Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-11-14

on mine. gave me a delicious kiss 1t
seemed that all the joys in the world
were concentrated In those few mo
ments. Then, saying that she would
go and bring my noon meal, she left me.
Never in my life have l been placed
in such a quandary My own dear
twin brother had left me to personate
himself with a woman be loved and
who loved him. didn't know wheth-
er | was acting both dishonorably and
unbrotherly TO him or not He had not
confded the truth TO me. He had e1-
pected that the girl would mistake me
for him. but had the position In which
this mistake would place her and me
occurred TO him7 Probably not. He
was in such a hurry that 1t was likely
he hadn't thought of this. | was terri
fed at receiving caresses that were In
tended for him. II was as dishonora-
BILE to the girl as to Jim. What was
% do?
The thing | did--the next thing-was
TO eat the dinner she brought me, all
the while the loyelight In her eyes
beaming down upon me. After | had
finished and she had removed the tray
she told me that she had reported me
to be so much better that she had more
time to devote to other patients, but
she would come In to see me between
her attentions to them. During one o.
her absences / thought the matter
over and came to the following conclu-
sion: | must go on playing Jim's part,
whatever it was, for 1 could not do
otherwise without giving him away,
and how serious this would be TO him
did not know. | had been placed in
a position for which | was in no way
responsible. My conscience was clear,
and | didn't see how it could be cloud
ed. would act the part of respon-
siye lever.
l managed to put off my departure
as discharged patient for two weeks.
How ! succeeded in doing it / don't
know, unless it was by the conniyHnce
OF the girl who dreaded to part with
me as much as l dreaded to part with
her At the end of these two weeks
l am ashamed to confess that | was
ready to fight to the death my own
flesh and blood, my own twin brother
for the love OF the girl In whose af-
fections l had taken his place. | ex-
cused myself by encouraging a suspi.
cion in my mind that he had treated
her shamefully and that l was Justi-
fled in securing her for myself At
any rate. | would never give her up to
him or any one else.
But what next? When this query
popped into my head | was seized with
n sudden desire TO get out of the hos
pital find Jim and hear from him an
explanation. Then. whatever 1t was,
] would tell him that, having placed
me in a position to make love to his
GIRL he should not complain that l had
won her from him Had | won her
from him2 Did she love him or me,
or both Of US?
Feeling that II / lay thinking upon
this brain and heart racking problem
/ should go mad. | threw Off the coy
ers and jumped out OF bed l was in
Jim's clothes in a twinkling and when
my nurse entered again | was ready
for my departure.
She stood looking at me. surprised.
/ folded her in my arms. showered
kisses on her particularly her lips
then dashed away without word %
explanation as to my sudden depar-
ture
In an hour | was with Jim.
why did you put me in this posi-.
ton and why have l heard nothing
from you since? l asked impatiently.
Does she love me still mean you p
"she loves meme. say-not you
at all"
THANK God"
what do you meanT'
"Subslde. Bob, and I'll tell you all
about It. dared not write you--I mean
myself-for fear Of giving away the
whole situation. went TO the hos
pital engaged TO be married hadn't
had time to inform you Of my engage
ment before l was taken i'll. Immedi-
ately after our betrothal my fance
sailed on a European trip. The hos
pital girl took q fancy to me at once
and showered such attentions on me
that couldn't help reciprocating.
very weakly suffered myself to be
drawn into an affair OF the heart.
assure you ] didn't realize how deeply
involved l had become before I COM
mitted betrothal bigamy.
I'm your appearance l saw a loop
hole l took advantage Of II, and from
what you tell me all has turned out
fortunately
Jim, you ought 10 be ashamed OF
yourselt-to win a girls affections and
then run away from her
ITO have my own brother to dishon-
orably take her away from me 1t
seems to me that's the pot calling the
kettle black
"Call it squared" said. Selling
Jim's hand
was happy in knowing that l could
claim our girl, but was puzzled to
know whether ! should do so as Jim
or myself. He and talked the mat
ter over and decided that after becom-
ing formally engaged should intro.
d,rn T{r, T., nv G1nnap as INV twin