Life — December 2, 1909 — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

808 “Don’t you remember,” he went on, relating in a rapid voice a lot of details that only her husband could have known. When he came to a pause Mrs. Tibbs turned to me “What shall I do?’’ she asked appealingly. “Oh! Mr. Bunce, this is terrible! It certainly is John’s voice. “Can you doubt me?" asked Tibbs. No! No! But——" She buried her face in her hands. Then she looked at him again. “It may be you,’’ she said, “but I don’t like those whiskers. And you are much too tall. John was short and rather stout.’ “ But, dearest,"’ remonstrated the voice of Tibbs, “I had to do the best I could. I had to take what I could get. Can't you overlook it?’ he asked passionately. She smiled. “Hardly,” she replied. It was my turn now. “I wouldn't think of such a thing. Besides, you don’t know anything about this fellow,"’ I broke in. “He may be some advertising man, for aught you know, whose object is to sell you a piano on the installment plan. I wouldn’t trust him.”” Tibbs darted a fiery glance at me. “You leave us and get out!’ he exclaimed, “and let us settle this matter. “Yes, dear,” said Mrs. Tibbs, and then checked herself fearfully as she loked at him. That “dear"’ had escaped her involuntarily. I accepted it as a favorable sign “You go,” she said gently, “and we will come to some understanding one way or the other.’” She followed me out into the hall and helped me on with my coat. I cannot understand it,’’ she whispered. “Tell me,’ I asked sternly, “ suppose it really is Tibbs, would you take him back with a framework like that?” “That's the trouble. I never did like that sort of a man, anyway. And to think that Tibbs should have had to—” Never mind, dearie,” I said, pressing her hand, “I leave the whole affair in your hands. May you choose that which is for your best happiness.”’ Then I left them, and as I walked out into the cool air tried to collect my senses. It was evident that I had a formid- able rival. Tibbs’ face, as revealed by the large portrait in the li- brary, rose in my mind’s eye. Then my thought reverted to the one I had just left behind. He was so different. I didn’t believe that she ever could bring herself to accept him, and my heart bounded with hope. As I walked along I became conscious of a crowd. being jostled Suddenly out of the mass of faces I saw one distinctly. It was a man's. With sudden presence of mind I grasped the arm below it. Hold on a minute,” I said.“ Who are you? "” The stranger looked at me inquiringly “What do you want to know for?” he asked testily. “You look like a man named Tibbs,"’ I replied.“ He died about six months ago.’” And he did, indeed. The resemblance was remarkable. Same face. Same size—I should judge from the description I had so often heard. “Well, I'm not Tibbs,” crazy."” Not at all,”’ I replied. “Step in here and let's talk it over. . There is no use going into the details that followed. erybody who has taken the trouble to investigate the psychic world knows that an exchange of this sort is easily arranged, provided that it is agreeable to both parties. The man—whose name was Polter—had been living alone and was not par- ticularly happy. In a few moments I had full possession of his personal premises while he took charge of my framework I immediately hurried off and arrayed myself in the same kind of clothes that Tibbs had worn in life. Then I went back to the house I had left It was about two hours later. I was he said gruffly. “You must be There was a light in ‘the : odie ® LIFE § ana Evidently they were still discussing the reception room. matter. She came to the door. As it opened I held out my arms. “Darling!” I exclaimed, “I have come back to you!"” Tibbs rushed out into the hall at the words. “What is the meaning of all this?’ he exclaimed. “Tt means,” I replied calmly, “that I know a thing or two.”" I turned to Mrs. Tibbs. “What's the use of his making excuses,’ I said. “ Here he has been claiming to you that he couldn't do any better. He has been stating that he had to take what he could get— knowing that you never could bear whiskers like that. He ought to be ashamed of himself. Now I go out without any premeditation at all and in a couple of hours I am able to pick up a man so near in appearance to Tibbs that you can’t tell the difference."’ Mrs. Tibbs looked at me in wonder. “T don’t understand,"” she murmured. “Isn't it plain?” I asked. “I made an exchange. I bor- rowed the physical being of another—who resembles you for- mer husband—as you see, and I have come back to press my suit. What more can you ask for, dear? ”’ I said. Mrs. Tibbs sobbed as she turned to Tibbs. She didn't seem to be so much interested in me as I had fondly hoped “You have his voice,” she said to Tibbs, “but those whiskers “That's it,” I whispered. “All you need to do is to look at him. You are not going to marry a voice. Put your arms around me, darling,’ I went on, clasping her close, while I smiled at Tibbs. “Go on and talk if you like,”” I said to him. “You talk and I'll act.”” She broke away from me as Tibbs sprang forward—as well as he could, for he wasn’t strong. I noticed it and it made me all the more bitter. “You see, dear, what he has done,’’ I said. “He has not only selected a person who is personally repugnant to you, but he has selected a weakling. Why, it is all he can do to hold himself together. Did I do that? Not much! I was par- ticular.”* I slapped my chest—I mean the chest of the former Polter. “Tam well and strong,’ I answered. “Can you hesitate now between us? “Gentlemen, leave met’? exclaimed Mrs, Tibbs almost hysterically, “I am so confused. I want time to think. I don’t know what I am doing.” We both got up, moved by simultaneous impulse say this for Tibbs, he was square. “We'd better go,"" he said manfully. “The little lady must have time to decide this matter. Besides, I am feeling rather tired myself.”" “We'll come back to-morrow,’’ I whispered, looking back at her over my shoulder. But she gave me no answering look. Tibbs and I walked along in silence. Finally he spoke “We might as well go to some quiet place and have this out,” he said “You ought to know of one,"’ I replied. acquainted than I am. I've only been around here for three months,"* He led the way to a retreat. We hoth sat down solemnly and faced each other. Tibbs ordered a bottle Suddenly as I raised my glass I happened to gaze over at a solitary figure at a near table. I looked again. Yes, it was I—or rather it was Polter. He had drifted in after an evening of trying to forget himself. He had on a green tie —I never did like green, anyway. He nodded pleasantly. 1 beckoned him to join us. He came over and I introduced him to Tibbs. Tibbs grew talkative. affair to Polter. I'm bound to win her!"* he concluded emphatically Never!” [ exclaimed. “Not so long as you go around in-that freak frame. You couldn’t win anything in that," I said. T will “You are better He insisted on explaining the whole (Continued on page 810) comicbooks.com