Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-01-10
6be
Holiday
Case

CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
g A HUNDRED thousand dollars!'
~ calculated Mr.. Royce. and sat
staring at his chief
"A hundred thousand dollars!
That's good deal for girl to give
away in a lump. but she can afford it.
OF course we've nothing to do but car
ry out her instructions. think both Of
lis can guess what she intends doing
with the money"
The other nodded. believed that l
could guess too. The money, of course.
was intended for the other woman.
She was not to suffer for her crime aft
er all. Miss Holiday seemed to me III
no little danger Of becoming an Access
sorry after the fact.
''She seems really ill.," continued our
senior. "She looks thinner and quite
careworn. l commended her resolution
scene"
when does she go, sr?" asked Mr..
Royce in subdued voice.
1.-THE day after tomorrow, think.
She did not say definitely. In fact she
could talk very little. She's managed
to catch cold-the grip. suppose-and
was very hoarse. 1t would have been
cruelty to make her talk, and didn't
try"
He wheeled around to his desk and
then suddenly back again.
by the way" he said, II saw the
new maid. l can't say | wholly an
prove of her."
He paused minute, weighing his
words.
"She seems careful and devoted" he
went on at last, but l don't like Ler
eyes. They're too intense. l caught
her two or three times watching me
strangely. l cant Imagine where Miss
Holiday picked her up. or why she
should have picked her up ut all. She's
French. Of course. She speaks with q
decided accent. About the money, l
suppose we'd better sell block OF
q. P. bonds. They're the least produc
tive of her securities
Yes. suppose so,' agreed Mr.
Royce, and the chief called up Il broker
and gave the necessary orders. Thei
he turned to other work. and the day
passed without any further referenc,
to Miss Holiday or her affairs.
The proceeds of the sale were
brought to the office early the nex1
afternoon, Il small packet neatly sealet
and docketed = 100 thousand dollar
bills. Mr.. Graham turned it over il
his hand thoughtful!y.
you'll take it to the house, of course
john" he said to his partner. LES
ter d better SO with YOU
So Mr.. Royce placed the package ii
his pocket, a cab was summoned, anG
we We're off. The trip was made with
out incident, aud at the end of hall
an hour we drew up before the Holla
day mansion.
1t was one of the old style brown
stone fronts which lined both sides
of the avenue twenty years ago. II
was no longer in the ultra fashionable
quarter, which had moved up toward
Central park, and shops of various
kinds were beginning to encroach upo1
the neighborhood. but it had been Hi
ram Holidays home for forty years
and he had never been willing to par
with it. AT this moment all the blind.
were down and the house had de
serted look We mounted the steps t.
the door, which was opened Mt once t.
our ring by Il woman whom 1 knew
instinctive!y to be the new maid
though she looked much less like
II H.
man OF the middle class.
We've brought the money Miss Hol
laday asked Mr.. Graham for yester
day." said Mr. Royce. I'm join
Royce, his partner" And without an
swering the woman motioned us in
.Of course we must have u receipt fo
It." he added. II have it ready here
and she need only attach her sigma
ture.''
Miss Holiday is too i'll TO see you
sir" said the maid, with careful enun
citation. 81 will myself the paper tax,
to her and get her signature"
Mr.. Royce hesitated moment il
perpleXity. AS for me, was ransack
ing my memory Where had l hcart
that voice before? Somewhere, wa.
certain-a voice low, vibrant, re
pressed, full Of color. Then, with .
start, remembered. 1t was Miss Hol
laday's voice as she had risen to wei
come our junior that morning ut til,
coronersi court. l shook myself to
gether, for that was nonsense.
II fear that won't do" said Mr.
Royce at last. THE sum is a coLsid
cradle one and must be given to Mis-
Holiday by me personally in the pres
ence of this Witness
1t was the maids turn to hesitate.
saw her lips tighten ominously.
VERY well, sir" she said. But
warn you she is most nervous, and
has been forbidden her to talk"
''She will not be called upon to talk.
retorted Mr.. Royce CURLY, and with
out answering the woman turned ant
led the way up the stair and to he
mistress room.
Miss Holiday was lying back in ,
great chair with n bandage about lie
head, and even in the half light coult
see how changed she was. She seemed
much thinner and older and coughet
occasionally i'll n way that frightcne,
me. Not grief alone, l told myself
could have caused this breakdown; i
was the secret weighing upon her. NJ,
n :2a;,