\ ? ' a? CAe Ho J lad. ' I Cct*" CHAPTER YI. I WAS quite dnred for the moment. "A crowd of them In my room!" I repeated. "A crowd of whom. Mn. Fitch T' "A crowd of reporter*I They've been .worrying my life out. They seemed to tfclfek I had you hid somewhere. I I ha^e you're not In trouble. Mr. Lester?" | "Met the least In the world, my dear madam," X laughed. And I breathed a I long blah of relief, for I had feared I | know not what disaster. "I'll soon flnl,K .!,>. ?- - ' " ~ .mmm mui iut r?i>uners." All(l I went ofl'Op the stair. LaOf before I reached my rooms I heard the clatter of Tolces and caught tho odor of rirlona qualities of tobacco. They were lolling about over the furniture, telling stories, I suppose, and they greeted me with a cheer when I entered. They were such Jovial felleUrs that ft was quite impossible to feel -atogry with them. And, besides, I knew that they were gentlemen; that they labored early and late at meager sals rise for the pure love of the work; that they were quick to scent fraud or trlekery or unworthlness and inexora* ble In exposing It; that ther loved to do good anonymously, remaining 'it* forty unknown save to the appreciative % few behind the scenes, 80 1 returned , ?,/ their greeting smilingly and sat me down In a chair which one of them obligingly vacated for me. "Well?" I began, looking about at them. 1 "My dear Mr. Lester." said the one ' who had given me the clinir, "permit me to Introduce myself as Itnnkin of ] the Planet. These gentlemen"-and he (nnliulnil * imciu in ii wiuf pp.sturc-Maro 1 my colleagues of the press. We've been ' anxiously nwaiting you l'.ore In order 1 that we may propound to you certain questions." i "AH right; Are away," I said. I "First, we'd like to have your theory of the ertme. Your work this afternoon convinced us that you know how to put twj and two together, which la more than can be said for the ordinary mortal. The public will want to * know your theory?the great public." "Oh, but I haven't any theory," 1 ? n?e. You see. gentleinc*, I'tp quite out ? Of the case. Wlicn we cleared Mis? ^ Holladay cur ojine tl mi with It endo.l." "But la Miss llolladay cleared?" ho . persisted. "Ia it not qulto conceivable that In those two hours she wag absent They greeted me with, a chctr when I en tercd. from ber carriage she may have changed her gown, gone to ber father's office, ami then changed back again? , In that eaae, would she not naturally hare chosen a green gown, since she never wore green?" "Oh, nonsense!" I cried. "That's puerile. Either she would disgulee herself effectually or not at all. 1 suppose If you were going to commit a capital crime you would merely put on a high hat because you never wear one! I'll tell you this much: I'm morally certain that Miss Holladay Is quite innocent; so, 1 believe, is the district attorney." "But how about the note, Mr. Lester? What did It contain?" "Oh, 1 can't tell you that, you know. It's none of my business." "But you ought to treat us all alike," be protested. "I do treat you all alike." "But didn't Godfrey get it out of -e yeu?" "Oodfrey!" 1 repeated. ''Get it out of me?" " He scared at mp In astonishment HPo you meto to ten me, Mr. Looter." he questioned, "that you haven't been spending the evening with Jim Ohdfrey of the Record?" Then, in a flasn, I understood, and aa I looked at tt? rueful fucea of -the men fathered about me I laughed until the tears came. It was you." X gasped, "who (bind tta up Broadway?" He nodded. *14 hat oar horaee vfofon't food . . . mm <^1 ? A Mystery j ; Of Two f r Continents ^ ' XXV ** l BURTJN E. A STEVENSCN J Copyright. 1903, by I | Henry Holt end K Company * enough. Where did he take you'r" "To the Studio?Sixth avenue." "Of course!" he cried, slapping his leg. "We might have^kuowu. Boys, we'd better go back to I*odunk." "Well, at least, Mr. Lester," spoke up another, "you oughtn't to give Godfrey a scoop." "But I didn't give him n scoop. 1 didn't even know who ho was." "Didn't you tell him what was In the note?" "Not a word of It. I told him ouly one tiling." "And what was that?" "That the person who wrote the note didn't know that Rogers was color blind. Yon ure welcome to that statement too. You see, I'm treating you all i alike." They stood about me staring down at ine, silent with astonishment. "But," I added, "I think Godfrey suspects what wns in the note." j "Why?" | "Well, his theory fits It pretty elose1/." , "His theory! What Is his theory, Mr. lister?" "Oh, come," I laughed. "That'll telling. It's a good theory too." They looked at each other, and, I fancied, gneraed their teeth. "He seems a pretty clever fellow," I added, Juat to pile up the agony. "I fancy you'll say so. too, when you see his theory In tomorrow's paper." "Clever!" cried Rankin. "Why. he's a rery flend of cleverness when It comes to a case of this kind. We're not In the same class with him. He's a fancy