Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-01-03
Mystery
Of T w o
Continents
by
BURTON E.
STEVENSON
Copyright. 1905, by
Henry Holt and
Company
6be
Holiday
Case


his theory i'll toinorrow's paper"
"Clever" cried Rankin. why, he's
IL very tiend of cleverness when It
comes to case of this kind. We're not
in the same class with him. Hes
fancy fellow-just the Record kind.
You're sure you didn't tell him any
thing else, Mr.. Lester?" he added anX-
iously. "Godfrey's capable of getting a
story out of fence post"
mo. I'm quite sure didn't tell him
anything else. only listened to his
theory with great interest"
"And assented to it?"
81 said thought it plausible"
An electric s,nock seemed to run
around the room.
"rhat's it." cried Rankin. That's
what he wanted. Now, it isn't his
theory any more. It's yours. Oh,
can see his headlines! Won't you tell
us what it was!'
I looked up ut him.
"Now, frankly, Mr.. Rankin" asked,
"if you were in my place would You
1ell?"
He hesitated for moment and then
held out Ills hand.
NO" he said as took 1t. 81
shouldn't. Shake hands, sir; you're all
right. Come on, boys; we might as
well be going"
They filed out after him, and heard
them go singing up the street. Then
sank back into my chair and thought
again of Golfrey's theory. 1t seemed
to fit the case precisely, point by point
overland started ut the thought
to Miss Holidays reticence as to her
whereabouts the afternoon before. The
whole mystery lay plain before me. In
some way she had discovered the ex-
istence Of her half sister, had secured
her address; she had gone to visit her
and had found her away from home
it was probable, even, that the half
| sister had written her, asking her 10
come-though, In that case, why had
she not remained ut home to receive
her? At any rate, Miss Holiday had
awaited her return, had noticed her
agitation; had, perhaps, even seen GER
tain MARKS of blood upon her. The
news of her fathers death had pointed
| all too clearly to what that agitation
and those blood spots meant. She had
remained silent that she might not be-
smirch her fathers name, and also,
perhaps, that she might protect the
other woman. felt that held in my
hand the key to the whole problem.
Point by point-but what snarl II
was! That there would be vigorous
search for the other woman l could
not doubt, but she had long start and
should easily escape. Yet perhaps She
had not started. She must have re
manned in town, else how could thai
note have been sent tn us? She had re
manned, then-but why? That sh,
should feel any affection for France.
Holiday seemed absurd, and yet how
else explain the note?
felt that was getting tangled III
in the snarl again. There seemed n,
limit to its intrlcacies; 30, in very de
spair, put the matter from me q
completely ms could and went t
bed.
3
The mornings Record attested til
truth of Rankin's prophecy. l ha'
grown famous in night, for Godfre
had In measure made me responsible
for his theory, describing me with
wealth of adjectives which blush t
remember and which have even We
not quite forgiven him. l smiled as
read the first lines:
ure yesterday evening of dining with Nj
Warwick Lester, the brilliant young al
torney who achieved such remarkabl
victory before Coroner Goldberg yestel
day afternoon in the hearing of the Ho
laday case. and. Of course. took occasio
to discuss with him the latest develoI
ments Of this extraordinary crime. NJ
Lester agreed with the Record In tn,
Dry which is the only one that fits II
facts of the case and completely and sa
isfactorily explains all its ramifcations.
The theory was then developed .
great length, and the article conclude
With the statement that the Recor
was assisting the police in strenuol
endeavor to find the guilty wonyn.
Now that the police knew in whic
quarter to spread their net, l had lit
doubt that she would soon be foun,
since she had tempted Providence b
remaining in town.
Mr.. Graham and Mr.. Royce wei
looking through the Record artic
when l reached the office, and l G,
planned to them how the alleged int
view had been secured. They laughe
together in appreciation of Godfrey
| nulnriOllS nptnrnriSn
at seems Il pretty strong theory
said our senior. Pm inclined to b
lievc 1t myself"
pointed out how it explained Mls
! Holidays reticence-her refusal to a
sist us in proving an alibi. Mr.. Royt
nodded.
Precisely. AS Godfrey said, the tn
DRY touches every point of the cas-
According to the old police axiom, til,
! | DrOveS IT'S the right one"