Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-03

"You can do for me aolot no other man
in creation could do."
hands. The man behind him undoubt-
edly talked madness; but after FIVE
years Of dreary sanity madness had a
fascination. Against all reason it
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 consideration Of money l should
trade on the likeness between us and
become your dummy, when you are
otherwise engagedT
Chilcote colored. "You are unpleas
antly blunt" he said.
"But have caught your meaning?"
.sIn 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.
81 make you a proposal" Chilcote
repeated neryously, but with distinct
ness. do you accept?"
| For an instant Loder was at a loss
to find reply sufficiently final. Chill
cote broke in upon the pause.
after all, he urged, what ask of
| you is simple thing merely to carry
through my routine duties for week
or two occasionally when I find my
endurance giving away, when 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. won't you
give me an answer? told you | am
neither mad nor drunk"
Loder pushed back the scattered pa
pers that lay under his arm.
"Only a lunatic would propose such
a scheme" he said brusquely and
without feeling.
"Why?"
The others lips parted for a quick
retort; then in surprising way the
retort seemed to fail him. ooh, be-
cause the thing isn't feasible, isn't
practicable from any point of yiew"
Chilcote stepped closer. "Why?' he
insisted.
Because it couldn't work, man
couldn't hold for dozen hours!r'
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.
Gas for reasons" he said, there are
| hundred, if had time to name them.
| Take it, for the sake Of supposition,
| that were to accept your offer. I
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 and manner is far more
| familiar to him than it is to you.
There are no eyes like servants.
II have thought Of that. My sery-
| ant and my secretary can both be
/ changed. will do the thing thor
oughly."
Loder glanced at him in surprise.
The madness had more methed than
he had believed. Then as he still look
| ed a fresh idea struck him, and he
laughed.
sYou have entirely forgotten one
thing" he said. "You can hardly dis
miss your wife,"
my wife doesn't count
Again Loder laughed. sTm afraid
scarcely agree. The complications
would be slightly slightly" ~ He
paused.
Chilcote's latent irritability broke
out suddenly. Look here" he said.
sthis isn't chatting matter. It 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-thinl it over before You re-
fuse''
For a moment Loder remained mo-
tionless, then he rose suddenly, push
ing back his chair.
flush, man! You don't know what
you say. The fact Of your being mar
ried bars it. Can't you see that?'
Again Chilcote caught his arm.
sYou misunderstood" he said. You
mistake the position. tell You my
wife and | are nothing to each other.
/ She goes her way; go mine. We