Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-08-07
A MISTAKEN
IDENTITY
By EDITH v. ROSS

In the twilight Albert Hamilton was
walking along beside Il wall over which
be could look into attractive grounds.
Suddenly ne heurd voice call:
Bob
Turning. he saw girl dressed In
dainty white costume coming down
slope She was looking intentiy at
him, 50 he stopped and waited for her,
when | saw you coming" she said.
evidently much agitated. Il supposed
you had made up your mind not to
believe that malicious story and were
intending to tell me 10. When ! saw
you pass my heart sank. DO come in
and listen to what have to say"
Mr. Hamilton was young: the girl
was very pretty. She bad evidently
mistaken him for. some 0na slse. prob.
ably her Vver.e- 6ursay the. likeness
ust,st b., something. remarkable He
was alout, torsst her right when kaoc-i
Cured u him that b. oosid d. "
few moments later just - WE'LL He
stood looking 1t Der without spsakinS.
''>'"Do come. Bob" she pleaded Il
can explain the matter to your salts
faction II you will only listen 30 me-"
Here II girl. thought Hamilton. who
has bsen maligned t. Der lover He
has got up on his eur and gone Oh In
hun. Quite likely may be Of serv.
Ice to her He mounted the wall and
entered the grounds. Still undecided
~ to just when he had better make
himself known. he said nothing. acting
part that might mean that he was
ly mistOOk him for. She stood before
him. her eyes mOistened with tears.
and told him u story Of wOman's ma.
lightly that astonished him.
He resisted a temptation to take her
to his breast and assured her that her
explanation was perfectly satisfactory.
But while he was straining point Of
honOr In listening to a story intended
for another he would be expected to
bestOw Il caress intended for that
other He racked his brain for sub
terfuge In order to avoid doing so. bis
intention being to take advantage OF
the girls mistake to benefit her More
over, he believed he could serve her
better in his present position than I'M
der his own identity. Turning to her.
he looked her in the eyes with reas-
surfing, II kindly expression. and said:
II believe every word you have said.
but there are reasons which | cannot
explain to you why any outward rec
onciliation should not take place be-
tween us ut present"
There can be no other reason than
that you have put her In my place and
don't feel that you can be untrue to
her until you have heard her reply to
the charges ! have made against her."
What luck! How kind Of her to
give him a far better reason than he
could have invented himself.
Nevertheless" he said. 1T Is only
the form that needs to be observed"
when shall see you again?"
Not till i hold every ace. bower and
trump in the pack. including the jolly
joker"
"Oh. what a reliefr' she exclaimed.
giving his hand fervent pressure and
looking up at him through fearful eyes.
He remounted the wall and dropped
to the sidewalk. Turning. ne saw her
throwing a kiss. which his conscience
permitted him to return In kind. Then.
passing out Of sight. he said to him
self:
by Jove! II fail to bring the fel-
low round I'll lose my identity in his
and do all the lovemuking myself"
Mr. Hamilton made the acquaintance
Of friends mutual to himself and the
parties concerned, keeping himself In
the background. Those who saw him
were astOnished ut his likeness to Bob
Mesereau. the recent fiance Of Miss
Leila Bartholow. Through Il EN- Ham,
ilton transmitted his explanation. Un-
fortunately 1t came too late. Mese-
reau. unknown to Miss BarthOlOw, had
been dividing his attentions between
her and the girl who had traduced her
and had gone too far with the latter to
withdraw He proved to be weak
man. and it Is questionable If he dared
withdraw Her influence was strong
enough to hold him.
Hamilton now considered how he
could become Mesereau's substitute
He had found Miss Everett. bosom
friend of Miss Bartholow. through
whom he had sent his explanation. and
with this lady ne consulted. She fully
exonerated him for the part he had
played. and after the failure Of her
efforts to move Mesereau assisted him
In extricating himself with the lady
whom he had sought to benefit Miss
Everett volunteered to explain his ac-
ton to Miss Bartholow.
All that passed between the two
friends was never made known to
Hamilton. but after time he receiv-
ed note from Miss Bartholow thank
ing him for his kind intentions toward
her Later Miss Everett went with
him to call on the Tilted lady, and when
the latter saw him she studied his
face, then admitted that she saw a
difference, but was not surprised that
she had not seen 1t under excitement.
Hamilton's first visit was not his
last. He had surinised that bis like
ness to Mesereau would be an advan-
tage with the lady It proved the re-
verse. for she had turned bitterly
against her former lover. Hamilton
had not only to win her anew. but IN
der this handicap. However. be sue
ceeded in the end. the handicap being
Offset by Miss Rartholow's approval Of
what she was pleased to consider his
honorable conduct when she mistook
him for another.