The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-29

rod than black"
Harper showed his surprise.
Not black skirt!" he persisted.
mo, stree. haven't much eye for
AnA's but I've eye enough 10 know
vhen q gals dreased like q Gai and
not Ike some old woman"
Harper's eye stole asain towards
Ransom.
"Checkmate in four moves" hs
muttersd. Tho person We arc inter.
ested IN could have worn no such
clothing ~ Mr.. Goodenoush Describes.
Yet clothing can be changed. How,
/ cannot SEQ In this instance; but
Will risk no mistake. The trail va
followed led too surely In the dirsc-
don OF the highway for us to drop oil
Inquiries because OF . oolored skirt
and hat We cannot quite account for.
IL the face 10 one We know land
really believe It was), We can leave
the other discrepancies to future OK.
PLANTATION" And turning back to the
patient countryman. he composedly
remarked: "You are positive IN your
recollections Of the young lady's feat.
0res. You would have no difaculty
In recognizing her II you saw her
agsin?"
mot bit. Once I get q pictsr IN
my mind Of . man or . woman l SEQ
1t always. And can see her 40 plain
as plain the moment l stop 70 think.
She was pretty, you see. and just . 1t
tie scared to speak to q stranger. But
that won't a. she saw my face. and she
asked mo very perllte II she was on
the right road to the Ferry"
And you told her shs was!"
"Sartain; and how much time she
had to get there to catch the boat"
II see. SO you would know her
again II you saw her."
II Jest would"
The lawyer made q move towards
the door which Mr.. Ransom hastened
to open. As the long vista Of tho
hall disclosed itself, Mr.. Harper turn.
Cd upon tho countryman with tho
quiet remark:
There were two ladies here, you
know. Twins. Their likeness was
remarkable. II We show you the re-
naming one who now lies asleep, you
surely will be able to tell II she is
like the lady you saw"
If she looks just like her you can
bet beans against potatoes on that"
Come, then. You needn't feel any
embarrassment, for she's not only
sound asleep but SO deaf che couldn't
hear you II she were awake. You
need only take one glance and nod
your head II she looks like the other.
1t is very desirable that mono of us
should speak. The case is q mysteri.
Gus one and there's enough talk about
1t already without the women hiding
and listening behind every shut door
you see, adding their gossip to the
rest"
A knowing look, a twitch at the
corners OF good-natured mouth, and
the man followed them down the hall,
past one or two Of the doors alluded
to, till they reached the one against
the panel Of which Mr.. Ransom had
already laid his ear.
Still asleep" his gesture seemed to
signify; and with a word Of caution
he led the way in.
The room was very dark. Mrs. Dec
had been careful to draw down the
shade when she put her strange
charge to bed, and at this first mo-
ment OF entrance it was impossible for
them to see more than the outline Of
a dark head upon snowy pillow. But
gradually, feature by feature Of the
sleeping woman's countenance be- |
came visible, and the lawyer, turning
his acute gaze on the man from whose |
recognition he expected so much, Inn
patiently awaited the nod which was
to settle their doubt.
But that nod did not come, not even
after Mr.. Ransom, astonished at the |
long pause, turned on the stranger his
own haggard and inQuiring eyes. In
stead, Mr.. Goodenough lifted a blank
stare to either face beside him. and.
shaking his head. stumbled awkwardly
back in an endeavor to leave the
room. Mr.. Ransom, taken wholly by
surprise. uttered some peremptory
ejaculation, but a glance from the
lawyer Quieted him, and not till they
were all shut up again in that con.
venient room at the head Of the stairs
did any Of the three speak
And not even then without an EN-.
barraSsed pause. Both the LAWYER and
his unhappy client had a deep and,
in the case Of the latter, heartrend.
ing disappointment to overcome. and
the clock on the stairs ticked out sew.
eral seconds before the lawyer ven.
tured to remark:
Miss Hazens face is quite new to
you, / perceive. Evidently 1t was not
her twin sister you met on the high
road this morning"
Nor anything like her." protested
the man. "a different face entirely;