fellow?Just the Record kind. 1 You're sure you didn't tell him anything else, Mr. I.ester?" he added anxiously. "Godfrey's capable of getting a itory oat of a fence post." j "No. I'm quite sure I didn't tell him ' mythlng else. I only listened to his theory with great Interest." I "And assented to It?" "I said t thought It plausible." An electric shock seemed to run f i round the room. : 1 "That's It!" cried Rankin. "That's i * vhat he wanted. Now, It Isn't bis 1 heory any more. It's yours. Oh, I r an see his headlines! Won't you tell * \? what It was?" f "Now. frankly. Mr. Rankin." I askeit. * 'If you were In my place would you f ell?" 1 lie hesitated for a moment and then < leld out his hand, > "No," he said as I took It. "I * ihouldn't. Shake hands, sir; you're all right. Come on, boys; we might as 1 well be going." < They filed out after him, and I heard < hem go singing up the street. Then [ sank back Into my chair and thought 1 igaln of Godfrey's theory. It se me I I to fit tho case precisely, point by point ' -even?and I started at the thought? 1 to Miss IIollnday'H reticence an to her 1 Whereabouts the afternoon before. The < whole mystery lay plain before me. In i tome way sho had discovered the ox- I Istence of her half sister, had secured i tier address; she had gone to visit her i and had found her away from home? i It was probable, even, that the half lister bad written her, asking her to come?though, In that case, why had she not remained at home to receive , her? At any rate. Miss Holladay had awaited her return, bad noticed her agitation; had, perhaps, even seen cer- | tain marks of blood unou her. The news of her father's death had pointed all too clearly to what that agitation and those blood spots meant. 6he had remained silent that she might not be- ( smirch her father's name, and also,' perhaps, that she might protect tlio . other woman. I felt that I held In my j hand the key to the whole problem. Point by point?but what a snarl It was I That there would be a vigorous search for the other woman I could i not doubt, but she had a long start and 1 should easily escape. Yet perhaps she bad not started. She must have remained lu town, else how could that .note have been sent to us? She had remained, then?but why? That she should feel any affection for Frances Holladay seemed absurd, and yet how , else explain the note? I I felt that I was getting tangled up In the snarl again. There seemed no limit to its Intricacies; so, In very de- , spalr, I put the matter from me as completely as I could and went to bed. I The morning's Record attested the truth of Rankin's prophecy. I had grown famous In a night, for Godfrey had in a measure made me responsible for bis theory, describing me with a health of adjectives which I blush to remember and which I have even yet not quite forgiven him. I smiled us I read the first lines: A Record representative had the pleasure yesterday evening of dining with Mr. Warwick Lester,' the brilliant young attorney Who achieved such a remarkable victory before Coroner Goldberg yesterday afternoon In the hearing of the Holladey case, and, of course, took occasion to discuss with him the latest developments of thts extraordinary crime. Mr. Lester agreed with the Record In a theory which is the only one that fits the facts of tbe case and completely and satlotooterlly explains all its ramifications. Tba theory was then developed At great length, and the article concluded with tbe statement that the Record was assisting the police in a strenuous 1 _ endeavor to llnd tne guilty woman. Now that the police knew iu wblcl quarter to spread their net, I had llttl< doubt that she would soon be found since she had tempted Providence bj remaining In town. Mr. Graham and Mr. Rojce wer< looking through the Record artlcl* when I reached the office, and 1 ex plained to them bow tbe alleged Inter view had been secured. They laughet together In appreciation of Godfrey*! audacious enterprise. "It seems a pretty strong theory/ said our senior. "I'm Inclined to be lleve It myself." I pointed out bow It explained Mis: Holladay's reticence?her refusal to aa slst us lu proving an alibi. Mr. Royc< nodded. "Precisely. Ab Godfrey said, the the ory touches every point of the case According to the old police axiom, tha1 proves It's the right one." CHAPTER VII. THE body of Hiram Holhiday was placed beside that of his wlf< lU his mnltn mniwAU.m, ^ Wood law n on 111? Sunday fol lowing his death. Two days later hh will, which W?d been drawn up by Mr Graham audi deposited In the office safe, was read nnd duly admitted tc probate. As was expected, he had lefl all his property, without condition 01 reserve, to his daughter Frances. There were a few bequests to old servants, Itogers receiving n handsome legacy; about half a million was given tc various charities In which he had been Interested during his life, and the