Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-04-05
The Holiday Case
BY BURTON e. STEVENSON.
--cop Copyright 1908, by Isnry Holt & Co -D@m-

evidently undisturbed.
Here's one thing" 1 said, that
might help" and / picked up a photo
graph from the mantel. You wouldn't
mind my using it?"
Mr.. Royce took it with trembling
hand and gazed at it for a moment
at the dark eyes, the earnest mouth
Then he handed 1t back to me.
No" he answered; n o If it will
really help; we must use every means
we can. Only"
II won't use it unless I absolutely
have to-" I assured him; and when I'm
done with 1t, I'll destroy It."
Very well" he assented, and l put
1t In my pocket.
There was nothing more to be dis
covered there, and we went away, after
warning the two men to say not a
word TO anyone concerning their mis-
tress's disappearance.
Plainly, the first thing to be lone was
to find the coachman who had driven
Miss Holiday and her maid away from
ithe house, and with this end in view,
we visited at all the stables
in the neighborhood; but from
none of them had a carriage been
ordered by her. Had she ordered 1t her
self from a stable in some distant por-
ton Of the city for the purpose of
concealing her whereabouts, or had it
been ordered for her by her maid, and
was she really the victim of foul play?
| put the question to Mr.. Royce, but
he seemed quite unable to reach q on
clusion. AS for myself, / was certain
that she had gone away Of her own
accord, and had deliberately planned
her disappearance. Why? Well, / be-
gan to suspect that we had not yet
really touched the bottom of the mys-
terry.
We drove back to the office and found
Mr.. Graham there. / related to him the
circumstances of our search, and sub
mitted to him and to our junior one
question for immediate settlement.
AT the best, it's q delicate case" l
pointed out, Miss Holiday has plain
ly laid her plans very carefully to pre-
vent us following her. 1t may be diff
cult to prove that she has not gone
away entirely of her own accord. She
certainly has a perfect right to go
wherever she wishes without consulting
us. Have we the right to follow her
against her evident desire?'
For a Mr.. Graham did not
answer, but sat tapping his desk with
that deep line of pe~rplexity between
his eyebrows. Then he nodded en-
phatically.
IT'S our duty to follow her and find
her." he said. IT'S perfectly evident
TO me that no girl In her right mind
would act as she had done. She had no
reason whatever for deceiving us-fo
running away. We wouldn't have in
terefered with her. Jenkinson's right
she's suffering with dementia. We must
see that she receives proper medical
treatment"
1T might not be dementia" I sug-
gested, so much as undue influence
on the part of the new maid, perhaps"
Then it's u duty to rescue her from
that influence" rejoined Mr.. Graham,
and restore her TO her normal men
tality."
Even if we offend her?"
I'VE can't stop to think of that. Be-
sides, she won't be offended when she
comes to herself. The question is, how
to find her most speedily"
THE police, probably, could do it
most speedily" | said; but since she
can be in no immediate danger Of any
kind, l rather doubt whether it would
Holiday would very properly resent
any more publicity
But" objected Mr.. Graham, IF we
don't call in the police, how are we to
find her? / recognize, of course, nov
undesirable it is that she should be
subjected to any further notoriety. but
is there any other way?"
/ glanced at Mr.. Royce and saw that
he was seemingly sunk in apathy.
IF | could be excused from the Of
flee for Il few days, sir" | began hest
tatingly. Il might be able to find some
race of her, If Tn unsuccessful we
might then call III the authorities"
Mr. Royce frightened up for a mo-
ment.
That's It," he said. Let Lester look
into it."
Very WELL" assented Mr.. Graham. 'I
agree TO that. OF course. any expenses
you may incur will he borne by the
office"
Thank you, sir and | rose with
fast heating heart, for the adventure
appealed to me strongly. "In begin at
once then. I should like assistance i'm
one thing. Could you let ne have three
or four clerks to visit the various sta
bles of the city? 1t would be best, /
think to use our own people,"
Certainly assented u senior in
SANITY. I'll call them in, and we can
give them their instructions at once,
SO -four clerks were summoned and
each was given a district of the city.
Their Instructions were TO find from
which stable Miss Holiday had or
dered q carriage the Torning of Thurs
day, April 2. They were TO report at
the office every day. noon and evening.
until the search was finished. They
started away at once, n I turned 10
follow them. when my eye was caught
by the expression of our juniors face
Mr.. Royce is III, sir" l cried. Look
at him,"
He was leaning forward heavily his
face drawn and livid, his eyes set his
hands plucking at the arms Of his chair.
We spranG to him and led him to q
couch. ] hathed his hands and face
In cold water. while Mr. Graham hur-
riedlv summoned n phv~ician. The doc