Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-03-28

urea or. linen she went out for Il
drive. and about an hour ago came
to undress her. and when | knocked.
sir, a strange woman came to the door
and said that Miss Frances had en-
gagged her for her maid and wouldn't
need me any more, and here was Il
months wages. And while l stood
there. sir. too dazed to move. she
shut the door in my face. After I
had got over it a bit. begged that
l might see Miss Frances. II only to
say good-by: but she wouldn't see
me. She sen word that she wasn't
feeling we'll and wouldn't be dis
turbed."
Her sobs mastered her again and
h stopped. l could see the look of
tmaZement on our juniors face, and
Cid not wonder at it. What sudden dis
like could her mistress nave conceived
against this in%offensive and devoted
creature?
You say this other maid was a
stranger" he asked.
Yes sir. she had never been in the
house before. so far as | know. Miss
Frances brought her back with her in
the carriage"
And what sort of "A looking woman
is she?"
The girl hesitated.
She looked like a foreigner. sir"
DIG Sa'u AT ldSt. n french ma
maybe. by the way she rolls her RS"
l pricked up my ears. The same
thought occurred at that instant to both
MIR. Royce and myself.
"Does h resemble Miss Holladay."
he asked quickly.
Miss Holiday? oh. no. sir. She's
much older-her hair is quite gray"
Well. certainly Miss Holiday had
the right to choose any maid she
pleased. and to discharge any or all
OF her servants; yet 1t seemed strange
~ unlike her to show such seeming
injustice TO anyone
You say that she sent down word
that she was ill?" said Mr.. Royce at
last. WAS she i'll when YOU dressed
herr"
why. sir she answered slowly. IT
wouldn't exactly say she was i'll, but
she seemed troubled about something.
l III she'd been crying. She's been
crying a good deal. off and on. since her
father died. poor thing" she added.
That would explain 1T certainly; and
yet. grief for her father might not
be the only cause Of Frances Holladay's
tears.
But she didn't seem vexed with
you"
as l old you"
~ fear that l can't promise you any
o' ooau VIII. AeOySC, SlOWIy. dIIer Il
moments thought. "Of course, it's
none of my business for Miss Holiday
must arrange her household to suit
herself: yet. IL you don't get back with
your old mistress, l may, perhaps. be
able to find you a position somewhere
else. Suppose you come back in three
OF o days and I'll see what l can
do"
"All right. sir: and thank YOU" she
said. n left the office.
l had some work Of my own to
keep me busy that night. so devoted no
thought to Frances Holiday and her
affairs. but they were recalled to me
win renewed force the next morning.
Did you get Miss Holidays sigma
tiure to that conveyance" Mr.. Graham
CHANGED to ask his partner in the
course of the morning.
No. sir" answered Mr.. Royce. with
Just a trace of embarrassment. II
called at the house last night. but she
sent down word that she was too i'll
to see me or + transact any bust
ness"
Nothing serious. 1 hope:" asked the
other quickly.
NO. sir: I think not. lust a trace
of nervousness probably"
But when he called again at the
house that evening he received a sim
liar message. supplemented with the
news insparted by the butler. a servant
OF many years standing in the family,
that Miss Holiday had suddenly de-
cided to leave the city and open her
country place on Long Island. 1t was
only the n of March. and
SO a full two months and more
ahead OF the season. but she was
FEELING very Ill. was not able to leave
her room. indeed. n believed the fresh
air and quiet of the ountr would do
more than anything else to restore her
shattered nerves. So the whole house,
hold. with the exception of her maid. a
o house-2irl. n under-butler. We're
to the city the mex day in or
der to get the country house ready at
once.
Il don wonder she needs "a little
toning up" remarked our chief sympa-
thetically. She has gone throueh .
nerve-trying ordeal. especially for a
Iirl reared as she has been. Two or
three months OF quiet will do her good.
When does h expect to leave?"
In about a week. I think. The lime
hasn't been definitely set. it will de-
pend upon how the arrangements 90
forward. 1t won't be necessary. will It.
to bother her with n details OF bust.
ness. That conveyance. for instance"
can walt until h gets back? No.
We won't bother her at ALL"
But 1t seemed h a she had either
improved or changed her mind. for two
days later a note came for Mr.. Graham
which her maid had written for her
asking him to call upon her in the
course Of the next t%wenty-four hours
as she wished to talk over some mat.
tiers of business with him. It struck
me as singular that she should ask for
Mr.. Graham. but u senior called a
comment. An hour later. the door
opened. and he entered the ONCE with
= most peculiar expression of counte.
nance.
Well. that beats met" he exclaimed.
~ he dropped into his chair.
Our Junior wheeled around toward
Nun without speaking. but his anxiety