Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-01-26

| --olSA IN VIC SIduSef OabO OOrHeu
down till Il 'scorched his fingers. and.
feeling the pain. he laughed and let it
drop.
OF all odd thinssr' he said. Then be
broke or. The circumstance was too
novel for ordinary remark
BY one Of those rare occurrences.
those chances that seem too wild for
real life and yet belong to no other
sphere, the two faces 50 strangely hid
den and strangely revealed were Iden-
teal. feature for feature. 1t seemed
to each man that he looked not at tie
race OF another. but az his own face
reflected in fawless looking glass.
or the two the stranger was the first
to regain self possession. Seeing Chill.
cote's bewilderment. he came to his
rescue with brusque tactfulness.
The position is decidedly odd" he
said "But. after all. why should we
be so surprised? Nature can't be eter-
naily original She must dry up some
times. and when she gets q good model
+ why shouldn't she use IL twiceT" He
drew back surveying Chilcote whim-
sicaliy. But. pardon me, you are stiH
/ waiting for that light
Chilcotte still held the cigarette be-
tween his lips The paper had become
1 dry. and he moistened it as he leaned
toward his companion.
Don't mind me-" he said. I'm
rather-rather unstrung tonight. and
this thing gave me Jar. To be can
did. my Imagination took head in the
fog, and I got 20 fancying I was talk
lag 20 myself
And pulled up TO find the fancy in
some way realt'
Yes. something like that"
Both were silent for moment Chill
cote pulled hard at his cigarette. then.
remembering his obligations. he turned
quickly 10 the other
Won't you smoker" he asked.
The stranger accepted a cigarette
from the case held out TO him. and as
he did 80 the extraordinary likeness to
himself struck Chllcote with added
force. Involuntarily he put out his
hand and touched the others arm.
ITS my nerves." he said !n explana-
ton. They make me want 10 feel
that YOU are substantial Nerves play
such beastiy tricksw lie laughed awk-
w0rdly.
The otner glanced up. His expires
sion GA the moment was slightly sur
prised. slightly coutemptuous. but he
changed % Instantly 10 conventional in
terest 81 am afraid arm not an au-
thority on nerves" De said
But Chilcote was preoccupled. His
thoughts had turned into another chan |
mel
How old are your" he asked sud |
denly.
The other did not answer immediate |
". My ageT he said at last slowly. /
"Oh. I believe 7 shall be thlrty-six to- /
morrow. 70 be quite accurate"
Chllcote lifted his head quickly.
why DO you use that toner" he /
asked. Il am six months older than
you, and I only wish IL was six years. /
Six year nearer oblivion
AgaIn slight lncredulous contempt |
crossed the others eyes. "ObuvionT' |
be said. Where are your ambitionsY' |
''They don't exist"
Don't exist2 Yet you voice your /
country / concluded that much In /
the fog"
when one has voiced ones country \
for six years one gets hoarse It's a /
natural consequence"
The other smiled. "Ah. dlscOntentr' /
he said. The modern canker But we I
must both be getting under way Good 4
night Shall we shake hands-to prove I
that we are genuinely matarlalg'
Chllcote had been standing unusually !
still. following the strangers words.
caught by his self reliance aud i'm
pressed by his personality. Now. as
he ceased 10 speak. he moved quickly
forward, impelled by a nervous curl
osity.
''Why should we just hail each other
and pass-llke the proverbial shipsf"
he said impulsively. IF nature was
careless enough 10 let the reproduction
meet the original she must abide the
consequences"
The other laughed. but his laugh was
short. "Oh. don't know. Our roads /
lie differently. You would get nothing /
out Of me. and r. He stopped and /
again laughed shortly "No" he said. /
"Pd be content TO pass n were you. l
The unsuccessful man is seldom a |
profitable study. Shall we say good I.
night;"
Tie took Chilcote's hand for an In
slant. then. crossing the footpath. he
passed into the roadway toward the .
Strand
II was done In a moment but with
his going a sense OF loss fell upon Chill /
cote. lie stood for a space, newly con- /
scious OF unfamiliar faces and unfa- /
miliar voices In the stream OF passers- /
by. Then. suddenly mastered by an I'M |
pulse. he wheeled rapidly and darted /
after the tall. lean figure so ridiculous
ly like his own.
Halfway across Trafalgar square he |
overlook the stranger. he had paused !
on one OF the small stone islands thnt |
break the current OF traffic and was l
waiting for an opportunity to cross the
street In the glare OF light from the |
lamp above his head Chilcote saw for |
the hrst time that. under n remarkable |
neatness Of aDpearance his clothes /