Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-01-03


without success, and yet l felt that
the search must have been miscon-
Quoted, else some trace of her would
surely have been discovered. Miss Hol-
laday, of course, rigidly refused her.
self to all inquirers, and here again !
found myself on the horns of a diem
ma. Doubtless she was very far from
wishing the discovery Of the guilty
woman, and yet l felt that she must
be discovered. if 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 MIR. Royce at once. She
had given no name, but our Junior
who happened to be ut leisure for the
moment, directed that she be shown in.
l 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"
sobbed the girl. "She discharged me
this afternoon"
discharged you" echoed our junior.
"Why, thought she thought so much
Of your"
''And SO did l, sir, but she discharged
me just the same"
But what for?" persisted the. other.
"That's just what don't know, sir
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 it just as it
happened" said Mr.. Royce soothingly.
perhaps can help you"
"Oh, If you could, sir" she cried.
You know, thought the world and
all of Miss Frances. I've been with
her nearly eight years, and for her to
go and treat me like this-why, it just
breaks my heart, sir! l dressed her
this afternoon about 2 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 u
drive, and about an hour ago came
back. l went right up to her room to
undress her, and when knocked, sir
strange woman came to the door and
l f1nt L,,On ho1
her for her maid and wouldn't need me
, any more, and here was months
, wages. And while l stood there, sir
too dazed to move, she shut the dool
in my face. After I'd got over 1t &
, bit, begged that l might see Miss
Frances, if only to say goodby, bu
, she wouldn't see me. She sent wore
, that she wasn't feeling well ant
wouldn't be disturbed"
Her sobs mastered her again ant
she stopped. could see the look O.
,, amazement on our juniors face, ant
: did not wonder ut it. What suddel
dislike could her mistress have con
ceived against this inoffensive and dc
voted creature!
!. "You say this other maid was
: stranger?n he asked.
Eyes. sir; she'd never been in til
house before, SO far as I know. Mis-
: Frances brought her back with her Il
!. the carriage"
e "And what sort of looking woman
: she?"
= The girl hesitated.
!. "She looked like foreigner, sir,
r. she said at last. "a Frcnchwoma1
= maybe, by the way she rolls her RS"
: pricked up my ears. The sam
thought occurred at that instant I
= both Mr.. Royce and myself.
a "Does she resemble Miss Holiday!
y he asked quickly.
- Miss Holiday? Oh, no, sir. She
much older-her hairs quite gray"
), Well, certainly, Miss Holiday ha
the right to choose any maid sl
pleased and to discharge any or all c
= her servants; and yet it SCENE
strangely unlike her to show sue
seeming injustice to any one.
you say she sent down word tn;
= she was ill.," said Mr.. Royce at las
Was she i'll when you dressed herr"
!, "Why, SIR" she answered slowly,
wouldn't exactly say she was Ill, bu
she seemed troubled about somethin,
;, think she'd been crying. She's bee
her father died, poor thing" she addet
That would explain it, certainly, al
IS yet grief for her father might not /
s. the only cause of Frances Holiday
e tears.
But She didn't seem vexed wit
e. you?"
e. "Oh, no. sir; she gave me broocl
It as told you"
II fear l can't promise you an,
thing said Mr. Royce slowly, after
moments thought "Of course it
IS none of my business, for Miss Hollada
q must arrange her household to su
# herself; yet, II you don't get back wit
i. your old mistress. l may perhaps
Is able to find you Il position somewhel
r else. Suppose you come back in thrt
No or four days, and I'll see what ca
h do"
r. "All right, sir, and thank you" 81
~ said. and left the office.
had some work of my own to ket
y. me busy that night, SO devoted !
Q. thought to Frances Holiday and Ii
to affairs, but they We're recalled to II
N with renewed force next morning
g. Did you get Miss Holidays 81
te nature to that conveyance?" Mr.. CIR
ham CHANGED to ask his partner in Il
an course Of the morning.
sc mo, sir" answered MIR. Royce, wi
IN just trace of embarrassment.
re called at the house last night, but 81
II. sent down word that she was too
he TO see me or to transact any business
re Nothing serious, hopc? asked Il
n other quickly.
ly mo, sir. l think not. Just tra
IS of nervousness, probably"
d, But when he called again at Il
1t house that evening he received sill
d. liar message, supplemented with II
no news impaired by the butler, serva
re of many years standing in the famil