The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-07-09
wyr.pER,s ROCK.

spent all they possessed IN contest
ing the suit, and lost it at last.
Philip Searle had spent a good
deal too; but then he was money
king. and he had won, which meant
more money, as he well knew when
he produced from among some mus
ty old papers that uncanceled mort
gage of which he had known for
wears. but never thought of pushing
till be discovered that the barren
and hitherto considered worthless
acres of the Wylder's Rock property
rested on a stratum of selid wealth
in short. were on a vast coal bed.
There had been five in the Wyl-
deris family when the struggle be-
gan-the father, three sons and one
daughter.
Two of the sons, brilliant young
men and promising lawyers, had
been killed in railroad accident on
their wav to the city on business
connected with the famous suit.
Worry over the suit, and the hor-
rors of losing his beautiful boys IN
so terrible a manner, had brought
an attack of fever on the father, and
he died the very day the suit was
decided against him, leaving with
bis diving breath a stern charge to
his remaining children-never to
give up, never to yield Wylders
Rock TO the Searles.
The remaining son was a sufferer
from spinal disease, confined to his
couch or wheeled chair most of his
life.
A poor creature he was to resist
anything, much less the enforcing OF
the decision of the court which had
given his home to another.
'I will resist" declared his young
sister. IL will never yield.
The money king sat in his gor-
geous library, in close and conhden-
tial conversation with his only son,
lust returned from three years So
lourn in Europe.
Philip Searle had just been giving
him a sketch Of the.Wylder case.
"You see," he said, ''it has just
been like fighting a nest of eagles all
along. They have baked, and
hindered, and resisted the thing till
/ am out of all manner of patience.
There are only those two now, the
sick fellow and the girl, but she is a
regular little tiger-cat by all ac-
counts. l have served the regular
legal notice on them; | have warn
ed them to go, but they won't. If it
were men | was dealing with |
should know what to do, but child
and sick..man-"
''You wish me to go and see
them ?" questioned Raymond, light
ly. "Very well | will 60 at once.
l dare say | can induce them to hear
reason"
At the hour when Philip Searle
talked with his son, Reda Wylder
stood with their one servant, an old
woman of 20, who had always been
with the family, before a picture
which hung in the low, wide en-
trance hail of the house. 1t was
portrait of an ancestress, a woman
who must have been superbly beau
tiful.
"You are her image, child-her
very image - old Annot was saving.
'If YOU were dressed like that you
might get into the frame there, and
no one would know the difference. "
Reda Laughed merrily.
Il have a mind to try il" she
said. THE very clothes she wore
for this picture are up there in the
cedar chest. | will do it.
As she ran away Annot's old eyes
followed her fondly,
A little later a gentleman came
up the walk, hesitated at the vine
clad sunlit doorway, and glanced
within the open hall.
His gaze fastened admiringly on
the picture of Reda Wylder's beau
tiful aneestress, as, seeing no bell, he
lightly. lifted twice or thrice the old
fashioned ebony and bronze knock
er which ornamented the carved
door, and waited.
Presently, along an upper hall and
down flight of stairs at right an
giles with the doorway, he heard the
tiny, metallic click of little bootheels,
and the swish of silken draperies
and then suddenly, in all the old
time gorgeous attire in which she
had gone to array herself, Reda
Wylder stood before him.
The gentleman almost jumped, so
startled was he.
Had the picture come out of its
frame.
Reda read his thought, and
laughing light came into her dark,
shining eyes, a rougish smile curved
the lovely scarlet lips.
Raymond Searle quickly recover
ed himself, and bowed low, hat in
hand.
Il am Raymond Searle," he said.
my father wished me to call and
deliver message from him to Mr..
and Miss Wylder."
81 am Miss Wylder,' said the
sweet, naughty voice.
And without any apology for her
strange dress. she led the way to an
inner room, where her brother, We're
Wylder, lay upon a couch drawn
beside a sunny window.
She explained briefly to him, and
motioned their visitor to seat.
Well, sir" said Reda, loftily, "we
will hear your fathers message. Ny
brother is not strong enough for
many words, SO you will please ad-
dress yourself to me"
For the first time Raymond Searle
felt all the ungracious and migrate
ful disagreeableness of the errand on
which he had come.
He blushed, he hesitated, he sat
overwhelmed with confusion. FL
nallv he said desperately:
You know why / have come. l
wish now / had not"
''You said you had a message
from your father ?" questioned Reda
hauhgtily.
Il prefer not to deliver it now," he
answered.
"You do not need. We, my
brotlar apd ,.oysalf oon ,yall ;ooo,-