The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-04
THE HOLIDAY CASE
III BY BURTON E. STEVENSON
Bv BURTON E. STEVENSON
CHAPTER IX-Continued.

CHAPTER lA.-Cont1nued.
And SO we fell naturally into q dis
cussion of the case and its odd features.
I pointed out to him the questions that
had puzzled me most.
He was looking at me thonghtfuliy.
CAN that you say is YER true,', he
said. cit shows that you have given
to the case much thought. l believe
that you also have fondness for
crimes Of mystery .pnd he smiled at
me. "Is it not so, Mistair Lester9"
~ had never suspected it,
laughed, "until this case came up, but
the microbe seems to have bitten me. -
HAh, yes,' he said doubtfully, not
quite understanding. =,
"And we rather fancied at times,'
I admitted, "that I should like to take
hand at solving it-tho, of course,
never shall. Our connection with the
case Is ended.''
He shot me quick glance, then
lighted another cigaret.
Suppose it were assigned to- you
TO xon se sSt about bout a9 asked; Chow would
7i'd try to find the mysterious
woman.'
''But the police, 50 I understand, at
"How could you succeed9'
ooh, I dare say I shouldn't sue
eeed," I laughed, his air striking me
as little more earnest than the occa
fail, just as the police did"
'|In France,' he remarked, "it is
not in the least expected that men of
"Nor is it here" I explained.
"Only, Of course, a lawyer can't help
it, sometimes; some cases demand more
or less detective work, and are yet TOP
delicate to be entrusted to the police.'
cit is also the fault Of our police
that it is toe. fond of the newspapers,
Of 1Pa posing before the publicity Sit, is a
Mart ign 'P'G I said, Hthat I have ave- won.
dered where you learned it
- was some years IN England-th1ee
business of wine-and devoted myself
seriously. to the study Of the language.
But I still find it sometimes very diff
cult to understand you Americans--you
speak 50 much more rapidly than the
English, and SO much less distinctly.
You have way of running your words
ts99getheeJr' Of dropping whole sylla'
Eyes" I smiled, "and that is the
very thing we complain of in the
ooh, our elisions are governed by
well-defned laws which each one COM
prehendS, While here
EVERY man is a law unto himself;
Remember, it is the land of the free
And the home of the license, is it
nots' he added, unconscious Of irony.
Yes, / decided, was very fortunate
In. gaining Martigny's acquaintance
OF course, after he opened his business
he would have less time to devote to
many pleasant. evenings together, and
looked forward to them with considera
BILE anticipation. He was interesting
in MISUNDERSTANDING, with thai
large tolerance and good humor which
have already mentioned, and which was
of tho man. And then-shall I admit
it'll was lonely, too, sometimes, as
suppose every bachelor must be; and
welcomed a companion.
1t was Monday, the fourteenth day Of
April, and we had just opened the Of
message for Mr.. Royce.
There's a man out here who want:
to see you at once, sir,' he said. "Ht
says his names Thompson, and tina
he's Miss Frances Holidays butler.
Our junior half started from his chat
in his excitement; then he controlled
himself, and sank back into it again.
"Show him in, - he said, and sat will
his eyes on the door, haggard in appear
ance, pitiful in his eagerness. Not I'm
til that moment had noticed how tn
past week had aged him and worn hin
down-his work, or course, might &C
count for part Of it, but not for all. H
seemed almost i'll.
The door opened in a moment, and
gray-haired man Of about sixty entered
He was fairly gasping for breath, an
plainly laboring under strong emotion
"Well, Thompson demanded M
Royce, 'Fwhat s the trouble now9'
"Trouble enough, STRIP cried tn
other. my mistress has been mad
away with, sir! She left town just te
days ago for Belair, where we were a
waiting for her, and nobody. has set eye
on her since, sir!'