The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-02-14
The Holiday Case]
BURTON
S-=0copydsht. by Henry Iior Co
BY BURTON e. STEVENSON.
Copyright 1900 Henry Holt q Co

tine steps TO the door. after him. lie
turned down the corridor to- the right
and entered the room at the end OF a.
which l recognized al the Office OF Cor.
oner Goldberg. A considerable crowd
had already collected there.
Has the coroner arrived YETI" my
companion asked one OF the clerks.
Yes. sir. he's IA his private ONCE. .
WIFI you take him this card and "a y
that ] would like to see him at once. II
possible"
The clerk hurried away with the card.
He was back again IN moment.
This way STR" lie called.
We followed him across the room
and through door at the farther
side.
.'Ah. Mr.. Royce. glad To see you. s.
cried the coroner. as we entered. We
tried TO ind you last night. but learned
that YOU were out OF town. and i was
just calling up your Office again"
Miss Holiday asked for me. them
Yes. nt once. When We found We
| couldn't get you. we suggested your
senior. but she said she'd walt I'LL you
returned"
could see our juniors face crimson
with plea sure
You didn't think u necessary to con-
fine her. trust he asked.
| "Oh. no. she wasn't disturbed. She
spent the night at home-under surreil-
lance"
THAT was right. or course. It's simp-
~ absurd To suspect her"
Goldberg looked nj him curiously
II don't know. Mr.. Royce" he said
slowly. III the evidence turns out as
I think Il will. I shall have to hold her
the district attorney expects a."
| Mr.. Royce's hands were clutching a
chair back. and they trembled little
at the coroner's words.
Hell be present at the examination.
| them" he asked.
YES, we're waiting for him. You see.
IT'S rather an extraordinary case"
| is it,
we think so. anyway" said the
coroner. Just trlre impatiently.
I could see the retort which sprang
To our juniors lips, but he choked II
back. There was no use offending Gold
berg.
~ should like To see Miss Holiday
before the examination begins he
said. lis she present.
shes in the next room. yes. You
shall see her. certainly. NJ once. Jul
ius take Mr.. Royce to Miss Holiday, %
| he added tn the clerk.
| I can see her yet. rising from her
chair with face aiight, as we entered.
and l saw Instantly how I misjudged
| her. She came n step toward us. hold
ing out her hands impulsively. then
| with an effort. controlled herself and
clasped them before her.
"Oh. but I'm glad to see you" she
cried In voice so low I could scarcely
hear ~. i've wanted you 10 much"
IL was my great misfortune that !
could come no sooner" said My chief.
his voice trembling n little despite him
self. II scarcely expected TO see you
here with no one"
H. a
one I cared To have. My friends have
been very kind-have offered to do any
| thing-but I felt that ] wanted TO be-
| just alone and think. I should have
liked to have my maid. but"
She's one OF the witnesses. ] sup
pose" explained Mr.. Royce. We'll.
| now that lin here. / shall stay until
Two proved how utterly ridiculous this
charge against you In"
She sank back into her chair and
looked up at him with dark. appealing
eyes.
You think you cam" she asked.
can! Certainly. I cam Why. It's
| too preposterous To stand for a mo-
ment, We've only 90 prove an alibi--
TO show thar you were somewhere else.
| you know. M the time the crime was
Committed-and the whole business
falls to pieces In an instant. You can
| do that easily. can't YOU
The color had gone from her cheeks
again. and she buried her face In her
hands.
II don't know" she murmured. in
| distinctly II must think. on. don't
let IL come TO that"
I was puzZled-confounded. with her
good name. her life. perhaps. In tho
balance. she wanted time To think.
could see that my chief was astonished.
too.
TN try To keep u from coming TO
that since you wish IT. he said slowly.
III not be- able to call you. then. to
testify Ia your own behnlf-and that
always hurts. But l hope the case
viii break down At once--i believe II
VIII. At any rate. don't worry. want
you TO rely on me"
She looked UP Mt him again. smil-
ing.
81 shall" she murmurcd softly I'm
sure I could desire no better cham
plon."
Well. plainly. n he won this case he
would win something else besides. 1
think even the policeman In the corner
saw Il. for he turned away with dts
erection rare lu policemen. and pre-
tended to stare out OF the window.
don't know what my chief would
have said-his liDs were trembling SO
he could not speak for the moment
aud Just then there came a tap at the
We're ready tn begin. sir" he said.
Very well" cried Mr.. Royce. I'm
come at once. Goodbye for the moment.
Miss Holiday. I repeat. you may rely
on me-" and he FASTENED from the
room ns confidently as though she HAD
girdCd him foi the battle. Instead, I
told myself she had bound him hand
and foot before casting him down into
the arena.
CHAPTER H.
~ THE GRIP OF CIRCUMSTANCES
The outer room was crowded from
end to end. and the atmosphere reeked
with unpleasant dgmpness. Only be-
hind the little railing before the corUn-
er's desk was there breathing space.
and We sank Into our seats at the table
there with "A sigh OF relief.
one never realizes how many news
papers there are ia New York until one
attends an important criminal case
that brings their people out In droves
and swarms. The reporters took up
most OF the space In this small room.
paper and pencils were everywhere Ia