remainder was placed at the absolute disposal of his daughter. We" found that his fortune had beeu overestimated, as Is usually the case with men whose wealth depends upon the fluctuations of the Street but there Btlll remained something over four millions for the gtrl?a pretty dowry. She told us at once that she wished to leave her affairs In our hands and In financial matters would l>e guided entirely by our advice. Most of tills business was conducted by our Junior, and. while, of course, he told me nothing. It was evident that Miss Hoiladny's kindly feelings toward him had suffered no ilimiuutlon. The whole office was mo'c or less conversant with the affair and wished lilm success and happiness. So u week or ten days passed. The utmost endeavor of newspapers and police had shed no new light on the tragedy, and for the great pnbllc It had passed Into the background of the forgotten, but for me, at least. II rrmmnea or undiminished Interest md more than once I carefully reviewed Its features to convince myielf anew that our theory was the Ight one. Only one point occurred to ue which would tend to prove it unrue ? if there was an illegitimate laughter, the blow she had dealt her IVt#T"IubOill*r.he ilaa Iiii/.Vv>M -<:-t iny hope of income from him; so she iad acted in her own despite? Still, 3odfrey's theory of sudden passion night explain this away. And then ignin Miss Holladay could probably >e counted upon, her first grief past :o provide suitably fo^ her sister. 3rauting this, the theory seemed to me julte Impregnable. One other thing puzzled me?how ;ind this woman eluded the police? I grouldn't exactly say she was 111, but she seemed troubled about something. I I think she'd been crying. She's been > crying n good deal, off and on, since her father died, poor thing.'" she added. i That would explain It, certainly, and yet grief for her father might not be i the only cause of Frances Holladny's tears. "But she didn't seem vex??d with you?" "Oh, no, sir; she gave me a brooch, as I told you." "I fear I can't promise you anything," said Mr. Royce slowly, after a moment's thought. "Of course It's none Of Crti x*1" ? - - - W ?va iTAioo UUilHUHy mutt arrange her household to suit herself; yet. If you don't get hark with your old mistress, I may perhaps be able to find you a position somewhere else. Suppose you come back In three or fow days, and I'll see what I can do." "All right, sir, and thank you," she Mid, and left the office. I bad some work of my own to keep me busy that night, so devoted no thought to Frances Holladay s?ud her affulrs, but they were recalled to me with renewed force uext morning. "HVl you get Miss liolladny's aig oatifre to that conveyance?" Mr. Ura1 * ">>?*?? ? ??. --J- hi. I,, ?V,~ "No, sir." answered Mr. Royce, wltu just . a trace of embarrassment. "I culled at the house last night, but sbe fent down word that she was too 111 to see me 01 to transact any business." "Nothing serious, 1 hope?" asked the ther qulcaly. "No, sir. I think not. Just a trace of uervousness, probably." Rut when he called again at the house that evening he received a similar message, supplemented with the news Imparted by the butler, a servant Of many years' standing In the family, that Miss Holladay had suddenly decided to leave the city and opoa her -> country place on Long Island. It was only the end of March, and so a full two months and more uhead of the season. But Bhe was feeling very ill, was not able to leave her room. Indeed, and believed the fresh ulr nnd quiet of the cousitry would do more than nuytumg else to restore ner shattered nerves. So the whole household, with the exception of her mniU, a cook, house girl and uuderbutler, were to leave the city next day in order to get the country house ready at ouce. "1 don't wonder she needs a little toning up," remarked our chief sympathetically. "She has gone through a nerve trying ordeal, especially for a girl reared as she has been. Two or three months of quiet will do her good. When does she expect to leave?" "In about a week, I think. The time hasn't been definitely set. It will depeud upon how the arrangements go forward. It won't be necessary, will 1 It, to bother her with any details of business? That conveyance, for Instance"? "('an waif til} sh# gets back- No, we flrofl't'botlw lier ftt nil," Hut it seemed that she had either Unproved or changed her tnlnd, for two days later a note, which her maid hud written for her, came to Mr. (irnhain asking him to call upon her lu the course of the next twenty-four hours, as she wished to talk over some mat ' ters of business with him. It struck me as singular that she should ask foi Mr. Graham, but our senior called a cab and started off at ouce without ' comment. An hour later the door opeq ed and be entered the office with a most peculiar express 1cm of counte "Well, that beats me!" he exclaimed fcs he dropped Into bis chair, j Our junior wheeled around toward him without speaking, but his i\nxletj , ' was plain enough* 'To think that a girl as level handed i aa Prauces Holladay baa always beet I should suddenly develop such wblmsl 9 colltlea. Yet.I.couldn't but admire hei i ? grasp of things. Here have 1 beet x thinking she didn't know anythlni e about her business and didu't care, bn j she seems to have kept ber eyes open.' "Well?" asked Mr. ltoyce as the otb 1 er paused. 