The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-09-15
THE MAN WHO
DID THINGS TWICE
BY DON MARK LEMON
Icopyrieht, BY shortstory Pub, Coz
-. = 80 -. !. =. =.

'CppyflEht' ~ 81
OF commanding figure and soldlerly
bearing, with deep-set eyes, hollow, ca
daverous cheeks, and mustache and
hair an intense blue black, his slngu-
lar personality alone had anywhere
and at all times attracted special atten-
tion to the man; but coupled with this
distinguished personality, and sin
Cling him out as remarkable In the
highest degree, was the fact that he
lived in duplicate
Thus--lf on Monday he arose early,
breakfasted on coffee, toast and eggs,
afterwards retired to his rooms to
occupy himself until noon at his desk;
then, after partaking of lunch, quit his
rooms to ramble about the city, giving
aims to the old blind organ woman,
going up and down particular streets
and through particular quarters, thence
back to his hotel. to his dinner, to his
desk after dinner, and finally to bed
--on Tuesday he would go through
precisely the same regime.
On Wednesday no perhaps would
spend the day quite differently, arising
late. going out on horseback for the
entire day. attending the theater at
night, and to bed az midnight or later:
but howsoever he spent Wednesday,
Thursday--or the day followlng-was
sure TO be a repetition down TO the
smallest detail
Friday would see commenced new
series Of action for Saturday to dupll.
cate.
He was the echo--as II were-of
himself. and consummate echo at
that. for time and time again he had
been watched to see whether he would
not make some mistake or fail In his
series of duplication, but whenever II
was possible for an act to be dupll.
Gated he never had been known to fail
In its duplication; and. indeed, he
had grown so shrewd In the matter
that he never did on one day what
could not reasonably be duplicated
upon the aext--if that succeeding day
was to vi duplication of the pre-
ceding one. and not the beginning Of a
new series OF action.
Living his own life In his own re.
served way, cultured and studlous
troubling no one. offending none;
doubly liberal In his expenditures and
never pressed for means. steadfast In
his chosen eccentrlcity---if such II were
and in his face and manner no ques
tioning doubt OF himself. perhaps in
time Henry Hobart had been accepted
like any other man. the curious had
ceased TO be curious. and his mysteri-
Gus character. without any further or
deeper scrutiny, had become one OF the
mysteries OF human life. had not the
man been suddenly struck down as by
an invisible hand and the appalling
mystery OF his death heightened ten
fold the mystery OF his life.
On a Tuesday morning. at 10 min.
utes OF ten o'clock, an attendant was
summoned by the call-bell TO room
63 OF the Sumner house. and upon
obeying the call found Henry Hobart
struggling In the throes OF strange
and unnatural death.
The Man Who Did Things Twice.
half dressed. standing in the center
Of his outer room, was battling with
the invisible air about him for breath.
or, as the attendant put II later. Like
he was fightin with something that
weren't there"
The hotel was aroused. DR.. The
was hastily summoned from his ONCE
on the next floor. and everything was
done that science could suggest OF
despair persuade. yet In less than ten
minutes Henry Hobart lay dead on the
floor, within his stilled brain hidden
the profound mystery OF his life. and
still echoing In the death room his
one strangled cry ere death sealed his
blue lips-"To-morrowl"
II was a strange case. questionable
case. frightful case, but beyond all
II proved bathing case. for the police
came, removed the body TO the morgue
intimating death by poison or Other
foul play, and examined the rooms and
oyerhauled the possessions OF the dead
man, but who the deceased was. who
his kindred or what his former resi-
dence. or the cause Of his death. they
could not discover The scholarly tones
that tilled his shelves bore no sigma
lures or bookmarks. aud private pa
pers Of any kind there were none. The
autopsy made the same day-after
noon--upon the body of the deceased
failed to discover any poison. and Or
Thiel's belief that the man had beer
strangled seemed without support. a,
no foreign substance or growth of an,
kind was found In the windplpe or ali
passages
One thing only seemed certain, on,
thing only was undlsputed-T Ma!
Who Did Things Twice. with severe,
windppe and autopN-marred body
would not duplicate his own dealt
upon the morrow. He had come'to hn
death on Tuesday, a Tuesday will
which--had be lived--he would hav,
begun a new course Of action TO b,
duplicated on Wednesday. But he ha,
died, and now for once The Man VIII,
Did Things Twice would fail IN his &c
cen6rlcliy Perhaps for that his spirl
would be troubled.
Next morning, while the attendan
who had been FIRST on the death seen
81 the irevl0us day was holding fort
nk length on the tragedy with certal
eefvantcroMea the cal-bell suddenl
sang ond the hand OF the can al,
$500 <'i'asT ~rrvesrzr 1T1rTfEd-t0 nnmTeT &