The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-15
CHAPTER VII.

Woodlawn on the Sunday fol-
lowing his death. Two days later his
VIII. 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 or
reserve. to his daughter Frances.
There were few bequests to old sery.
"h's. Rogers receiving n handsome leg
ac!; ABOUT half million was given to
various charities in which he had Eeen
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
win men whose wealth depends upon
the fluctuations Of the Street, but there
stiii remained something over four mil
Mons for the gtrl--a pretty dowry. She
told us at once that she wished TO leave
her affairs In our hands and In flnan.
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. II
was evident that Miss Holidays kind
~ feelings toward him had suffered no
ammunition. The whole Office was moe
or less conversant with the affair AMI
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 II
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 illeglt:mate
daughter. the blow she had dealt her
evtr IncoiiIe. nc Ifau- hrrS-Ser .~<A VI -.as
any hope Of income from him; so size
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 foS her sister.
Granting this, the theory seemed to me
quite impregnable.
One other thing puzzled mellow
had this woman eluded 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
surely have been discovered. Miss Hol-
laday, Of course. rigid'S refused her
self to all inquirers. and here again l
found myself on the horns Of O dilem-
ma. Doubtless she was very far from
wishing the discovery Of the guilty
woman. and yet l felt that she must
be discovered II 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 Mr.. 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 SO
. did he-it was Miss Holidays maid.
: 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"
aAh1 1,nl fta nj 81
| this afternoon"
| discharged you!' echoed our junior.
"Why, thought she thought SO much
of your"
| "And so did I, sir. but she discharged
me just the same"
But what forT 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. thought maybe you could
help me-"
"Well. let me hear about 1t just as 1t
happened" said Mr.. Royce soothinglI
Perhaps I can help you"
"Oh, II you could, sirp' she cried.
you know, I thought the world and
oil Of Miss Frances. I've been with
her nearly eight years, and for her to
90 and treat me IKE this-why. It Just
breaks my heart, sir! ! dressed her
this afternoon about q 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. went right up to her room to
updress her. aud when ! knocked. sir.
strange woman came to tho door and
said that Miss Frances had engaged
her for her maid and wouldn't need me
any more, and here was months
wages. And while I steod there. slr,