Part 18 (1/2)
CHAPTER XIII
AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL
Miss Sue hastened to procure the photograph, which she had placed in her mother's room after it had been fully discussed by herself and the supposed original. At the same time, her father conducted Somers into the room again; and, being fully conscious of his desire to get away, he kept a watchful eye upon him, though he removed his grasp from the arm. The rebel soldier looked on in utter amazement at the singular proceedings of all the party, and seemed utterly unable to comprehend the meaning of them.
”Here is the picture,” said Sue, returning with the photograph in her hand; ”but I don't see that it looks any more like you than it does like the other gentleman;” and she proceeded to inst.i.tute a comparison between the new claimant and the picture.
Somers began to cherish a faint hope again, and to be very grateful for the general truth, that photographs do not always look like the originals. This encouragement, slight as it was, gave our hero a new inspiration, and in a measure restored his impudence; which, under the pressure of circ.u.mstances, had begun to give way.
”I am sure it does not look at all like you,” continued Sue, after she had patiently balanced all the points of resemblance, and all the points of disagreement.
”You should remember that the picture was taken more than a year ago; and that I have been an invalid for ten months of the time,” suggested the rebel soldier.
”That may be; but I am sure this picture could never have been taken for you.”
”Let me see it, if you please?”
Sue handed him the card, and he glanced at it with an expression of great curiosity.
”Where did you get this picture?” demanded he.
”It was sent to me by the original,” replied she.
”This is not my picture.”
”That is just what the other gentleman said; and I am perfectly willing to believe both of you.”
”But I sent you a picture of myself, though this is not the one.”
”Well, that is very singular.”
”If you will remember, there were two in the same letter; the other was a young man whom Owen was acquainted with, and who desired something to remember him by. He is in a Mississippi regiment now.”
”Dear me! what a blunder!” exclaimed Sue, laughing heartily. ”I am sure I took the best looking of the two for Allan Garland's.”
”Perhaps that is not very complimentary to me; but where is the other picture?”
”I put it in Owen's room. I told him what I had done with the two pictures; but he has been at home so little, that I suppose he never looked at them. I will get the other.”
”We are beginning to get a little light on the subject,” said Mr. Raynes, when his daughter had left the room.
”And I think you will let a little light through my body with a bullet-hole,” added Somers, whose last hope was gone again, though his impudence still remained.
”Be patient, young man; we shall soon see the mystery explained, and be able to inform you whether you are Allan Garland or not.”
”I am sorry to put you to so much trouble, Mr. Raynes; but you will remember that I was very much opposed to coming into your house at all; that I was literally dragged in by yourself and your daughter.”
”And you will also remember that I saved you from arrest, when you gave your name as Allan Garland, of the Fourth Alabama. I think I have imparted to you some very valuable information; and I intend to see what use is to be made of it, before I take my eyes off you.”
”You are very affectionate, Mr. Raynes; and, in behalf of the great Southern Confederacy, I thank you for the zeal and loyalty which you have displayed,” replied Somers boldly; for it was plain that nothing but the most brazen impudence could save him.