Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-02-02
6be
HoHadaY
Case


He arose and went slowly OUT, ana
I noted the strength Of his figure, the
short neck
The waiter came with bread and but
ter, and I realized suddenly that it
was long past the half hour. Indeed,
q glance at my watch showed me that
nearly an hour had gone. 1 waited
fifteen minutes longer, ate what I
could, and, taking a box lunch under
my arm, hurried back to the coroner's
office. As | entered 1t l saw bowed
figure sitting at the table, and my heart
fell as I recognized our Junior. His
whole attitude expressed a despair alb
solute, past redemption.
"I've brought your lunch, Mr..
Royce" 1 said, with what lightness
could muster. The proceedings will
commence in half an hour. You'd bet
ter eat something" and 1 opened the
box
He lookeSv at it for a moment, and
then began mechanically to eat.
"You look regularly done up" ven
tured ''Wouldn't I better get you a
glass OF brandy? That'll tone you up"
"All right" he assented listlessly,
and hurried away on the errand.
The brandy brought a little color
back to his cheeks, and he began to
eat with more interest.
''Must / order lunch for Miss Holla-
day." questioned.
"No," he said. "She said she didn't
wish any"
He relapsed again into silence. Plain
ly he had received some new blow dur
ing my absence.
''After ALL" l began, you know
we've only to prove an alibi to knock
to pieces this whole house Of cards"
"Yes, that's ALL" he agree But sup
pose we can't do it, Lester?'
"Can't do it?" 1 faltered. do you
mean
81 mean that Miss Holiday posi-
lively refuses to say where she spent
yesterday afternoon"
''Does she understand the-the ne
cessity?" 1 asked.
81 pointed it out to her as clearly as
could. I'm all at sea, Lester
Well, if even he were beginning to
doubt, matters were indeed serious
Its incomprehensible!' 1 sighed
after a moments confused thought
"Its"-
"Yes-past believing"
"But the coachman''-
''The coachman's evidence, I fear
won't help us much-rather the re-
verse"
1 actually gasped for breath. 1 felt
n ni,,C n WIN
the saving rope had suddenly, unac.
countably, been snatched.
''In that case began and stopped
"Well, in that caseY'
eve must find some other way out, u
concluded lamely.
''Is there another way, Lester?" he
demanded, wheeling round upon me
fercely. rs there another way? II
there is wish you'd show it to mev'
'There must be!' l protested des
perately, striving to convince myself
''There must be. Only, l fear, it will
take some little time to find
"And meanwhile Miss Holiday will
be remanded! Think what that will
mean to her, Lester"'
l had thought. l was desperate as
he, but to find the flaw, the weak spot
in the chain, required, L felt. a better
brain than mine. l was lost In a whirl
wind Of perplexities.
"Well, we must do our best" he went
on more calmly after a moment 81
haven't lost hope yet-chance often di
rects these things. Besides, at worst ]
think Miss Holiday will change hel
mind. Whatever her secret, it were
better to reveal it than to spend 8
single hour in the Tombs She simply
must change her mind! And thanks
Lester, for your thoughtfulness. You
have put new life into me-"
1 cleared away the debris of the
lunch, and few moments later the