Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-02
CHAPTER VII.
TvHE body of Hiram Holladay was placed beside that of his wife in his granite mausoleum at

in his granite mausoleum at
 Woodlawn on the Sunday fol lowing his death. Two days later his will, which had been drawn up by MT. 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 or reserve, to his daughter Frances. There were a few bequests to old serv- ants, Rogers receiving handsome leg acy; about half a million was given to various charities in which he had been interested during his life, and the re- mainder was placed at the absolute disposal of his daughter.
 We found that his fortune had been overestimated, as is usually the case with men whose wealth depends upon the fluctuations of the Street, but there still remained something over four mil lions for the girl-a pretty dowry. She told us at once that she wished to leave Aer affairs in our hands and in f1nan- cial matters would be guided entirely by our advice. Most of this business was conducted by our junior, and, while, of course, he told me nothing, 1t was evident that Miss Holladay's kind ly 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 endeavor of newspapers and police had shed no new light on the tragedy, and for the great public it had passed into the background of the forgotten, but for me, at least, 1t remained of undiminished interest and more than once I carefully re viewed its features to convince my self anew that our theory was the right one. Only one point occurred to me which would tend to prove it un- true - if there was an illegitimate 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 Holladay could probably be counted upon, her first grief past, to provide suitably for her sister Granting this, the theory seemed to me quite impregnable.
 One other thing puzzled mellow had this woman eluded the police? I knew that the French quarter had been ransacked for traces of her, wholly without success, and yet I felt that the search must have been miscon- ducted, else some trace of her would surely have been discovered. Miss Hol- laday, of course, rigidly refused her self to all inquirers, and here again I found myself on the horns of a dilem- ma. Doubtless she was very far from wishing the discovery ef the guilty woman, and yet I 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. It was toward quit ting time one afternoon that a 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. I recognized her in an instant. and so did he-it was Miss Holladay's 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 mistressI'
 "She ain't my mistress any more" sobbed the girl. "She discharged me this afternoon"
 Discharged your echoed our junior. Why, I 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 don't know. sir I begged and prayed her to tell me. but she wouldn't even see me. So came down here. I thought maybe you could help me-
 Well, let me hear about it just as it happened" said MT. Royce soothingly. Perhaps I can help you
 "Oh. if you could, sirr' she cried You know, I 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. it just breaks my heart, sir! I dressed her this afternoon about 2 o'clock. and she was as nice to me as ever-gave ne a little brooch. sir, that she was tired of. Then she went out for d drive. and about an hour ago came back. went right mp to her room to undress her. and when I knocked. sir. a strange woman came to the door and said that Miss Frances had engaged her for her maid and wouldn't need me any more. and here was a months wages. And while I stood there. sir. too dazed to move. she shut the door in my face. After I'd got over it a bit, I begged that might see Miss Frances, If only to say goodby, but she wouldn't see me. She sent word that she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be disturbed"
 Her sObs mastered her again and rhn -tnrnr.od [ .nr,IH rnn thn fr,l- Al