The Red Cloud chief., 1905-12-01

cial matters would be guided entirely
by u ndvice. Most Of this business
was conducted by our Junior, and,
while. OF course, he told me nothing, Il
was evident that Miss Holladny's kind
ly feelings toward him had suffered no
diminution. The whole office was more
or less c~onverrant with the AFFAIR and
wtshed him eucceFs and happiness.
10 a week or ten days passed. The
utmost endeovor OF newspapers and
police had shed no new light ON the
tragedy, and for the great public II
had passed into the background OF
the forgotten, but for me, nj least.
II remained OF undiminished interest.
a.. more than nice | carefully re
viewed its features TO convince my.
self Icy that our theory was The
right m only one point occurred 10
me which would tend to prove II un-
true II there was an illegitimats
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; 10 abe
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 irst grief past.
to provide suitably for her sister.
Granting this. the theory seemed to NE
quite i~mpregnable.
One other thing puzzled mellow
had this oma eluded the police? I
knew that the French quarter had been
ransacked for traces of her. wholly
without success. and yet l felt that
the search must have been miscon-
Quoted. else some trace OF her would
surely have been discovered. Miss Hol.
laday. OF course, rigidly refused her.
self to all inqulrers, and here again l
found myself on the horns Of n dilem.
ma. Doubtless she was very far from
wishing the discovery OF the guilty
woman. and yet ! felt that she must
be discovered, II only for Miss Holla.
days sake, in order to clear away tho
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 n clerk
brought word into the inner office that
there was a 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.
l recognized her in an instant, and NO
did he-it vas Miss Holidays maid.
I saw. too, that her eyes were red
with weeping. and as she sat down
beside our juniors desk she began ia
cry afresh.
"Why, what's the matter?" he de-
manded. Nothing wrong with your
mlstrcss?"
"She amt my mistress any more"
sobbed the girl. "She discharged me
this afternoon"
discharged you!" echoed u Junior.
why, l thought she thought SO much
Of your"
"And 80 did l, sir, but she discharged
me Just the same"
"But what forY" persisted the other.
THAT'S Just what | don't know, sir.
I begged and prayed her to tell me, but
she wouldn't e see me. SO l came
down here. l thought maybe you could
help me-"
"Well, let m hear about 1t just ms II
happened" said Mr.. Royce ~soothingly,
perhaps | "a help you"
"Oh, If you could, sir" she cried
you know, | 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-gavt
me a little brooch, sir, that she was
tired Of. Then she went out for 9
drive, and about an hour ago came
back. l went right up to her room t.
undress her, and when ! knocked, sir
a strange woman came to the door ant
her for her maid and wouldn't need me
any more, and here was a months
wages. And while | stood there, sir
too daZed to move, she shut the dool
In my face. After I'd got over it ;
bit, | begged that / might see Miss
Frances, If only to say goodby, bu
she wouldn't see me. She sent wore
that she wasn't feeling well an(
wouldn't be disturbed"
Her sobs mastered her again ant
she stopped. / could see the look O
amazement on our juniors face, anC
did not wonder at 1t. What suddeI