Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-29

a Mystery
@ + I w O
Continents {
BURTON E.
STEVENSON
Copyright. 1908, by
Henry Holt and
Company
Gbe
HoHudGY
Case



again, walked rapidly past without
looking at me and. l suppose, left the
building. l finished arranging my
notes and then entered Mr.. Holidays
Office to ask If he had any further In
strllctons for me, and l found him
lying forward on his desk with knife
sticking in his neck and the blood
squirting out. summoned aid, hut he
died without regaining consciousness
! should say he was practically dead
when found him"
felt rather than heard the little
stir which ran through the room. There
was All indefinable horror in the story
and in the conclusion to which 1t in
evitably led.
"Now. let us go back moment" said
the coroner as Rogers stopped and
mopped his forehead feverishly. u
want the jury to understand your story
thoroughly. Mr.. Holiday had been
debating to you?"
yes"
"And was quite well?"
Eyes; as we'll as usual. He'd beel
suffering with indigestion for some
time past"
"Still he was able to attend to bust
ness?"
"Oh, yes, sir There was nothing al
all serious in his illness"
"You then left his Office and returned
| to your own. How long had you been
there before the outer door opened|
Not over Ave minutes"
"And who was it entered?'
Miss Frances Holladay, the daugh
ter Of my employer"
you're quite sure? You know hel
F, well?'
every well. I've known her for many
| years. She often drove to the office ir
the evening to take her father home
1 supposed that was what she came
for yesterday"
"You looked at her attentively?"
Rogers hitched impatiently in his
chair.
II glanced at her as l always do
| he said. II didn't stare"
"But you're quite sure 1t was Miss
Holladay?"
Absolutely sure, sir. Do you sup
pose I'd make an assertion like that II
I wasn't absolutely sure?"
mo" said the coroner soothingly
ono, don't suppose any such thing
not for a moment, Mr. Rogers, only
want the Jury to see how certain the
Identification is. Shall proceed|
go ahead, sir" said Rogers. "Il
try to hold myself together little
better, sir.
II can see what q strain this is fol
you," said the coroner kindly, land III
spare you as much as l can. Now
after Miss Holiday entered the inner
Office, how long did she remain there?'
"About ten minutes, should say
Not longer than that, certainly"
Ibid you hear any sound of CONVEX
| sation or any unusual noise Of any
kindY'
mo, sir. 1t would have been very
unusual noise to be- audible. Mr.. Hol
laday's Office has heavy walls and q
double door which completely shut of
all sounds from within"
miss Holiday then came out?"
Eyes, sir"
"And walked past you?"
Eyes, sir; walked past me rapidly"
Ibid you not think that PECULIAR"
"Why, sir, she didn't often stop tt
speak to me. l was busy, and sc
thought nothing particularly about it. >
did you notice her face? Did she
seem perturbed?"
mo, sir; 1 didn't notice. I just
glanced up and bowed. In fact,
didn't see her face at all, for she had
lowered her veil"
"Her veilw repeated the coroner
"You hadn't mentioned that she wore
q veil"
mo, sir; when she came into the of.
fee she had lifted it up over her ha,
brim-you know how women do"
"Yes-so you saw her face distinctly
when she entered?"
eyes, sir"
"But when she went out she had
lowered her veil Was it heavy
oney"
why, Sir" the witness hesitated
"just an ordinary veil, should say"
"But still heavy enough to concea
her facet"
ooh, yes, SIR"
The coroner nodded. "Now, Mr.
Rogers, how long time elapsed after
~ III