicative sort of men. and
the n operating upon me was no ex.
ception to the rule.
That's a fine piece of tattooing work
upon your chest" l said, looking at an
immense design covering his whole
chest, a crucifixion, in fact.
Yes, it's about as good as you'll see
IN a days march, but it's o silly game
to play with yourself. 1t gives YOU nc
END OF pain at the time, and it doesn't
give YOU a chance if ever times 90 had
with you"
His words seemed to burst upon me
With a new thought, a splendid idea
better thar the plan Of Van Soups OF
having private detectives at the baths
ask all the shampooers. So 1 asked:
II suppose sometimes some of the
bathers themselves have been tat
tooed?"
"Oh. heaps of 'em. especially those
that have %traveled!'
Seen any lately?" 1 asked.
"Why, there's never a day passes
without seeing some OF 'em. Only the
turn but one before you-a big Ameri.
can be was-he had been tattooed or
the soles of his feet"
WHAT" l exclaimed, jumping up and
almost running out Of the shampooine
room regardless Of being In puris ma.
turalibus and that my head and eyes
were covered with soapsuds.
Stay a moment, sir!!' the man ex
claimed. but | was not to be stopped
A sort of frantic frenzy seemed to take
me as | dashed from the shampooinl
room. slipped accidentally into the
plunge bath. swan to the other end
seized a huge white sheet from the as
tonished attendant and rushed madly
up the stairs to the cooling rooms.
THE man with the tattoo marks on
the soles Of his feet" 1 exclaimed
Where is he? Where is he!"
By this time my c.;ious appearance
had attracted considerable attention
when a small boy attendant ran up
"Do you mean a tall gentleman, with
black hair and a tuft of hair on his
chin like a goat"
That's the mani" l almost shrieked
well, sir. he's gone. He went al
most as soon as he came up from the
hot room. He said he couldn't stop
and he told me tO saw If anv ono asked