Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-04-06
CHAPTER X.
AN ASTONISHING DISAPPEAR
ANCE


Then he swung around toward me.
Come here, Lester" he said hoarsely.
Il needed you once before, and | need
Fou now. This touches me so closely
can't think consecutively. You viii
aelp, won't your"
There was an appeal in his face which
lhowed his sudden weakness-an appeal
there was no resisting, even had | not,
myself been deeply interested in the
sase.
Gladly" / answered from the depths
,f my heart, seeing how oyerwrought
ne was I'll help 10 the very limit of
my power, Mr.. Royce"
He sank back into his chair again,
and breathed a long sigh.
Il knew you would" he said. Get
he story from Thompson. will you?"
/ brought chair and sat down by
he old butler.
You have been in Mr.. Holladay's
family a great many years, haven't
Fou, Mr.. Thompson" l asked, to give
him opportunity to compose himself.
Yes, a great many years, sir-nearly
torty, / should say
Before Miss Holaday's birth, then %
oh, yes, sir; long before. Just be-
lore his marriage. Mr. Holiday bought
The Fifth avenue house he lived in ever
since, and | was employed. then, Sir, as
IN underseryant."
MIR. Holiday and his wife were very
happy together, weren't they?' l ques-
TONED.
Very happy; yes, sir. They were
lust like lovers, sir, until her death.
They seemed just made for each other.
sir" and the trite old saying gathered
a new dignity as he uttered it,
/ paused moment to consider. This
certainly seemed to discredit the theory
that Holiday had ever had al Jason
with any other woman, and yet what
other theory was tenable?
There was nothing to mar their
happiness that you know Of? OF
course" | added. you understand.
Thompson, that I am not asking these
questions from idle curiosity, but to get
TO the bottom OF this mystery, If pos
sible."
Il understand, sir" he nodded NO
.here was nothing to mar their happi
aess-eXcept one thing"
And what was that?"
why they had no children sir, for
fifteen years or more. After Miss
Frances came, of course that was all
changed"
she was born abroad?"
Yes, sir; In France. 1 don't just
know the town"
But you know the date of her
birth?"
"Oh, yes, slr-the tenth Of June,
! eighteen seventy -six-we always cele-
brated r."
Mr.. Holiday was with his wife at
.he timew
Yes, sir; he and his wife had been
abroad nearly year. His health had
broken down and the doctor had made
MIN take long vacation. He came
home few months later, but Mrs.
| Holiday stayed on. She didn't get
strong again some way. She stayed
| ha
every few months to spend week with
her; and at last she came home to
die, bringing her child with her. That
was the first time any Of us ever saw
Miss Frances"
"Mr. Holiday thought a great deal
Of herr"
You may we'll say so, sir; she took
his wife's place" said the old man
simply.
And she though great deal of
him?"
More than that, sir: she fairly
worshiped him. She was always at
.he door to meet him; always dined
with him; they always spent their
evenings together She didn't care
much for society-Tve often heard her
tell him that she would much rather
lust stay at home with him. 1t was
he who rather insisted on her going
out; for he was proud of her, as he q
I RIGHT to be-"
Yes" I said; for all this fitted in
about the family. There were no
other relatives, were there?"
None at all, sir both Mr.. Holiday
and his wife were only children: their
parents, of course, have been dead for
years"
Nor any intimate friends?"
None I'd call intimate, sir; Miss
/ EfrsafN Nod C1hg f,.4r
she was ays-well-reserved sir"
Yes" | nodded again. And now
/ | added, tell iGe as fully as you can
what has happened within the last
| three weeks"
We'll, sir" he began slowly, after
her fathers death, she seemed quite
| distracted for a while-wandered about
the house, sat in the library OF even
lngs, ate scarcely anything. Then Mr..
| Royce got to coming to the house.
/ and she frightened up, and we all
| hoped she'd soon be alright again. Then
she seemed to get worse of sudden n
she seemed to get worse OF sudden and
sent us all away to get Belair ready.
| got the place in order, sir, and tel
egraphed her that we We're ready.
She answered that she would come in
q few days. Ten days ago the rest of
| the servants came, and ! looked for her
every day, but she didn't come. | tele-
graphed her again, but she didn't an
swer, and, finally, ! got so uneasy, sir,
couldn't rest. and came back to the
city to see what was the matter
got here early this morning, and went
right to the house. Thomas the sec
ond butler, had been left in charge.
| and he told me that Miss Frances and
her maid had started for Belair the
same day the servants did. That's all
/ know"
.1rbar eba,s haan e,o,.. +av, ,7a,,~ -, 7
questioned.
Ten days: yes, SIR"
Ten days! What might have hap
| pened in that timei DR.. Jenkinson's
theory of dementia recurred to me, and
/ was more than ever inclined TO credit
1t. How else explain this flight? l
could see from Mr.. Royce's face how
absolutely nonplussed he was.
| Well l said Ak last, for want OF
something better, Wen go with yoE TO
| the house, and see the man in charge
there. Perhaps he can tell US some
thing more"
But he could tell US very little. Ten
days before, a carriage had driven up
| to the door, Miss Holiday and her
maid had entered ii and been driven
away. The carriage had been called,
he thought, from some neighboring
stable, as the family coachman had
been sent away with the other SER
wants. They had driven down the
avenue toward Thirty Fourth street.
where, he supposed, they were going to
the Long Island station. We looked
through the house--it was in perfect
order. Miss Holidays rooms were
just as she would naturally have left
them. Her fathers rooms, too were
evidently undisturbed.
Here's one thing" I said. that
might help" and | picked up a photo
4 from nlunfal NJ
mind my using it?'
Mr.. Royce took it with trembling
hand and gazed at 1t for a moment
at the dark eyes, the earnest mouth
Then he handed 1t back to me.
"No," he answered: mot If il will
really help; we must use every means
we can. Only"
! Il won't use II unless l absolutely
have to- assured him; and when I'm
done with IL, I'll destroy it,"
Very well,' he assented, and / put
1t in my pocket.