Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-05-30
The Holiday Case]
BY BURTON e. STEVENSON.
-E@-co Copyright. 1903. by Henry Holt & Co -- !
BY BURTON e. STEVENSON.


he asked no dowry, and, besides, my
daughter was twenty-five years old.
past her first youth. But she attracted
him. and they were married. He took
her back to Paris where he had a little
%theater. a hall OF the dance-but he
grew worse again and came back
here. 1t was then that he found out
that had another daughter whom l
had given to a rich American. l was
YER poor. monsieur" she added pite-
ously. My man had died.
Yes madame. l know" l said,
touched by her emotion. Plainly She
was telling the truth.
So he wrote to friends In Ameri-
que, and made questions abou Mon
sieur Holiday. He learned-o;. that
he was YER rich-what you call a man
of millions-and his daughter-my
daughter. monsieur-was living still.
From that m he was like a man
.ossessed. AT once he formed his plan.
building l know not what hopes on
it. He drilled us for two years
In speaking the English: he took us for
SIN months to LOndres that we might
better learn. Day after day. we took
our lessons there-always and always
English. Cecile learned YER we'll,
monsieur; but I not so we'll, as you
can see-I was too old. Then. at last,
we came TO New York and my daugh-
ter-this one-was sent to see Monsieur
L was u llidl !
write to Celeste-to Mademoiselle Hol-
lady. She came that YER afternoon"
she continued. and l TOLD her that 1t
was 1 who was her mother. He was
with me and displayed to her the pa
pers of adoption. She could not be
convinced. He talked to her as an an
gel-oh, he could seem one when he
chose-he told her that l was in pow
erty-he made her to weep. which was
what he desired. She promised to
bring us money! she was Xer.gnod:-
my heart went out to her. Then. just
rs she had risen TO start homeward.
in Celeste came. crying sobbing,
stained with blood"
She shuddered and clasped her hands
before her eyes.
But you V said it was not muir
der. madame" 1 said to the younger
m
Nor was it," she cried. Let me
tell you. monsieur. l reached the great
building which my husband had pointed
out to me; / went up in the lift: 1
entered the office, but saw no one. 1
went on through an open door and
saw an old man sitting at a desk. 1
inquired II Mr.. Holiday was there.
toward another door. I saw 1t was
a private Office and entered 1t. The
door swung shut behind me. There was
another cid man sitting at a desk
sharpening a pencil"
Is it you. Frances?' he asked.
NO." l said. stepping before him.
1T is her sister. Monsieur Holla-
day!'
Ne stared up at me with such a
look Of dismay and anger on his face
that l was fairly frightened: then, in
the same instant. before l could draw
breath. before l could say another word,
his face grew purple. monsieur, and
no fell Onward on htS 6aSl. ~, hi,
hand, on the knife. which was clasped
in it. l tried to check the blood. but
could not. 1t poured forth in such a
stream. l knew not what to do; / was
distracted and in a frenzy, l left the
place and hurried to my lodgings. That
Is the truth, monsieur. believe me-"
Il do believe you." 1 said: and she
turned again to the window to hide her
tears.
"It was then" went on her mother,
mat that man yonder had another in
sp!ration. Before 1t had been only
-wha; you call-blackmail-a few
thousands. perhaps Il pension: now it
vas something more-he was playing
for y greater stake. l do not know
all that he planned. He found Celeste
suspected of having killed her father;
he must get her release at any cost;
so he wrote Il NOTE
Yes" cried. Yes. of course: 1
see. Miss Holiday under arrest was
beyond his reach"
Yes" she nodded. $50 he wrote a
note-oh. you should have seen him
In those days! He was like some fur
ious wild beast. But after she was
set free. Celeste did not come to US
as she had promise. We saw that she
suspected us that she wish to have
nothing more TO do with US: so Victor
commanded that 1 write another letter
implorsng her. Offering to explain"
She stopped a moment to control her
self. "Ah. when 1 think of it. She
n put 1t on Cecile. She never left
the place again until the carriage stop
ped to take her to the boat. AS for
us-we were his slayes-lle guided each
step-he seemed to think of everything
to be ready for everything-he PLAN
ned and planned"
There was no need that she should
tell me more-the whole plot lay bare
before me-simple enough now thai 1
understood 1t. and carried out with
what consummate finish!
one thing more" I said. THE
gold"
She drew a key from her pocket and
gave 1t to me.
1T Is in u box upstairs" she said.
This is the key. We have not touched
it."
I took the key and followed her to
the fioor above. The box. of heavy oak
bound with iron. with steamship and
express labels fresh upon 1t. stood in
n unlocked 1t and threw
back h lid. Package upon package
lay IN 1t. Just as they had come from
the s~ub-treasury ! locked the box
again. and put the key in my pocket.
OF course" I said. as l turned to
go. Il car only repeat your story to
my companion. He and Miss Holiday
WILL decide what steps to take. But I
am sure they will be merciful."
went out along the path between the
trees. leaving them alone with their