1 . "Well, she started out by romindlni a me that ber property bad been left t< a ber absolutely, to do as she pleasei \ wjth, a point which 1, of courae. con k/U< r ceded. sue then went ?n to uj tn x she knew of * number of bequests h 3 father hail Intended to make before h t death, nnd which bo would bare mac t If be bad not be?n cut off oo mddenl 1 that the bequests were of auch a n ture that he did not wish h'.s name I appear in them, and that ebe was golr f to undertake to c? tj them out anon, I mously." i "Well?" aaked our junior again. "Well," said Mr. lir.-tham elowly, "el aaked me to dispose at once of such < her securities as I thought beet lu o i (ler tbut I might place In her hand* I tomorrow night $100,000 In cash? cool hundred thousand!" 1 I CHATTER VIII. A HUNDRED thousand dollars! ejaculated Mr. Royce, and sh staring at bis cblef. "A hundred thousand dollart That's n good deal for a girl to glv away In a lump, but she can afford I Of course we've nothing to do but cai ry out her Instructions. I think both o us cnu guess what she intends doln with the money." The other nodded. I believed that could guess too. The money, of cours* was Intended for the other wonias She was not to suffer for her crime af< er all. Miss Holladay seemed to mo 1; no little danger of becoming an nece5 sory after the fact. "She seems really ill," continued ou senior. "She looks thinner and quit careworn. I commended her resolutio: to seek rest nud quiet and change o sceue." "When does she go, sir?" asked Mr f.oyce In a subdued voice. "The day after tomorrow, I think She did uot say definitely. In fact, shi could talk very little. She's manage* to catch cold-the grip, I 'suppose?an* was very hoarse. It would have beei cruelty to make her talk, and I dldn' try." He wheeled around to bin desk am then suddenly back aguln. "By the way," he said. "I saw th? new maid. I can't say I wholly ap prove of her." He paused a minute, weighing hh words. "She seems careful und devoted," h< went on at last, "but I don't Ilka hei eyes. They're too Intense. I caught her two or three times watching mt strungely. I can't Imagine where Mist Holladay picked her up. or why she should have picked her up at all. She'i French, of course. She speaks with decided accent. About the money, 1 suppose we'd better sell a block ol V. P. bonds. They're the least produc five of her securities." "Yes. I suppose bo." ngreed Mr. Royce, and the chief called up n broker and gave the necessary orders. Then he turned to other work, and the day passed without any further reference to Mlss_ Holladay or her affairs, afternoon, a small packet neatly sealed and docketed ?100 thousand dollar bllh- Mr. Uraham turned It over In tils band thoughtfully. "You'll take It to the bouse, of course, John," he said to bis partner. "Lester *d better go with yoife" So Mr. Itoyce placed the package In bis pocket, n cab was summoned, ami we were off. The trip was mnde with out Incident, and at the eud of hall an hour we drew up before the Ilolla day manslou. It was one of the old style browi stone frouts which lined both side; of tho avenue twenty years ago. I was no longer In the ultra fashlouabli quarter, which had moved up towan Central park, and aliops of various kinds were beginning to eucroach upoi the neighborhood, but it had been HI rain Ilolladay's home for forty years and he had never beeu willing to par with It. At this moment all the blindi were down and the house had n de serted look. We mounted the steps t< the door, which was opened at once ti our ring by a woman whom I knev Instinctively to be the new maid though she looked much less like i maid than like an elderly working \vc man of the middle class. "We've brought the money Miss Hoi ladny asked Mr. Graham for jester day," said Mr. Itoyce. "I'm Johi Koyee, his partner." And without n? swering the woman motioned us ir "Of course we must have a receipt fu It," he added. "I have It rp.a?iy her? and she need only mihyh ber ture." "Miss Hollnday Is too 111 to see yoi flr,'< said the maid, with careful euui 1 elation. "I will myself the paper tnk lo her and get her signature." Mr. Itoyce hesitated a moment 1 > l>crplexlty. As for me, I was raneacl lng my memory. Where bad I hear i that voice before? Somewhere, I wo i certain?a voice low, vibrant. r< , pressed, full of color. Then, with start, I remembered. It was Miss Ho laday's voice as she had risen to we come onr junior that morning