Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-30

lowing his death. Two days later his
will, which had been drawn up by Mr..
Graham and deposited in the Office
safe, was read and duly admitted to
probate. As was expected, he had left
all his property, without condition Of
reserve, to his daughter Frances.
There were few requests to old serv.
ants, Rogers receiving handsome leg
acy; about half million was given tC
various charities in which he had been
Interested during his life, and the re
mninder was placed at the absolute
disposal Of his daughter
We found that his fortune had been
overestimated, ms is usually the case
with men whose wealth depends upon
the fluctuations Of the Street. but there
Stlll remained something over four mil
lions for the girl-a pretty dowry. She
told US at once that she wished to leave
her affairs in our hands and In finan.
clal matters would Ne guided entirely
BY our advice. Most OF this business
was conducted by our Junior. and,
while Of course. he told me nothing. II
was evident that Miss Holidays kind.
~ feelings toward him had suffered no
diminution. The whole office was more
or less conversant with the affair and
wished him success and happiness.
SO week or ten days passed. The
utmost endcavor Of newspapers and
police had shed no new light on the
tragedy, and for the great public 1t
had passed into the background Of
the forgotten. hut for me. at least.
It remained Of undiminisheh interest
and more than once I carefully re-
viewed its features to convince my
self anew that our theory was the
right one. Only OIL" point occurred to
me which would tend, to prove ii un.
true - If there was an lllegitimate
daughter, the blow she had dealt her
father had also deprived her of what
ever income he had allowed her or of
any hope of income from him; so she
had acted in her own despite Still,
Godfrey's theory Of sudden passion
might explain this away. And then
again Miss Holiday could probably
be counted upon, her first grief past.
to provide suitably for her sister.
quite impregnable.
One other thing puzzled mellow
had this woman euded the police?
knew that the French quarter had been
ransacked for traces Of her. wholly
without success, and yet felt that
the search must have been miscon-
Quoted, else some trace of her would
kav AiccnvnraA Yn1-
laday, of course, rigdly refused her
self to all inquirers. and here again
found myself on the horns Of a diem
ma Doubtless she was very far from
wishing the discovery of the guilty
woman, and yet felt that she must
be discovered, If only for Miss Holla.
days sake, in order to clear away the
last vestige Of the cloud that shad-
owed her
Then came new developments with a
startling rapidity. 1t was toward quit.
ting time one afternoon that clerk
brought word into the inner office that
there was woman without who
wished to see MIR. Royce at once. She
had given no name, but our Junior,
who happened to be at leisure for the
moment, directed that she be shown in.
recognized her in an instant and 80
did he-it was Miss Holidays maid.
I saw, too that her eyes were red
with weeping, and as she sat down
beside our juniors desk she began to
cry afresh.
why, what's the matter" he de-
manded. Nothing wrong with your
mistress?"
"she amt my mistress any more"
sobbed the girl "She discharged me
this afternoon"
discharged youw echoed our junior.
"Why. thought she thought so much
Of you:'
"And so did I. sir. but she discharged
me just the same"
But what for?" persisted the other.
That's just what l don't know, sir.
begged and prayed her to tell me. but
down here. thought maybe you could
help me-"
"Well, let me hear about it just as II
happened" said Mr.. Royce soothlngly.
'Perhaps can help you
'Oh. II you could. sir" she cried.
"You know, l thought the world and
all Of Miss Frances. I've been with
her nearly eight years. and for her to
go and treat me like this-why, 1t Just
breaks my heart sir l dressed her
this afternoon about 2 o'clock. and
she was as nice to me as ever-gave
me little brooch. sir that she was
tired Of Then she went out for a
drive, and about an hour ago came
back. l went right up to her room to
undress her, and when l knocked. sir
a strange woman came to the door and
said that Miss Frances had engaged
her for her maid and wouldn't need Inc
any more. and here was month
wages. And while l stood there, sir
TOO dazed to move. she shut the door
In my face. After I'd got over 1t O
bit. l begged that | might see Miss
Frances, il only to say goodby. but
she wouldn't see me. She sent word
that she wasn't feeling we'll and
wouldn't be disturbed"
Her sObs mastered her again and
she stopped. could see the look OF
amaxement on our juniors face, and
did not wonder ut it. What sudden
dislike could her mistress have con