Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-27

judicious use of coloring matters I could
change my own lids SO as to make that
| feature also familiar.
| LAS for the rest, he was absolutely
| without relatives-a rare condition and
one important for my work, as l wanted
the man who impersonated me to have
no communication whatever with his past
| life.
Being practically penniless, a would
be suicide with potters field in the back
ground, he was easy for me to secure.
| Indeed, he looked upon the matter as
| huge joke, worthy OF place in fiction.
him in consideration Of his services faith
! fully rendered appeared to his eyes like
| a princely remuneration.
Il had him call upon number OF my
acquaintance, having first primed him
| in everything that he needed to know
| about me. and the acquaintance were ut
+eriy deluded. On several occasions he
'mpersonated me in business transactions
| photographs. which came out precisely
alike except for the difference in the eye
lids, for the camera refused to recognize
the makeup of mine.
Finally we agreed upon day when he
| should arrive at Overlook to begin the
masquerade. He came, unknown to any
Of my household but I had been seized
with whimsical desire to delay my de-
.parture for a time and he was Obliged
to return to town again: He went to the
people later spoke of having seen me
starting for New York on that day.
About two weeks later l wrote Sum-
merfield to come again, and he came,
letting himself in through the grotto door.
for / had initiated him into the mysteries
of my house.
LAS misfortune would have 1t, was in
a rage at the moment of his arrival :.
For a number of months past l had
been unnecessarily annoyed by Harry's
offopfi0nS IN q n6d9nQhter OF nv
only close friend-a young girl whom l
had known from her early girlhood, and
with whom Harry had associated during
the whole period of his residence In VIM
ton. But things were different when
knew that he purposed to marry her. and
it enraged me to think that he dared to
marry any one without my consent-he
dependent still!
my fault that Harry remained financially
dependent upon me. at various times
since the close of his college life he had
declared earnestly that he wished to
strike out for himself, and 1 would taunt
him furiously for not doing SO. But
knew that there was nothing in Winton
or in Beverly for a man Of his position
and training. Moreover, In spite of the
hatred 1 believed that / still felt for the
boy I could not bring myself (when he
was not before mel to the thought of
parting with him. Hence. as regularly
as he declared that he would leave me,
just so regularly would / write a note,
which l left at his place at the table or
upon the dresser in his ROOM imploring
him to forgive me and remain with me-.
But on this day, the 18th of October,
when Philander Summerfield arrived In
Winton for the second time. my custom
airy quarrel with Harry had resulted In
his immediate departure. He returned to
the house soon after noon and 1 alone
saw him enter. When, therefore. l saw
him leave the house again, this time car
ryfng a suit case, I knew that he had
been to his room and must have seen the
note that l had left there for him. So
crept up there with feeling that he had
left an answer, feeling that was con-
firmed, though never before had l known
him to answer me as he did that day.
lon the blank side of the paper which
bore my note to him he had written:
II have listened to your pleadings in
the past only to find that you were play
ing with me. AS told you this morning.
when I have accomplished something of
which you may be proud-tf that time
ever comes-I will return to Overlook and
to you.
Until then accept my thanks for hav
ing given me the education with which
to face the world t
mo words can describe the intensity
of my passion as l read those words My
first thought was to dash myself from
the bluff; my second to live and make
Harry suffer. How. I did not at the mo-
I1eNC KNOW, OUT SuIlSE HC
Just as I returned to my secret room
Philander Summerfield arrived.
II have mentioned that always feared
human presence at the time of one of
these seizures. and here was Summer
field!
LAS it happened, my attacks had been
milder for a few months. perhaps because
Harry acted as a sort OF safety valve. AT
all events, my quarrel with him that day
had spent my passion to such an extent
cie Of G1yDnoorfio16 hotter
self was able to assert herself for a time.
and we transacted some final business
connected with the impersonation that he
was about to begin.
in me again rising to the surface. I i'm
plored Summerfield to leave the room.
but either he misunderstood me or
thought by remaining to help me some
how-for he did not know the creature l
became at times
II do not know what happened next.
All recollect is that 1 reached for bot
tie of choral and then Perhaps l
struck him and he fell: it may be that
we wreStled and l threw him: or ] may
have tripped him as he came to me. 1
do not know. But there he lay, saw
presently. the blood from wound In his
temple squirting over the floor. Even to-
day you can see the STAN OK that blood
room if you will move the rug that I
threw over 1t.
This unexpected turn of affairs sobered
me instantly. My better self returned
with a shock of horror. What had l
done? That which l had most feared
would happen some time. l had taken
human life, for Summerfield was quite
dead when I bent over him and tried to
find his pulse. And more, l had killed
the very one who. because of his SIT TX
ing resemblance to me. 1 believed the one
to help me defeat the evil Of my dual
self.
Then the gravity Of my deed from
| legal outlook bore in upon my mind i,
Peter Somhers. to die on the galiows or
stand trial, even for having taken q life?
Never, l would dispose of the body of
my victim and go on with life as before.
Who was there to question where Phil
ander Summerfield had gone? Who SO
| much as to dream that Peter Somhers
was murderer?
| But the devil in me was whispering
again: Change your identity 1t said
Be Phi,ander .Summerfield. and with
your new name. take upon yourself a
new way of thinking and of living. Who
| is to prove that you are not he? Leave
| that stiffening body there to be called
Peter Somhers. and to the mould OF tne
grave; and listen! Here is your oppor-
tunity to revenge yourself upon Harry
| to make him suffer as you want to see
| him suffer; for who but Harrison Mil
brath would kill Peter SOmhers?
Needless to say, I yielded to the de-