Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-30

"An, 1 see," he said again, and
drained a glass of absinth he had been
| toying with. THANK you, YER much
SIR
He arose and went slowly out, and
noted the strength of his figure, the
short neck
The waiter came with bread and but
ter, and realized suddenly that 1t
was long past the half hour. Indeed,
glance at my watch showed me that
| nearly an hour had gone l waited
fifteen minutes longer ate what /
could, and, taking a box lunch under
MY arm, hurried back to the coroner's
office. AS / entered it l saw bowed
| figure sitting at the table, and my heart
fell as l recognized our Junior. His
whole attitude expressed despair alb
| solute, past redemption.
"I've brought your lunch, Mr..
Royce" said, with what lightness I
could muster. "rhe proceedings will
commence in half an hour. You'd bet
ter eat something" and l opened the
box .
He looked at it for moment, and
then began mechanically to eat.
"You look regularly done up" ven
tured Wouldn't l better get you a
glass of brandy? That'll tone you up"
Gail right" he assented listlessly,
and 1 hurried away on the errand.
The brandy brought little color
| back to his cheeks. and he began TO
eat with more interest.
Must l order lunch for Miss Holla-
Gay?'' questioned.
NO." he said. "she said she didn't
wish any"
He relapsed again into silence. Plain
ly he had received some new blow dur
ing my absence.
after ALL" / began, you know
we've only to prove an alibi to knock
to pieces this whole house of cards."
Eyes, that's ALL" he agreed. But sup
pose we can't do it, Lester?'
Cant do it?' I faltered. "Do you
mean
II mean that Miss Holiday posi-
lively refuses to say where she spent
yesterday afternoon"
"Does she understand the-the ne
cessity?" asked.
81 pointed it out to her as clearly as
I could. I'm all at sea, Lester
Well, if even he were beginning to
doubt, matters were indeed serious!
Its incomprehensible!" l sighed.
after moments confused thought.
sIts"-
"Yes-past believing"
'"But the coachman"-
''The coachman's evidence, fear,
won't help us much-rather the re-
verse"
1 actually gasped for breath. I felt
like drowning man from whose grasp
the saving rope had suddenly, unac-
countably, been snatched.
"In that case began and stopped.
"Well, in that case?"
eve must find some other way out"
i concluded lamely.
"Is there another way, Lester2" he
demanded, wheeling round upon me
fiercely. "Is there another way? If
there is wish you'd show it to mel"
"There must be!' l protested des-
perately, striving to convince myself.
.There must be. Only, / fear, it will
lake some little time to find"
"And meanwhile Miss Holiday will
be remanded! Think what that will
mean to Ter, Lester"
1 had thought. l was desperate as
/, he, but to find the flaw, the weak spot
in the chain, required, felt, better
brain than mine. was lost in whirl-
wind of perplexities.
"Well, we must do our best" he went
on more calmly after a moment. II
haven't lost hope yet-chance often di-
reefs these things. Besides, at worst l
think Miss Holiday will change her
mind. Whatever her secret, 1t were
better to reveal it than to spend a
single hour in the Tonbs. She simply
must change her mind! And thanks,
Lester, for your thoughtfulness. You
have put new life into me-"
l cleared away the debris Of the
lunch. and few moments later the
EOOm began 10 LII aSulu. AL ldSI lue
coroner and district attorney came in
together, and the former raped for or
der.
1.-THE inquest will continue" he said,
with the examination Of John Brooks,
Miss Holidays ccachman."
can give his evidence In few words.
His mistress had driven directly down
the avenue to Washington square.
There she had left the carriage, bid
ding him wait for her, and had contin-
ued southwark into the squalid French
quarter. He had lost sight of her in q
moment and had driven slowly about
for moro 49, 80 ,'''r before she re