uring several years I foolishly supported him with my savings, always
expecting him to become famous. At first he attributed his failures to
his broken arms, although they had healed perfectly, and I ignorantly
accepted the excuse. It was only after years of waiting for the man to
prove his ability that I finally woke to the truth--that he had no
talent--and I then left him to his own devices. In Chicago I sought to
forget my unfortunate past and found regular employment there in my
profession.

"It was while nursing Mrs. Jones that I overheard her give to Doctor
Anstruther the supposed address of her husband, which had been
furnished her by a casual acquaintance, and tell him to wire Jason
Jones to come to her at once. I well knew a mistake had been made and
that she had given the doctor my own husband's address--the address of
an entirely different Jason Jones. My first impulse was to undeceive
her, but that would involve humiliating explanations, so I hesitated
and finally decided to remain silent. When the doctor had gone to
telegraph and the die was cast, I reflected that my husband, whom I
knew to be sunk in poverty, would ignore the request to come to Chicago
to be reconciled to his dying wife. _My_ Jason wouldn't care whether I
lived or died and wouldn't have spent a cent to be reconciled with me.
For of course he would think it was I who asked for him, since he would
know nothing of Antoinette Seaver Jones or that she was the wife of his
distant relative, the other Jason Jones.

"He did, indeed, answer Doctor Anstruther by saying he would not come
unless his expenses were advanced, so the good doctor launched the
future deception by sending him ample funds. I knew of this action and
wondered what I ought to do. There would be a terrible mix-up when my
husband appeared, and I realized how disappointed the sick woman would
be. Knowing her condition to be dangerous, I feared the shock would
kill her, which it really did, for still I kept silent. I told myself
that I had not aided in the deception in any way, that it was a trick
of fate, and I could not be blamed. I thought that when Doctor
Anstruther met my husband there would be explanations and the truth
would come out, but somehow that did not happen. Jason Jones walked
into Antoinette Seaver Jones' room expecting to find _me_ dying, and
saw a strange woman in the bed and his wife--in good health--standing
before him. He let out an oath in his surprise and my