The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-03-07

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condition had committed a crime. The
idea was well borne out by his manner.
He shivered like a man with swamp
fever, trying meanwhile, in futile sort
of way, to rub the blood from one hand
with the other.
what corpse?" be said, after pause
during which 1 had been watching his
movements with increasing apprehen-
sion; "why the same ill-conditioned
champagne drinking eadaver that has
caused all the disturbance. Don't let
them in" he went on, becoming intense
ly excited as several sharp raps sounded
on the door. "Tell them I'm gone
gone-anywhere, New York, New Zeal
land, anything you like, but don't let
'em in, Lennon"
lie made rapid dive behind the cur
tains of the aleove, and emerged again
only after repeated assurance that the
reporters had gone.
That's about the fifteenth reporter
since came in" hesaid. "See ?" (hold
ing his hands,, "the blood is all offnow.
1t had dried, you see, and in the excite
ment Of the affair did not notice it."
He was certainly crazy. These inter-
mittent periods Of calmness, depression
and intense excitement were proof con-
elusive to me. shivered at the thought.
sits beastly cold here" remarked Col
Inns, in perfectly normal tone. Light
the fire." he added, and I'll brew
punch. 1 suppose the thing can't be
helped now, but wish it could have
been kept out of the papers. shall be
branded a charlatan from San Francisco
to New York"
Another phaze Of the dementia, men
tally observed. 1t seemed that the best
possible thing to do was to humor him.
While was busy about the stove my
friend stood peeling couple oflemons,
now uttering a half-subdued curse, now
chuckling idiotically.
81 give you my word" he suddenly
broke out, "that was never so complete
ly paralyzed, so absolutely appalled, in
my life. Why, the blood literally pour
ed from him in a stream. Money
wouldn't have tempted me TO do the
thing, Lennon, but the woman seemed in
such intense grief that l could do moth
ing but consent"
Look here, jayne" said, trying to
speak calmly, "who is the woman? Who
have you killed, and why did you COM
NIT the crime?"
Collins had finished making the punch.
He stood with the ladle in his hand,
about to fill our glasses when my ques-
tions arrested the process. He looked
at me fxedly for a moment, then he |
laughed aloud, dealt out two goblets Of
the steaming brew and sat down near
the stove.
This affair is beyond joke, though,
Lennon" he said with much gravity. !
at means that l shall be published to
the wide world as fakir who paints por-
traits from photographs, and that sort of |
thing-a daubing trickster of the breed |
that no reputable man will recognize"
could not imagine what his drift was
this time. The fellow was absolutely |
babbling. "You may be mistaken, old |
man." l said. "Tell rue how it all came
about"
"You know Mrs. Browe- Bailey" he
began. "Well, l had a note from her
,,ostarJau Il eosd t.or,a 81 o,,oa a,1 Il
without fail, was rather surprised, be-
cause-well, you remember how affairs
stood between us when she suddenly de-
cided to marry old Brown and his mon
ey. However, decided that couldn't
afford to disobey the injunction, so
went Madame was in tears. Brown
had died the night before, and she was
utterly inconsolable. The old gentleman
was going TO have portrait done for the
last two or three years, but he never did.
The only likeness his wife had of him
was bad photograph, taken three years
ago. She wanted me to have Brown
tilted on end in his coffin and paint
portrait of him. could use the express
sion in the photograph, she said, and the
eyes the youngest child were exactly
like Browns. l refused. point blank.
A man can't afford to do that sort Of
thing, you know. 1t sayOrs too much of
the solar print and pastel shop. Mrs.
Brown wept and beseached. was OBJ
durate. At last, though, a woman's tears
won the day. She's still pretty, you
know, and only p. The price was to be
any amount 1 chose 10 name'-faney
naming price TO Madge Brown. Well,
the long and short of it was that prom
ised to do my best"
He paused to fill his pipe and take
sip at the punch before continuing. After
a few preliminary puffs at the long-setm-
med chur chwarden, he proceeded.
81 went to Browns bright and eSrly
this morning. The blinds were all down
Grape on the door, widow unable to leave
her room, servants walking about like
ghosts, and that sort of thing. The un-
dertaker had just put Brown in his
coffin, and he was the only man could
get to help me stand the silver-studded
sarcoghagus on end against the wains-
coting. The lid had been screwed down
and the glass front removed, exposing
the face and throat Of the dead man.
There was very good light on it from
the large window on the right, and be-
gan 10 see that after all l might be able
to get something worth while. The face
looked wonderfully lifelike, and COM
menced to take a real interest IN the
work. The undertaken had Withdrawn
and was alone with my model. had
just sketched in the outline Of the face,
when there was an occurrence that con
gealed the blood in my veins and made
the skin creep up on the back of my neck.
A tearing, splitting noise seemed to come
from the coffin. looked up and-well, {
you can imagine the horror Of it'll saw
the body of old Brown coming toward I
me. The next instant my model fell
heavily forward TO the floor, the coffin
and falling with a crash
on top Of the corpse"
"'Good Lord ? l gasped." a