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


OF Miss Frances. rye been with her
nearly eight years. and for her to go
and treat me like this--why. IL just
/ breaks my heart. sirl I dressed her
this afternoon about o'clock, and
she was as nice 10 me as evcr-gaye
me little brooch. sir. that she was
| tired Of Then she went out for n
drive. and about an hour ago came
back. I went right up To her room
TO undrcss her. and when l 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 inc any more. and here was a
months wages. And while l stood
there. sir. too daxed TO move. she
shut tho door In my face. After
had got over II "A bit, I begged that
I might see Miss Frances. II only 10
say good-by: but she wouldn't see
me. She sent word that she wasn't
feeling well and wouldn't be dis
turbed."
| Her sobs mastered her again and
she stopped. 1 could see the look OF
amazement on our juniors face. and
did not wonder at IL. What sudden dis
like could her mistress have conceived
against this inoffensiva and devoted
| creature
You say this other maid was a
stranger" he asked.
hfS VIZ. sue Nau never DNeU III inc
house before. so far as I know. Miss
Frances brought her back with her in
the carriage"
And what sort OF looking woman
I Ia she."
! The girl hcsitated.
| She looked like n foreigner. sir
she said Mt last. "a French woman.
1 pricked UP my ears. The same
thought occurred at that instant To- both
MIR. Royce and myself
Does she resemble Miss Holladay7''
4 he asked quickly.
Miss Holiday? oh. no. sir. She's
much older-her hair IL quite gray"
Well. certainly Miss Holiday had
the right To choose any maid she
/ pleased. and TO discharge any or all
/ n her servants: yet IL seemed strange
( ~ unlike her TO show such seeming
Injustice to anyone.
You say that she sent down word
that she was M" said Mr.. Royce nj
last. Was she Ill when you dressed
her.
why. air." she answered slowly. II
wouldn't exactly say she was Ill. but
she seemed troubled about something
| think she'd been crying. She's been
crying a good deal. of and on. since her
father died, poor thing" she added.
That would explain IL certainly. and
| yet. grief for her father might not
be- the only cause OF Frances Holidays
tears.
But she didn't seem vexed with
you"
oh. no. sir: she gave me brooch,
as I told you
Il fear that can't promise you any
thing." said Mr.. Royce. slowly. after n
moments thought. "Of course. It's
/ none OF my business for Miss Holiday
I tNf hnN
herself: yet. " you don't get back with
your old mistress. l may. perhaps, be
able To hEd you n position somewhere
= else. suppose you come back In three
OF four days and I'll see what / can
! do"
"Ali right. sir: and thank YOU" she
said, and left tho Office.
| l had some work OF my own 20
/ keep me busy that night. so devoted no
thought 20 Frances Holiday and her
| affairs. but they were recalled to me
with renewed force the next morning
did you get Miss Holidays sigma :
tlure To that conveyance" Mr.. Graham
CHANGED 10 ask his partner in the
course OF tho morning.
No. sir" answered Mr. Royce. with
\ Just a trace Of embarrassment Il
7 called at tho house last night. but she
sent down word that she was too ~
10 see me or To transact any bust
hess
! Nothing serious, I hope?" asked the
other quickly.
NO. sir: I think not. Just n trace
OF nervousness probably"
But when he called again at the
house that evening he received n sim
liar message. supplemented with the
news. impaired by the butler. a servant
OF many years standing la the family.
that Miss Holiday had suddenly de-
cided to leave the city and open her
( country place on Long Island. II was
so full two months and more
ahead OF the season. but she was
/ feeling very III. was not able To leave
I her room. indeed. and believed the fresh
air and quiet OF the country would do
more than anything else to- restore her
shattered nerves. So the whole house
hold. with the exception or her maid, a
cook. house-girl. and under-butier. were
To leave the city the next day In or
der TO get the country house ready ut
once.
II don't wonder she needs little
toning up" remarked our chief sympa-
thetically. she has gone through "A
nerve-trying ordeal. especially for a
girl reared rs she has been. Two or
three months OF quiet viii do her good.
When does she expect To leave"
In about week, think. The time
hasn't been definitely set IL will de-
pend upon how the arrangements 40
forward. IL won't be necessary. VIII ~,
To bother her with any details OF bust
ness. That conveyance. for instance
Can wait until she gets back? No.
We won't bother her ut ALL"
But IL seemed that 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 I'm the
course OF the next twenty-four hours
rs she wished To talk over some mat
ters OF business with him. IL struck
me as singular that she should ask for
/ Mr.. Graham, but our senior called "a
cab. and started or at once without
comment. An hour later. the door
opened. and he entered the Office with
most peculiar expression OF counte-
nance.
Well. that beats me-" he exclaimed,
as he dropped into his chair
our junior wheeled around toward
1 him without speaking. but his anxiety
was plain enough.
! ITO think that n girl as leyel-headed
as Frances Holiday has always been.
should suddenly develop such within
sicalities. Yet. couldn't but admire
her grasp OF things. Here have I been
thinking she didn't know anything
about her business and didn't care but