The Lamar register., 1920-03-17
THE
DOUBLE LIFE
By ALvAH ]. GARTH

ly realized that a parting and start
Ing was at his choice. He stood just
outside an isolated dilapidated hut
and faced the dawning day. Its ro-
seate glow. the waking birds and
gently signing breeze wrought lnfu-
ences of thought and decision clear.
comprehensive and abiding.
His past had been blighting and
the present uncertain. Only to the
fathOmless future could he look as
to a new birth. He was nobody
worse than that. q discharged convict.
His real name was q menace He
must lose 1t and begin anew. go back
recklessly among the old avenues of
crime, or divest himself of every ves-
tige OF his natural personality and
assume a new identity.
The specious forces OF evil beckon
ed him to the companionship that had
sent him to five years In the peniten-
tiary. and he had paid his debt.
Looking back two weeks. he saw
himself freed from prison with time
allowed for good behavior. Looking
back a week. he saw himself entering
nights shelter. to find within. lying
on bed of straw. q well favored
young man about his own age. This
latter tossed restlessly In fever md
delirium. and from his rawlings John
Blake gathered that he was n person
addicted TO drink and drugs, had fall
en- by the wayside and his weakened
vitality was fast oozing away. A hr-
name and new impulse had been
born into John Blake the last two
years Of his imprisonment through the
friendly ministrations of the penitcn-
tiary chaplain. For three days and
nights he acted as nurse and provlder
out Of the little store he had earned
In prison through overtime. securing
food and medicine from the village
nearby. The morning OF the fourth
day the invalid had died. His pillow
had been an old valise, but It contain
Cd only 4 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 It told
the whole history OF that blighted life
II ran: you have forfeited the es-
TEEN Of every friend and relative
through your evil. dissipated ways.
They and have disowned you. ! Of
fer you one last chance. inclose
you . letter TO an old friend. I have
written him telling him of your fraIl-
ties and past. He will give you work.
II you make 4 man of yourself, he will
be q stanch helper. II not. he will
speedily send you about your busl-
ness
The other letter was directed to
Adam MARSHALL" at n little city In
= western state. and Il 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 a 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 Leesville as an employee OF
Adam Marshall In the grain and feed
business. The latter was old and in
arm. but he gave the pretended nephew
Of his friend every chance TO make
good. Within a year the new Blake
had completely won the confidence of
his patron. When the latter died his
family later engaged him as manager
Of the business. Trusted and beloved
by everybody. a man among men, the
new Arthur Gride became a citizen of
Importance.
1t was about this time that a young
woman came to Leesville and after
making many Inquiries about Arthur
Gride settled down into seciusion.
One day when Blake left the city on "A
train she covertiy 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 up. puzzled and startled. as
a shadow crossed the spot. The mys-
terious woman stood beside him. lie
recalled having seen her once or twice
in Leesville. Her accusing face and
manner made a really comely face ap-
pear dark and forbiddinx.