The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-03-21
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MYSTERIOUS MAID.


THE MYSTERIOUS MAID.
| "a hundred thousand dollars" cJacu-
lated MIR. Royce. and sat staring at
| his chief
"a hundred thousand dollars! That's
n good deal for "A girl To give away In
| n lump. but she can afford a.. OF course
| we've nothing To do but carry out her
| instructions. I think both ~ MS can
guess what she intends doing with the
| money"
The other nodded. I believe that
] could guess. too. The money. OF course
/ was intended for the other woman--she
was not TO suffer for her crime. after
all. Miss Holiday seemed To me In
| no little danger OF becoming an Access
sorry after the fact.
she seems really H." continued our
| senior. she looks thinner and quite
careworn. I commended her resolution
/ scene"
when does she go. sir?" asked Mr..
| Royce In n subdued voice.
| The day after tomorrow. think
She did not say definitely. In fact she
could talk very little. She managed TO
catch cold-the grip. ] suppose-and
| WAS very hoarsc. IL would have been
cruelty to make her talk. and I didn't
/ try"
He wheeled around To his desk. and
| then suddenly back again.
| by the way" he said II saw the
new maid. can't say wholly approve
/ OF her"
He paused n minute. Weighing his
i words.
she seems careful and devoted" he
| went on nj last. but I don't like her
eyes. They're too intense. I caught
her two or three times watching me
strangely. ! can't imagine where Miss
| Holiday picked her up. or why she
should have picked her up nj all She's
\ French. OF course-shc speaks with "a
| decided accent. About tn. money,
suppose we'd better sell block Of l..
y. bonds. They're the least productive
| OF her securities
| Yes j suppose 80" agreed Mr.
Royce, and the chief called up n bro
| ker and gave the necessary orders
| Then he turned To other work. and the
day passed without any further ref
erencc TO Miss Holiday or her ar
/ fairs.
| The proceeds Of the sale were brought
| To the Office early the next afternoon, a
small packet neatly sealed and dock
eted-lO0 thousand-dollar bills. Mr.
Graham turned II over In his hand
thoughtfully.
"Youll take II to tho house. OF course,
john" he said to his partner. Lester
had better 20 with you"
So Mr.. Royce placed the package In
his pocket. "A cab was summoned and
we were or. The trip was made with
out incident, and ut the end OF half an
hour. we drew up before the Holiday
mansion.
II was one Of the old-styIe brown
stone fronts which lined both sides of
the avenue twenty years ago: Il was
no longer I'm the ultra fashion
able quarter, which had moved up
| toward Central Park. and shops OF vari-
Gus kinds were beginning To encruach
upon the ghborhood: but II had been
| Hiram Holidays home for forty years
aud he had never been willing TO part
| with II. ~ this moment all the blinds
| were down and tho house had "A de-
| serted look We mounted the stems TO
the door. which was opened at once TO
our ring by woman whom I knew
insiinctively To he the new maid though
she looked much less like new maid
than like an elderly working woman
OF the middle class
| We've brought the money Miss
Holiday asked Mr.. Graham for yester
dag" said Mr. Royce I'm John Royce
his partner" and without answering
the woman motioned us In "Of course
we must have receipt for IT," he add
| ed. Il have II ready here. and she
need only attach her signature"
Miss Holiday IL too Ill To see Won
sir. said the maid. with careful enun-
| citation. II VIII myself the paper take
To her and get her signature"
Mr.. Royce hesitated n moment In
perpleNity. As for me. I was ransack-
Ing my memory-where had I heard
thnt voice before Somewhere. I was
| Certnin-n voice low. vibrant, reprcssed
full Of color. Then. with a start. re.
/ m"mhcrcd ~ IL was Miss Hollndny's
| voice. as she had risen To welcome our
| Junior that morning at the corpner's
court shook myself togcther--for
| that was nonsense,
II fear that won't do" said Mr.
Royce nj last. The sum is n consIi"r.
able one. and must be- given To Miss
| Holiday by me personally in the pres
| cnce OF this witness"
IL was the maids turn In hesitate.
! saw her lips tighten ominously.
| Very well. sir. she said. hut | warn
| you she Is most nervous and IL has baen
| forbidden her To talk"
| ''Sh" will not be- called upon To talk
| retorird Mr.. Royce CURLY: and without
/ answering the woman turned and led
the way up the stair and To her mis-
1 trcss' room
Miss Holiday was lying back In
| great chair with a bandage about her
| head. and even in the half-light could
see how changed she was. She seemed
| much thinner and older, and couEhed
occasionally I'm u way that frightened
me. Now grief alone. told myself
| could have caused this breakdown: Il
was the secret weighing upon her. My
| companion noted IN" change. too. uf
courSc-a greater change. perhaps. than
my eyes could percciye-and saw how
| moved ana shocked he was
| My dear Miss Holladay." lie began
but she stopped him abruptly with 4
little imperative motion OF the hand.
| Pray do not" she whispered hoarse-
| ly. Pray do not"
He stopped and pulled himself to-
geihcr. When he spoke again Il was
In quite different tone
| Il have brought the money you asked
| for and he handed her the package
| Thank you" she murmured
will you verify the amount"
| oh. no: that In not necessary"
II have receipt here" and he pro-
dnced u and his fountain pen. Please
sign st."
She took the pen with trembling fng-
ers. laid the receipt upon her chair arm
without reading and signed her name
with somewhat painful slowness.
Then she leaned back with a sigh OF re-
lief. and buried her face I'm her hands.
Mr.. Royce placed the receipt In his
pocketbook. and stopped. hesItating.