The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-09-14
the garden. He was struck on the
right side of his head"

the garden. He was struck on the
right side of his head"
"Go on!" said the physician, after
pause, and making desperate efforts
to be calm. ''Let us see how far this
wretched informant of yours has
lied"
"Lied? So upon the impulse of the
moment I, too, believed. But the
fame of a woman is sacred, DIR. Brod-
mar, and this morning I went into
that room. Upon the wall in the
rear, Il little out of line from the
window to the chair, in which, it is
said, the man who was shot had been
sitting, was bullet mark On the
jagged edges of the hole in the plas-
ter We're few hairs and traces of
blood" Holbin unfolded little pack
age upon the table as he spoke. "Place
these under microscope and verify
my statement" Again the doctor
was silent; but the look he gave his
visitor was so passionately threaten
ing that Holbin paused.
go on!" again the command was
little more than whisper.
"There is but one thing more: upon
the table found this cigar laid aside
without having been lit"
"Have you finished?" Holbin looked
up, uneasy and surprised.
Eyes"
"Now what would you have of me?"
II wish you to find out for me the
name of the man who was in that
room"
81 will get you his name upon one
condition."
sand that is?''
"rhat you will tell me the name
of the woman who fired the shot"
Holbin could not, try az he might,
conceal the start these words pro-
voked.
II do not know of any woman in
the case" he said.
II know that you do"
CDR. Brodnar!'
Holbin sprang to his feet with we'll
affected rage. The doctor continues:
Only woman's tracks marked
the soil under that window at dawn
the morning after that shot was fired.
When | next saw the spot the tracks
had been carefully obliterated." Brod-
mar was still standing and spoke rap
idly, as though he feared that he
could not restrain himself. Suddenly
bland smile spread over his face.
''The fact is" he said, "the shot was
fired at me. Does that surprise you?'
lIolbin's face showed that it did. "The
| final attack of which Mr.. Brookin
died. continued the doctor, twas mo-
mentarily expected. spent the night
sitting in the poor girls room at her
request, to be within call, her old
nurse asleep upon the rug. You may
believe this or not, Mr.. Holbin, but
take my suggestion, and if you doubt
the explanation conceal your frame
of mind. BY the way, lift the lid
of the box there on my table; now
compare the cigar that you found
with those in the box. You perceive
that they are exactly alike. I am not
accustomed to offer proof of my
statements, but L make an exception
in your favor, as you are almost a
stranger. AS for the pretty theory
of the pistol-ball carrying blood and
hair into the plastering, it evidently
springs from an overheated imagina.
ton. Blood there is none; and, for
the hair, you will find that in all good
plaster. But to conclude the matter
Mr.. Holbin: If a bullet had taken a
piece Of my scalp into the wall, the
wound would not have healed within
two days, and if you will examine
my head carefully you will find that
none of the scalp is missing" The
doctor lowered his head and moved ii
accommodatingly from side to side.
Have you any suspicion as to the
name of the woman who fired this
shot-at you?" asked Holbin, sarcas.
tically.
"a very strong suspicion; with me
it amounts now to certainty. She
is a woman who dwells in the Brookin
house, and the only mystery left is
how the devil did she get up to the
Window" This time Holbin's aston.
ishment was genuine.
81 do not understand"
| A1AAS I'D u 'NoIiioil NAoSC pluIlS HIGH
have been defeated had the man who
was dimly seen in that room been any
other than myself. Not to be misun.
derstood in the matter, permit me tc
explain that in my opinion the WON.
an who fired that shot was your
mother!" Holbin's first impulse was
to denounce the doctor, as social
duty, and take the chances of a per.
sonal encounter, but the value of the
honest error into which Brodnar had
fallen flashed upon him. He affected
to understand that the doctor was
making the statement as to himself
and Mrs. Brookin in sense not to be
taken as earnest, but to be construed
as refusal to explain the mystery
At this moment, when Holbn was
taking up his hat and cane to depart
the doctors assistant within the pri
vate room threw the door wide open
and Holbin discovered man propped
| IN on or,pnboir with III, 1,,,1 H..