The Washington times., 1922-12-28
\ Seeker Of Thrills Finds Himself
Mistaken for Another and Thereby
Becomes Enmeshed in Maze
of Love and Mystery.

cry; 1t was as If a veil had been
torn down between them, showing
her this man as she had never
seen him before.
You're not my John! You're
not my John"' The words broke
from her frantically. She wrung
her hands in impotent fear and
despair. She backed away from
him and across the room till she
came up against the wall, and she
stood there ashen-faced and trem-
bling.
The Fortune Hunter had not
moved. He looked as If some
giant hand had smitten him. and
it was only when Anne groped
blindly behind her for the door
that he gave a little inarticulate
cry and dragged himself toward
her.
80 you know the truth at last"
he said. and his voice was labor
ed. His breath came with diff
Guilty. IT am not John Smith
but I love you with all my heart
and soul"
mot my John! Not my John"
Over and over again she moaned
the words. and her brown eyes
never left his face for an instant.
Then she broke out wildly: "Oh,
In my heart I think I always
knew it. but I wouldn't let my.
self believe"-she covered her
shaking hands-"oh. II / could
only die. If could only die
The Fortune Hunter made no
attempt to touch her. but he went
over to the door and stood with
his back to it. his arms folded
across his chest. His face was
like a mask. his eyes expression
less, and for some minutes there
was a tragic silence in the room
until he began to speak In
strange, rar-away sort Of voice:
THE TRUTH.
"Ive tried to tell you a hundred
times every day since came here.
but at first you would not let me.
and afterwards-it seemed impo-
sible. God knows I'm not blam'
ing. YOU, but II you'll just look
hack. Anne-try and remember
it was you who first claimed me
not who
His voice died away and some
seconds passed before he srug-
gled on again
you would have known the
truth tonight anyway. l know
that. It's only come an hour or
two sooner than / expected.
John Smith was the man who
died in the woods six weeks ago.
and it was I who found him!
He bit his lip till the blood came
as Anne moaned family and shud-
dered.
I'm nobody-just a vagabond
and I was tramping the country
when this thing happened.
know by what I've heard since
that I'm sufficiently like-what
he was-for you to have made the
mistake you did. I've no excuse
to offer, except that when
came here I was hungry-and
almost penniless"- and 1t was
like a glimpse Of Heaven to be
in a decent home again.
That's no excuse ! know,
and only meant to stay long
enough to get a meal and then
clear off to the road again. There
seemed no harm in that I hadn't
asked for what was forced upon
me; looked upon 1t as freek
of fate until-until-you let me
kiss you" His voice broke a
little. and for the first time Anne
uncovered her face and looked at
him.
He went on, as II each word
cost him an untold effort:
"It was too late then. I sup
pose I loved you from that min
ute. Anyway, II put off tell
ing you-the truth until at last
I knew that 1 could never tell
you until ! was forced.
Things happened, Of course
things I hadn't counted upon.
That luggage coming, and Tommy
making me open 1t Then-then
you finding that photograph"
He turned his haggard eyes to
her.
1T was the truth I told you
that day, at any rate. had
never seen the woman In my
life, and-the photograph was
not mine. Then she wrote-that
girl-and / was afraid Of being
found out. She threatened to
come down to Somerton, so I
went to London to meet her, and
Foster saw us-and you heard.
"She wanted me to buy her