The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-04-04
CHAPTER Y.
AN ASTONISHING DISAPPEAR
ANCE.

AN ASTONISHING DlSAfPfAAh-
ANCE.
Mr.. Royce grasped the arms OF his
.hnlr convuisively. and remained for n
moment speechless under the shock.
Then he swung around toward mo.
Come here. Lester he said hoarsely.
Il needed you ones before. and 1 need
you now. This touches me so closely
amt think consecutiveiy. You viii
help. won't your"
showed his sudden w~eakness-an appeal
here was no resisting. even had l not.
myself. been deeply Interested In the
.nsc.
Gladly I ( answered from the depths
~ my heart. seeing how overwrought
le a 'T1l help to the very limit OF
my power. Mr.. Royce"
He sank pack into his chair again.
md breathed n long sigh.
II knew you would" he said. Get
he story from Thompson. will your
I brought n chair and sat down by
he old butler.
you have been In Mr.. Holidays
;amily a great many years. haven't
gou. Mr.. Thompson" I asked. to give
aim opportunity TO compose himself.
Yes. n great many years, sir-nearly
iorty. l hoGld say"
Before Miss Holidays birth. them
"Oh. yes. sir: long before. Just be-
ore his marriage. Mr.. Holiday bought
he Fifth avenu house he lived In ever
'ince. and was employed. then. sir. as
"Mr. Holiday and his wife were very
Happy together. weren't they" quos-
.ioned.
Very happy: yes. sir. They were
'ust like lovers, sir. until her death.
they seemed just made for each other.
| sir" and the trite old saying gathered
, new dignity as he uttered u
I paused a moment TO consider. This,
certainly seemed TO discrcdit the theory
hat Holiday had ever had nj Jason
With any other IN n yet what
,ther theory was tenableg
There wns nothing to mar their
iappiness that you know of OF
course" added. you understand.
Thompson. that l am not asking these
questions from idle curiosity. hui To get
o tho bottom OF this mystery. IL pos
sibie."
II understand. SIR" he nodded. mo.
here was nothing 10 mar their happi-
iess-exccpt one thing"
And what was thatT"
why they had no children. sir. for
ifteen years or more. After Miss
frances came. OF course ;i:at was all
changed"
she was born abroad?"
Yes. sir; In France. I don't Just
now the town"
But you know tho date OF her
olrth?'
'oh, yes. sIr-thc tenth OF June.
eighteen sev~cnty-six-we always celo-
grated &C."
Mr.. Holiday was with his wife at
he timer"
Yes, sir: ne and his wife had been
abroad nearly n year. His health had
broken down and the doctor had made
aim take "A long vacation. He came
homo n few months later. but Mrs.
Holiday stayed on. She didn't get
strong again some way. She stayed
aearly -four years and no went over
tvery few months To spend n week with
aer: and NJ last h came home %
Ale. bringing her child with her. That
vas the first time n OF us ever saw
Miss Frances"
MIR. Holiday thought a great deal
u herr"
You may well say SO. sir: she took
ais wife's place" said h old man
Iiniply.
And she though n great Gal OF
iim?"
More than that. sir: she fairly
HorshlpcG him. She was always nj
;hc door to NEE; him: always dIned
With him: they always spent their
evenings together. She didn't care
much for socicty-Ive often heard her
ell him that she would much rathcI
Just stay at home with him. II was
ie who rather insisted on her going
)ut: for he was proud OF her. rs he'd
|, right to be-.
Yes" said: for NIL this fitted In
Exactly with what had always heard
about the family. There were no
,ther relatives. were there"
None mt all. sir: both Mr.. Holiday
and his wife were only children: their
parents. OF course. have been lead foi
fears"
Nor any intimate friends"
None I'd call Intimate, sir: Miss
frances had some school friends. but
he was always-wcll-rcserved sir"
Yes" l nodded again. And %
added. tell me rs fully as you car
what has happened within the last
hrec weeks"
well. sir" he began slowly. after
Ter fathers death. she seemed quit,
distracted for n whilc-wandered about
he house. sat In the library OF even
ngs. ate scarcely anything. Then Mr.
Royce got To coming to the house
md she frightened up. and we al
ioped she'd soon be alright again. The.
she seemed To get worse OF u sudden q
the seemed To yet worsc Of sudden and
tent us all away To get Belair ready
got the place In order. sir. and tel
.graphed her that we were ready
She answered that n would come ~
/ few days. Ten days ago the rest Oi
he servants came. o. I looked for hcl
wery day. but she didn't come. I teie.
traphed her again. bat she didn't an.
wcr. and. finally. l got so uneasy sir
couldn't rest. and came back to tn
.ity 20 see what WAS the matter.
rot here carly this morning. ana wen.
light 20 the house. Thomas. the see
md butler. had been left I'm CiHrTr
md he told me that Miss Frances an,
Ter maid had started for Bcini IN.
amc day the servants Gid. That's al
know"
Then she's been gone ten days"
questioned.
Ten days: yes. sir"
Ten DAVIS. What might hay" hap,
Sencd In that time! DIR. JcnkiGson'
.heory of dcmcntia REQUIRED To n". Hr.
was more han ever Inclined To crcdl
Z. How else explain this eight
! could Soc from Mr.. Royce's face hCv
: absolutely uonpluyscd ne u
u Well" ! SAID At last, for want g
, something better. well go with you q
he house. ~ SEQ h E!an tn chars
there. Perhaps he can tell US some
.hing more
But he could tell us very little. Tc'
, lays before. "A carriage had drlv'a u.
: o the door. Miss Hollsday and he
, maid had entered IL n been drive