The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-08-26
SOMERSET PA, WEDNESDAY,

the shot and cries as he passed the house
on his return from a late call in the
country, and ne had hastened to the
rescue.
oh, thank heaven you are doctor !"
cried Alice, elasping her hands in uncon-
seious appeal. Perhaps you can do
something for that man. He hasn't made
a sound since l shot him, but maybe he
is only wounded and insensible, and /
am not murderer. Do-do 90 and see,
for dare not !"
What with remorse and the reaction of
excitement, she was as tremulous now as
before she had been brave; but the
young man could not have told whether
she seemed more admirable in the he
roic mood he had first beheld, her
smoking weapon still in her hand, and
her fower-fair face white and set with
resolution, or in this cenfding reliance in
him.
He lit a lamp, md taking it and
revolver went to investigate.
Come" he called q moment later.
There is nothing horrible here after all.
Do comel"
Thus encouraged, Alice forced herself
to enter the dreaded apartment, into
which her mother followed her.
Neithericorpse nor wounded man was
to be seen.
On one side of the room, just where
the light had fallen, long mirror was set
in the panelled wall, and opposite this
full length unframed picture stood up
right on the floor, supported by a tall
easel.
1t was a roughly but powerfully point
ed picture of a Misunderstanding man in
a stealthy, crouching attitude, with a
long, real knife ingeniously fastened to
the canvass as if clutched in bis hand a
picture that still reflected in the bullet
shattered remains of the glass across the
room. This odd mingling of light and
shadows had completed the deception.
There's your burglar" said Harris
Boyd.
Alice colored miserably.
"To have made all this fuss about
picture and a looking-glass. Oh, what a
fool must seem"
" Not at all. You showed as much
courage as if the thing had been real, and
your shot was well aimed enough to have
brought down any living scoundrel. !
remember the picture of old Your
grand-uncle painted it after one he had
seen abroad, and it was the talk of the
town when l was a very small boy and
he first exhibited it. He was quite an
artist, and"
Here the doctor was interrupted by a
sudden, startled cry from Mrs. Gilman.
who had been curiCusly iexamining the
broken mirror.
Behind it she found a deep niche in
the wall, and in this lay cleaning heap
of gold coin.
1t was not an immense fortune. but it
was enough 10 set its heiress beyond all
need of the work and care and clUse
economy of the past, and to make the
future secure.
Evidently Peter Gilman had hidden il
in his deep rooted distrust of banks, and
had been unable to reveal the secret
when overtaken by the stroke of paraly-
sis that caused his death.
So its finders concluded, after several
other theories had been discussed and
dismissed over the supper that Alice at
length succeeded in preparing without
Interruptions, except from Harris Boyd's
jealous but not very skillful efforts to
help.
A pleasant gypsyish meal it was, and
made more pleasant still by the presence
Of the unexpected guest, whom Mrs. Gil
man had easily persuaded to stay till
morning for their protection.
"All's well that ends WE'LL" said Alice
to herself, as she laid her weary head on
her pillow. "And perhaps one of the
best things about the gsod luck is that
that mother of mine surely won't worry
over our future any more"
Yet even while she so decided, Mrs.
Gilman's neditations were of a gloomy
cast.
"Of course it was wonderfully fortu-
nate thing" she thought but l do
wish it had happened differently for now
that young doctor will most likely court
Alice for her money, and all this has
given him such chance of making him
self hero to her"
But it was not for the money that Mr..
Boyd courted winsome Alice, and his
mother-in-law has long since repented
her unjust suspicion.