Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-09-24
CHAPTER III.

Richmond at the time these events
were occurring was in a tumult of ex-
eitement, The quarrel between the
north and south in congress had long
"''r veache3 TIE scute stage, and
preparations were forming for that
titanic struggle which was to shake
America for four long years. South
Carolina had led off, followed by Ala
bsma, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia,
louisiana and Texas. The capital of
the eonfederacy was in the far south,
and while no one expected that Rich
mond was TO become the center Of no.
Htical intrigue. it had been easily fore
seen that Virginia, being a slave state.
would join her southern sisters, and
that II war followed she would furnish
the battle ground by reason OF her geo.
graphical position. Few people be-
Heved in serious conflict TO come, but
there were some who foretold bloody
struggle, and these were among the
powerful, who gave time and direction
90 public sentiment.
There was much discussion in state
military circles, and a confident pre-
oietion that when the crisis came the
south must recall her sons from the
service OF the union. and enlist them
under the banners of the states rights
party, leaving many vacancies difficult
TO fill
Upon his couch in the rooms of Rich
mond's popular physician Richard
Somers lay, convalescent. His wound
proved easy of management and healed
rapidly. But in the empty hours given
20 him for recovery he reviewed his late
experience, and with small com fort for
himself. Carried away by sentiment.
he had permitted himself to involve
seriously young girl intrusted to his
care. He had acted like sentimental
boy. he told himself. rather than as a
man coolly transacting a piece of bust
ness TO which a friend had commits
stoned him. Evidently the whole mat
ter hinged upon the succession of prop
erty. and he was simply an instru-
ment. But he had suffered himself to
be swept along by sentiment, and had
declared his love for a girl altogether
unknown to him-inGeed, unseen. In
conclusion, somebody bad put bullet
through his head, the only mistake
being in the matter of aim. He had re-
celved no explanation from Brodnar
other than that an error had cost him
the wound. There was a multitude of
apologies, the tenderest of care-and
silence. But one day he arose and
dressed himself, and, barring a slight
dizziness of head, found the world
about as he had left it. And then Brod-
mar told him of such facts as he him
self had knowledge.
You were shot from a window bv
Eome one who saw you strike a match,
my dear fellow, and who didn't care
whether your eyes were closed or not"
he said.
But who was the assailant-and
what was tho object?'
Under the window found tracks
the track of a woman's number two
shoes, clear cut and sufficiently deem
10 suggest that the wearer was in ali
probability settled woman. And vet
a heavy woman's foot would not have
been SO trim. There you have it all"
Why should she have been there
and why should she have shot me?"
My dear fellow, ask me who wrote
Shakespeare and the letters of Junius
frankly, know nothing on earth about !
This shooting beyond the simple fact.
Perhaps the shot was not aimed AT
you. Somers reflected for q moment
Fosslbly you are correct in the suo- }
&eSt'on. But if you, with all the in
formation you have and knowledge of