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.

"You are a bold youth, and it is plain that you have brilliant talents; I hope they have not been abused."

"They have been, and will continue to be, used in the service of my suffering country."

"I like you, and I hope everything is all right about you; but I cannot see your object in coming here under an a.s.sumed name."

"Then you have decided the case against me--have you?" said Somers, glancing at the rival Allan.

"Perhaps I was a little too fast," added the old man, mortified to find that his character for strict justice had been compromised by this hasty avowal.

Sue was absent a long time; and it was clear that the photograph had been mislaid. Somers was in hopes she would not be able to find it; though he had but a meager expectation of over-throwing the claims of his rival to the name of Allan Garland. It was a hot day, and the windows of the house were all open. His legs seemed to promise the only satisfactory solution of the problem; and while he was considering the propriety of jumping out through one of the open windows, and trusting to them for safety, Sue returned with the photograph.

"This looks more like you than the other; and more like you than it does like the other gentleman," said Sue.

The rebel soldier took the card, and acknowledged that it was his photograph; at the same time, he was compelled to allow that it was but an indifferent likeness of himself. His hard service in the army had changed his appearance much. Sue gazed at the picture, and at the original, and her father did the same; but both of them were in doubt.

"There, sir! I have waited patiently for you to end this farce," said Somers, in deep disgust apparently. "You have looked at the pictures, and you are not satisfied yet. I can stand it no longer; I am tired of the whole thing. You have treated me very handsomely, and I am grateful to you for your kindness to me; but I cannot and will not remain any longer."

Somers spoke decidedly, and was fully resolved to use his pistol, if occasion required. He was not willing to remain for a decision to be made between him and the other claimant.

"I will go with you, brother Allan Garland," said the rebel soldier facetiously; "I think between us we can readily decide which is the right man."

"I am ready."

"But we desire to be satisfied, especially in regard to this young man, who was suspected of being a deserter, and for whom I feel that I am responsible," said Mr. Raynes.

"I can do nothing for you, sir," replied Somers.

"But I can do something for you; and I propose to take you to the sergeant where I found you, and let the military authorities decide,"

continued the old man, whose ire was roused, as he moved towards the impudent young man.

"I propose that you shall do nothing of the kind," answered Somers, drawing the pistol, and c.o.c.king it for use.

"Don't, father, don't!" exclaimed Sue, rushing between Mr. Raynes and the active youth, pale with terror.

Somers would have been very unwilling to use his weapon on the old man.

He pitied him, and could not help thinking of the terrible blow which was in store for him when he should hear that his only son had been killed.

He hoped that something would interpose to prevent any violence, and he expected much from the gentle dignity of the young rebel.

"I am sorry that you compel me to draw this pistol," added Somers; "yet nothing but the duty I owe to myself and my country would permit me to use it upon those who have treated me so kindly."

"I will be responsible for him," said Allan Garland--the real one; for there could be no doubt that he was what he claimed.

"You shall not go near him, father! He will kill you!" cried Sue, terrified, as her father attempted to push her aside, and advance upon the armed young man.