Gunnison news-champion., 1920-04-16
THE
DOUBLE LIFE
By ALvAH J. GARTH

FOR good or bad the world was all
before him-no man ever more solemn
Iy realized that q parting and q starr.
ing was al his choice. He stood Just
outside an isolated dii.pidated hut
and faced the dawning day Its ro-
seaie glow the spkins birds and
s-ntly signing breeze wrought infu,
enc,-s of thought and decision clear.
comprehensive and abiding.
His past had been blighting and
the present uncertain Only TO the
faihomIess future could he look as
TO a new birth. n. vas nobody
worse than that. a discharged convict
His real nam. vas menace lie
must lose IL and begin anew. 20 back
recki.ssly among the old avenues OF
crime. or divest himself of every YES
tiEe Of his natural personality and
assume n new Identity.
The specious forces Of evil beckon-
ed him to the companiOnship that had
sent him to five years In the peniten-
riary. and be had paid his debt
Looking back two weeks, he sav
himself freed from prison with time
allowed for good behavior. Looking
hack a week be saw himself entering
this same deserted huf. seeking q
nights shelter. 70 find within. lying
on a bed OF straw. well favored
young man about his own age Tn.
latter tossed rsStIessly In fever anl
delirium. and from his rawlings John
HsH-
addicted to drink and drugs. had fall
en- by the wnySide and his weakened
vitality was fast oozing away. A hu.
name and new impulse had been
born Into John Blake the last two
years Of his Imprisonment through the
friendly ministratious of the penIten.
tinry chaplain. For three days and
nights be acted as nurse and provider
out OF the little stor. he bad earned
In prison through overtime securing
food and medicine from the village
nearby. The morning Of the fourth
had been an Old vnlise but IL contain.
ell only a few articles OF clothing and
letters, and from these Blake CLEANED
that his name was Arthur Gride and
that his former home was In Canada
One OF the letters was evidently
from the uncle Of Gride and II told
the whole history Of that biighted life.
II ran: "You have forfeited the es-
teen Of every friend and relative
through your evil. dissipafed ways.
They and have disowned you. Of.
Ter you one last chance. inclose
you a letter to an old friend. have
written him telling him Of your frail.
ties and past. He will give you work.
II you make n man OF yourself. he viii
be stanch helper. lf not. he will
speedily send you about your busi-
ness"
The other letter was directed to
adam Marshall" ut q little city in
western state, and II simply intro
duced ARTHUR Gride. whom ] have
already written you about
When the poor wanderer was dead
Blake went to the village and told
Of his finding the man and Of his car
Ing for him. They buried him decent
ly in the little country cemetery. and
now. after passing n last lonely night
at the hut. John Blake stood at the
parting OF the ways.
Two months later. assuming the
name OF the dead man. Blake was In.
stalled Mt Leesviiie as an employee Of
Adam Marshall In the grain and feed
business. The Inter was old and In
6rm. but he gave the pretended nephew
Of his friend every chance to make
good. Within . year the new Blake
had completely won the confidence Of
his patron. When the latter died his
family later engased him n manager
Of the business. Trusted and beloved
BY everybody. man among men. the
new Arthur Gride became Q citizen Of
Importance.
II was about this time that q young
woman came to Leesville and after
making many inquiries about Arthur
Gride settled down into seclusion.
One day when Blake left the city 90
train she covertly followed him. II
was the anniversary of the death Of
the real Arthur Gride. and the man
who had assumed his Identity went
TO the little settlement where he was
buried. He placed a wreath upon his
grave and sat lost In reverent thought.
He looked mp. puzzled and startled. as
u shadow crossed the spot. The mys-
,erious woman stood beside him. He
recalled having seen her once or twice
in Leesville. Her accusing face and
manner made a really comely face ap-
u4ar dark and forbidding.
Il have followed you day after day."
she spoke. Ito find the man you pre-
repd TO be- ! am the sister Of Arthur
Grille You are not he. Where Is
ney
-Th"re spoke John Blake, pointing
:. ~ ave His sister? Then you
shai .a"u all. come here because
- hisn have redeemed myself and
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