Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-08-12
The Strange Detective.
[Original.1

I had married a wife and found that
l had been mistaken In her. Marriage
to me had meant perfect accord Perfect
| accord had not been the result In my
| case, and l resolved to cut the knot
. that bound me to Della by going away
: from her I had no intention of leav-
Ing her to support herself. I would
give her the lions share of my income
/ and supply any need for which this
, share was inadequate. 1t was near
midnight after a quarrel that l came
to this decision.
Opening my front door, went out.
1t was dark and uninviting. Here and
there a street lamp fickered, and an
occasional vehicle rumbled on the
| pavement. Few were abroad, and to
! avoid even these / turned down an
unfrequented street My cheeks were
| burning, and the night air could not
cool them. l took no thought as to
| where / would go. Indeed, I had no
desire to so anywhere. wished only
| to walk and be alone.
heard footsteps beside me and turn
| ed my head to discover who had thus
taken it upon himself to intrude upon
me. saw no one.
"Ah, see," I muttered. tits the
! echo"
was walking by a high brick wall
and attributed what had heard to the
sound Of my own footsteps sent back
from It, But when passed beyond 1t
to an opening between the houses /
still heard It. Again turned to see
| IL any one was beside me.
This time /. was unprecedented,
so much surprised that my attention
was drawn momentarily from my trou-
ble l saw a figure the counterpart OF
myself. He was myself in every re-
spect except that he wore very dis
agreeable expression. stopped and
stood still. He did the same. I moved
on. He moved on too. concluded
to speak to him.
where are you going?" asked.
"Where are you goingT he replied.
az? I don't care where l CO."
$50 long as you get your revenge, l
supposeY'
Revenge! Revenge on whomr'
"Your wife,"
thought a moment. Could it be
possible that what did was Influenced
by a desire to hurt Della.
my wife will not trouble herself
about my leaving her so long as she Is
provided for"
Better than that, she won't sleep a
wink all night"
do you think so7'
81 know 30. 1t will serve her right.
She has treated you shamefully."
had considered that Della had
treated me shamefu1ly, but preferred
to be the only one to accuse her. Now
that this disagreeable counterpart of
myself did SO I revolted.
"Can you name any one thing"
asked, irritated, ain which she has
treated me shamefully?"
Eyes; she married you for one thing
and found you another. This caused
her to treat you badly in everything"
"She disappointed in me? Why. it's
l who am disappointed in her"
"And you have right to be. You
were looking for a woman with dis
position that nothing can ruffle. You
knew that you were quick spoken and
often unjust. You wanted some one
to bear with you. You didn't get it."
cNo, l didn't get it: you're right
there. But was justified In expect
ing all thatr'
"You married for It, and since you
have been disappointed you are right
in resuming your former status"
"But l don't like the idea Of Della
lying awake"
"You have to expect that"
"That doesn't help the matter"
"Better go back and comfort her"
"who are you anyway You have
been telling me that should be sat
isfied with what I've got. Now you
turn about and tell me to go and COM
fort her"
'Tt wouldn't do any good for me to
tell you who I am. You wouldn't rec
| ognize me any better for the telling.
! But II you wish to know. I'm your con-
science"
snow I know you're lying. Con-
science doesn't 60 about telling people
I VINO nave gone WrOnS tnAC tney We
done right. 1t tells them that they've
done wrong from first to last"
My other self chuckled. "Con-
/ science" he said, isn't always like
that. Conscience uses all sorts Of
means to right people. Often he Is a
detective, hunting for clew whereby
we are to be convinced of our wrong
doing. In these cases he plays parts.
wears DISCUSSES, just like real de-
tective. If he went at a wrongdoer
fair and square, he would accomplish
nothing"
"What would you advise me 60 dor
"Stop making fool Of yourself"
'"That meansT
go home. You'll find your wife in
tears. Tell her you're sorry and all
that"