Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-06-07
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It might have been her fancy, or
it might have been agitation on his
part, or merely his German accent,
but his words sounded so thick she
could barely understand them.
II didn't know you BEFORE" she
exclaimed. "All of sudden tonight
l knew. Arthur, please, please stop
Mrs. Herlong-" he began, but
she interrupted him.
"Why don't you call me Elizabeth?
You know me well enough" She
began to laugh, and checked herself.
.Don.t tell me I'm under strain
from Dicks going away, or that I've
had too much to drink They're both
true, but they don't matter right
now. Maybe it took that to stir up
all the old memories that suddenly
tonight showed me who you were.
So stop this idiotic pretense, can't
you?"
Elizabeth did not know it, but her
own talking had given him time to
get control of his emotions. Kess-
Ter was thinking now that all the
time he had been assuring himself
that she would not recognize him, he
must have been unconsciously ex-
pecting this, for he was more ready
for it than he knew. His fierce grip
on himself made his voice very low
when he replied,
"Mrs. Herlong, 1 repeat that I
don't know what you are talking
about. You think I am somebody
else. My name is Erich Kessler."
"Your name is no more Erich
kessler than mine is. Please, please
II can't bear this! Tell me the
truth"
II can't tell you more than I've
told you," he answered.
Listen to me-" she exclaimed.
"You are Arthur Kittredge, you
were born in Chicago, you came to
Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a research
chemist for the Lerith Oil Company,
in 1916 you married girl named
Elizabeth Mcpherson, in 1917 you
Joined the army-don't tell me you
nave forgotten!"
Kessler's answer, when he spoke,
was like the answers he had given
her that other time they had sat
outside in the dark talking to each
other-steady, rigidly controlled, his
only evidence of agitation that rest
less poking at the grass with his
stick.
II have not forgotten" he said.
Elizabeth sprang up. "Then you
do remember me, Arthur"
"No," he returned quickly. "Sit
down, Mrs. Herlong." He spoke so
forcefully that she obeyed him. "You
interrupted me-" he went on. II
was about to say have not forgot
ten anything that happened to me
before the war. My name is Erich
Kessler, I was born in Berlin.
was in this country many years ago,
but was never in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
in my life, and never saw you until
your husband brought me here for
dinner one night last October. Now
believe me-" He spoke to her ear
nestly. Elizabeth sat listening, half
convinced by his insistence. "You
told me-" he continued, that I re-
minded you of someone you had once
known, and you couldn't remember
who it was. Now you have remem-
bered; something about mel don't
know what, since never saw him
calls your first husband to mind To-
night, under great strain, you sud-
denly realize who it is I recall to
you, and your surprise is so great
| that you are even persuaded not only
that I have some traits in common
with that man, but that I am that
man." He paused a moment, then
resumed his argument. Talk to me
about it now, if that will be any re-
lief to you. But there is one thing
beg of you"
WHAT" she asked breathlessly.
Don't say anything to your hus-
band about this"
GOOD heavens above, you sound
as if were a lady in crinoline!"
She heard herself beginning to laugh
| again, and again made herself stop.
"Do you think I'm sitting here
aghast at the notion that my second
marriage isn't legal, that my chill
dren-I'm not such a fool as that.
There's nothing wrong with my pres
ent marriage, Arthur. You're legal
ly dead, the United States Govern
ment says you are, they even want
ed to pay me a pension. That has
nothing to do with it. But you're
you"
! eyes, am me-" he returned with
an attempt at lightness. But am
| not that other man."
"Then where did you get his eyes,
his voice, his mind? l know you,
Arthur. l loved you, was mar
ried to you"
"You were nothing of the sort"
he interrupted her harshly. "And if
you don't get this illusion out of your
mind you're going to be miserable
the rest of your life. There is MOTH
ing l can do but deny it-no, there
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