New Britain herald., 1927-01-06

for. Now that the man up in Lcng
 Island Is identified as James Elwell,
 you are safe in guessing what be-
 came of the other man."
 The. officer nodded slowly. Such
 mistakes can be made. of course, all though they don't happen often. It seems strange, too, that the identifi- cation tags were missing from the two men. Otherwise there wouldn't have been such a mixup."
 She was satisfied. Nellie Downing told him, that the puzzle had ',een solved. Would the war department notify James Elwell's parents of the mistake?
 The department would, the officer assured her. And if there's still mistake the parents could see it l of course"
 But 1t would have to go through the orthodox channels, he told Ter, whereupon Nellie Downing drowned and pleaded impetuously that he l take it upon himself to see the thing | through. .-......
 'Every minute you wait Is torture to his people out in Indiana But not half so torturing, he has, tened to tell her, with wry smile, as the. realization of the fact that Jim Elwell was now little more than Q living dead man.
 "Fronf what you tell me, Miss Downing. it is one of the worst cases of shell-shock have ever heard of. One of the most pitiful, at least. Why. the man is worse than an im- beetle. It would be far less cruel to were dead"
 Whereupon Nellie Downing cried. She had been under a severe strain and she was very tired. She broke 1, down.
 "Oh, I'm sorry" the man told her, and assisted her to chair. Per haps, after all, there is something that can be done for him. If l ever hear of anyone who can help him I'll remember it--for you" and he smiled.
 Twenty-four hours later Nellie Downing was back at the hospital on Long Island. Her determined efforts had obtained immediate &C., ton. The Elwells in Camdenville had been notified. Word had gone to Mrs. John W. Powell in Newark that apparently reliable information had been received to indicate that her son was dead.
 That is how it came about that Prof and Mollie Elwell were notified that Jim was stil living and how they found themselves rushing 10 catch the Twentieth Century from Chicago to New, York on the night of April IS, 1912,
 Many persons. doubtless, would say that the meeting of Nellie Down. ing and Mike Hennegan in City Hall Park was something far stronger than coincidence-possibly just far-fetched plan to hook up the ends of a plot. Some might say it vas the waving wand of undirected chance that brought about the meeting, or the twisting finger of cir cumstance that pointed that way.
 Whatever it was, the fact remains that it happened. It may well have been that the war department would have strengthened out the tangle it. self, upon learning that a man listed as John Powell was not Powell after all. but an Unknown Soldier.
 It would have been a long task, and a disheartening one. but worse tangles have been unraveled. There may even be some persons who could accept the theory that it was the sure working hand of destiny that brought it about.
 Prof Elwell stopped, dropped the two suitcases he was carrying and lessness. They were two strayed sheep lost in the wilderness of Grand Central Station, New York city.
 A wolf in sheep's clothing rushed up to them. He was runner" for a cheap hotel where they stung them quick and stung them hard.
 Hotel, sir?" he queried hurriedly, his weather eye open for any station detective who might have noticed him take q trail of his prospective prey. Modern in every way, sir