The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-02-21

sibly Il might not be Miss Holiday -
Nothing. sir"
Some change Of demeanor. perhaps:
OF expression
The witness hcsitated.
Il thought she was looking not quite
so welt as usual" he said slowly. she
seemed q little pale and worried
"Ah. II was dark In the office. was
u not. ut 8 o'clock yesterday after
noon"
I'VE had turned on the lights half
an hour before. sir"
lis your office well lighted
Il have a light over my desk. sir.
and there's another on the wall
so you could not see your visitors
face with absolute ciearness7"
mo. sir: but quite clearly enough
tn recognise her" ne added dogg-diy.
Yet you thought her looking pale
and worried"
Yes. sir. that was my impression. ="
And when she asked for Mr. Hol-
iaday. did she use the words my ia
thor a. your evidence would sug-
gest'"
Again the witness hesitatcd In the
effort at recollection.
mo. sir" he answered finally. Her
words. think. were. Is Mr.. Holiday
engaged nj present."
1T was Miss Holidays voice.
II could not say. sir" answered the
witness. again moppinK the perspira-
ton from his forehead. Il hav. no
wish to incriininate Miss Holiday un-
necessarily. I'm not sufficiently well
acquainted with her voice To swear
To a."
We'll. when you answered her durs-
ton I'm the negative. did she hesitate
before entering the private office
mo. sir: she went straight tn IL"
lis there any lettering on tn. door ."
"oh. yes. the usual lettering. 'Pri-
vatc Office"
so that. even u she were not ac-
uualnted with the place. she might
still have seen where tn CO.
Yes. sir: I suppose so"
And you stated. too. I believe. that
you could have heard no sound or an
alteration In the private Office. had
one occurredg'
mo. sir: 1 could have heard moth
ing"
you have been with Mr.. Hoiiaday a
long time. believe. Mr.. Rogers"
over thirty years. sir"
And you are intimately acquainted
with his affairs"
Yes. sir
Now. Mr.. Rogers. have you ever. In
all these years. ran across anything
any item OF expenditure. any corrc-
spondence. anything whatever which
would lead You to think that Mr.. Hol-
laday was a victim OF blnckmail. or
that he had ever had liaison with
woman"
"No. sir," cried the witness. No.
thing In not possible. I should tnev-
itabiy have found II out had II ex-
istcd.'
THAT will do for the present" said
Mr.. Royce. Il shall want TO recall the
witness. however. sir"
The coroner nodded. and Rogers
stepped down. still trembling from the
efforts OF his last outburst. / confess
that. for my part. thought wo were
very deep In the mire.
The office boy was called next, but
added nothing To the story. He had
gone to the chute To mail somo let
tiers: the woman must have entered
the office while he was away. He saw
her come out again. but. OF course. did
not sec her face. lie had been em-
ployed recently. and did not know Miss
Holiday.
Then the physicians who had at
tended the dead man were called. and
testified that the knife blade had pen""
tratcd the left carotid artery. and that
he had bicd TO death--was dead. indeed.
before they reached him. IL would
take. perhaps. ten minutes to produce
such an cffusion OF blood as Rogers had
noticed-certainly more than Ave. no
that the blow must have been struck
before the woman left the Inner Of
fice.
The policeman who had responded 10
the alarm testified that he had exam
ined the windows. and that they were
both bottled on the inside. precluding
the possibility OF anyone swinging down
from above or clambcring up from be-
low. Nothing In the once had been dis
turbed. There was other evidence Of
an immateriai nature. and then Miss
Holidays maid was called.
Was your mistress away from home
yesterday afternoon" asked the cor
oner.
yes. sir: she had the carriage or
dered for o'clock. She was driven
away shortly after that"
And what time did she return
About 9. sir. just In time to dress
for dinner"
did you notice anything unusual In
her demeanor when she returned
The maid hcsitated, fearing doubtless
that she might say too much.
Miss Holiday had complained OF n
headache In the morning" she said.
after n moment. she was looking
badly when she went out. and the
drive made her worse instead OF better.
She seemed very nervous and III
advised her TO lie down and not dress
for dinner. but she would not listen.
She always dIncd with her father. and
did not wish 10 disappoint him. She
was in n great hurry. fearing that he'd
get back before she was ready"
There's no doubt In your miGd that
she was really expecting him.
"Oh, no, sir. she even went To the
door to look for him when he did not
come. She seemed very uneasy abou;
him."
Tha, was one point In our favor GER
tainiy.
And when the news OF her fathers
death reached her. how did she pear
it,"
she didn't bear u at ali. sir an
swered the maid. catching her breath
to choke back a sob. she tainted dead
away. Afterwards. sh. seemed TO be
I'm a kind OF daze TIL the doctor came"
That Is all. Have you any questions
TO ask the witness. Mr.. RoyceY'
only one" said my chief. leaning
forward. l knew what IL was. and held
my breath. wondering whether u were
wise To ask II. do you remember the
gown your mistress wore yesterday ait
ernoony'' no questioned.
"Oh, yes. sir" and the witness bright
encd. 1T was dark red broadcloth.
made very plain. with only little
narrow black braid for trimming"
IN. . xsr I'm mr.