The Virginia enterprise., 1908-09-04

best of my ability. I closed up my
fathers affairs, sold off everything,
and came here. thinking it might save
Arnold to get him away from his evil
associations, but wherever he is he
consorts only with the lowest.
Zone of his choice methods of wor-
rying me has been to tmpersonate me
and call upon my friends, usually do
ing some act to disgrace me. You
have seen the resemblance between
us, and as I never mentioned to my
friends that I had a twin brother, it
was easy for him to impose on them.
Before I asked Maize to be my
wife" Edgerton continued, II called
my brother into my Office and made
a compact with him. In consideration
OF a material increase in his allow
ance he was to leave Chicago and
not return for five years. l almost
hoped that before this time was up
he would either drink himself to
death or be killed in some brawl.
He has always shown himself in
capable of keeping his word, and I
was scarcely surprised, when, on the
day of the tragedy, he walked into
my Office. l was angry and lost my
temper. I told him he never would
get another cent out of me. At first
he Whined and begged, but when he
saw was firm he became furious and
opened upon me a torrent of abuse.
l ordered him to leave or I would
kick him out.
He went, vowing the most terrible
vengeance against me. When l
colled down was filled with remorse
and felt that 1 had been untrue to
my fathers trust But I reasoned
that his desire for money would bring
him back.
when got to my apartments that
evening the janitor looked at me in
surprise. Why, Edgerton,' he said,
you're back early. saw you leaving
in the automobile not Is minutes
ago. Did you find your keys inside?
Il knew at once what had hap
pened. My brother had gone to the
garage and taken out my car and
made the excuse of losing his keys
to get the janitor to let him into my
rooms. l went upstairs and found
my worst fears realized. His own
clothes were there and a black suit,
the mate to the one I was wearing.
was missing. He was out to make
trouble for me-
1T was a hopeless task to attempt
to track him, so went to the resort
in Fourth avenue, where you found
him, and where knew he would turn
up some time during the night
Sure enough he came about ten
o'clock. He tried to pass it all of
as joke, and said the machine had
broken down and he had left it at
a garage near Lincoln park. He said
he was sorry for the scene he had
made in my Office and that If I would
give him money he would leave town
that night and never bother me again.
AT his request 1 changed coats
with him as he showed me that he
had grease from the auto all over
the one Of mine he had on. I did
not guess that it was blood
Il had scarcely returned to my
apartments before l was arrested and
charged with the murder. Then the
whole, horrible truth flashed upon
me. thought of my brother speed
ing away from the city and I regis
tered an instant resolve to take his
place.
1T occurred to me later that his
first impulse, on finding himself in
possession Of his ill-gotten booty and
the money I had given him, would
be debauch, and then, hearing of
my arrest and that was disposed to
shield him, he would lie low in his
thieves retreat until safe oppor-
tunity presented to get away. So I
felt pretty safe in telling Mr.. Clarke
where to find him.
And just think, dear, you might
have been convicted ip his place If
hadn't come to Mr.. Clarke" said
Mrs. Edgerton, while her husband
stopped to roll a cigarette in prefer
ence to those Clarke offered him. I
noticed that he rolled it outward.
Il shouldn't have been convicted,
dearest, as 1 could have established
a good alibi, but the mystery would
have been unsolved, l would have
been ruined, and doubt If you would
have been willing to take my name.
Mr.. Clarke's way was by far the best
By the way, Clarke, I didn't want to
! tell you all at first, but when I looked
into your eyes I knew had to. Still
you seemed to know it all, anyway.
May I ask how you found out I had
a brother?"
"You may thank Mrs. Edgerton's
keenness of observation in noting
your method of rolling a cigarette for
the first tip. Then your brothers
bungling work with the auto seemed
to make it as clear as a printed page
It only remained to persuade you to
verify my theory
II think you could have done that
anyway. You have a remarkable
power over men,"
"And over women, too," said Mrs.
Edgerton. II wonder you have never
married. It's lucky for Arthur that
I met him first"
Which shows that the best of wom'
en- are at heart coquettes.
| Copyright, 1908, by w. G. Chapman.)
Copyright in Great Britain)