The Red Cloud chief., 1905-11-03


that l had not made Il more determined
effort TO get another. A glance at my
COMPANION showed me the folly of at
tempting to secur any Information
from him, so | contentod myself with
reviewing what | already knew Of the
history of the principals.
knew Hiram W. Holiday, the muir
dered man, quite well, not only as ev-
cry New Yorker knew that multimil-
lionairc as one of the most successful
operators in Wall street, but personal
~ as well, since he had been Il client
of Graham Il Royce for twenty years
and more. He vas ut that time well
on toward seventy years of age, |
should say, though he carried his years
remarkably well. His wife had beer
long dead. and lie had only m child,
his daughter Frances, who nus have
been about twenty-five. She had been
born abroad and had spent the first
years of her life there with her moth.
er, who had fingered on the Riviera
and among the hills of Italy ana Swift.
zerland in the hope of rrGaining II
health which had been failing, SO |
understood, even since her daughters
birth. She had come home at last,
bringing the black eyed child with her,
and within the year was dead.
Holidays affections from that mo-
ment seemed to grow and center about
his daughter, who developed into a
tall and beautiful girl-too beautiful,
as was soon apparent, for our Junior
partners peace of mind. He had met
her first In a business way, and after
ward socially. and all of us who had
eyes could see how he was eating his
heart out ut the knowledge that she
was far beyond his reach, for it was
evident that her father deemed her
worthy of Il brilliant marriage-as in
deed she was. | sometimes thought
that she held herself at n like value,
for though there was about her q con-
stant crowd Of suitors none OF them
seemingly could win an atom of en-
enlargement. She was waiting, | told
myself, waiting: and ! had even pic
tured to myself the grim irony Of ii
situation in which our Junior might
be called upon TO arrange her marriage
settlements.
The cab stopped with Il jolt, and !
looked UP to see that we had reached
the Criminal Courts building. Mr..
Royce sprang out, paid the driver and
ran up the steps to the door, ] after
him. He turned down the corridor to
the right and entered the room ut the
end of il, which ! recognized as the
office of Coroner Goldberg. a cOnsid.
cradle crowd had already collected
there.
HAS the coroner arrived yet?' my
companion asked one Of the clerks.
"YCS, sir; he's in his private Office"
"Will You take him this card and
say that I'd like to see him at once, If
possible?"
The clerk hurried away with the
card. He was back again in n mo-
mcnt.
This way, SIR he called.
We followed him across the room
and through Il door at the farther side.
''Ah, Mr.. Royce, glad to see YOU"
cried the coroner as we entered. eve
tried to find you last night. but learned
that you were out of town, and ] was
just calling up your office again"
Miss Holiday asked for me, thenT'
Eyes, at once. When we found we
couldn't get you, we suggested your
senior, but she said she'd wait till you
returned"
| could see our juniors face crimson
with pleasure.
"You didn't think it necessary to con
fine her, | trust?" he asked.
"Oh. no. She wasn't disturbed. Sht
spent the night at home-under sur
veillance,"
THAT was right. or course it's sim
ply absurd TO suspect her"
Goldberg looked at him curiously.
Il don't know, Mr.. Royce" he saiC
slowly. IF the evidence turns out al
| think it will, / shall have to hold he
the district attorney expects It,"
Mr.. Royce's hands were clutching
chair back, and they trembled IA littl,
at the %cOrOner's words.
Hell be present at the eXamina
. ton, them" he asked.
Eyes; we're waiting for him. YOU
. see. it's rather an extraordinary case.
rs IT."
"We think SO, anyway" said the cor
oner, Just a trife impatiently.
could see the retort which spranI
. TO our juniors lips, but he choked |
!, back. There was no use offendinl
> Goldberg.
: "I should like to see Miss Hollada,