at tfc i coroner'e court. I shook myself t< : gether, for that was nonsense. '.'4 tbnt won't do," said M > Noyce at last. "The sum Is a consh erable one aud must be given to Mb Holladay by me personally In the pre I ence of this witness." It was the maid's turn to hesitate. L saw her lips tighten ominously. r "Very well, sir," she said. "But waru you ahe Is most nervous, and j . has been forbidden ber to talk." . "She will uot be called upon to talk retorted Mr. Itoyce curtly, and wit ' out unsweftng the woman turned at t led the way up the stair and to hi mistress' room. | Miss Ilolladay was lying back lu , front chair with n bandage about b head, and oven In the half light 1 con see how changed she was. She seenx much thinner and older and cough< * occasionally In a way that frlghtem 0 me. Not grief alone, I told myse * could have caused thla breakdown; i* was the secret weighing upon bet. & \ It 1^ ' "1 have brought the money you ask for." companion noted tho change, too. of course?a greater change perhaps than my eyes could perceive?and I saw how moved and shocked he was. r "My dear Miss Holladay," ho began, ? but she stopped him abruptly with a 11 little Imperative motion of the haud. ' "Pray do not," she whispered hoarsely. "Pray do not." He stopped and pulled himself together. When he spoke again It was In quite a different tone. " "1 have brought the mouey you usked * for," and he huuded her the package. 1 "Thank you," she murmured. ? "Will you verify the nmouut?" t "Oh, no; that is not uecessary." "1 huve a receipt here," nud ho pro1 duced It and his fountain pen. "Please sign It." ? She took the peu with trembling fln gem, laid the receipt upon her chair arm without reading and signed her name with n somewhat painful slow ness. Thou she leaned hack with a ^ sigh of relief and burled her face In r her hands. Mr. Royee placed the rct celpt lu his pocketbook nnd stopped, s hesitating. Itut the maid had opened i the door and was awaiting us. Her ? mistress made no sign; there was no i excuse to linger. We turned and foll lowed the maid. [ "Miss Holladny seems very 111," said f Mr. Iloyce In a voice somewhat tremulous as she paused before us iu the lower hall. "Yes, sir; ver' 111." Again the voice! I took advantage of tho chance to look at her Intently. Her lialr was turning gray, certainly; i her face was seamed with lines which ouly care and poverty could have I living likeness to litrnm runuunjr ? daughter. I looked again?It was faint, i uncertain?perhaps my nerves were overwrought ami were deceiving me. , For how could such a likeness possibly exist? "She has a physician, of course?'* i asked my compaulou. I "Oh, yea, sir." "lie has advised rest and ijulct?" ! "Yes, sir." "When do you leave for the country?" i "Tomorrow or the next day after 4 that. I think, sir." t He turned to the door and then panse ed, hesitating. He opened his lips to 1 say something more?his anxiety was s clamoring for utterauce ? then he i changed his mind nud stepped ontsido as she held the door open. "Good day," he said, with stern re t press Ion. "I wish her a Dleaannt lour ? uey." The door closed after us, uud we a went down the stops. 0 "Jenklnson's the family doctor," he v said. "Let's drive around there and find out how ill Miss Ilollndny really a is. I'm worried about her, Lester." h "That's a good idea," 1 agreed and gave the driver the address. Jenklm on was In his office and received us. at once. a "Dr. Jenkinson/' began our Junior _ without preamble, "I am John Royce, L of Graham & ltoyce. You know, I supy pose, that we are the legal advisers of Miss Frances Holladay." "Yea," answered Jenkinson. "Ulad to meet you, Mr. ltoyce." ,t "In consequence we're naturally intevested In her welfare and all tlnti e concerna her, and I called to ask you for some definite details of her condt, xi tion." t. "ITer condition? I don't quite-under, j stand." l8 "Wo should like to. know, doctor, just ?. how 111 she is." a "111!" repeated Jenkinson, in evident 1- surprise. "But la she ill?" 1- "fche's your patient. Isn't she? I io thought you were the family doctor " >. "So I am," assented the other, "Ru? I oxw>.? M lun . u.iivii \ ncvu .11 tan I1UI1IIUUJ lUI' Kill r. days or two weeks. At that time she 1- seemed quite well?a little nervous, is pcrlinps, and worried, but certainly s- not requiring medical attention. She has always been unusually robust." I Mr. Royce stopped, perplexed. As for ine, my head was in a whirl again. 1 "I'll tell you the story," he said at It last. "I should like the henetit of your advice." Ami he recounted rapidly the facts of Miss Holladay's illness, in so h- far as he knew them, ending with an id account of our recent visit and the er statement of the maid that her mistress was under u doctor's cure. Joua kinson heard him to the end -without er interrupting, hut he was plainly pu7.)d zled and annoyed. fd "And yo;i say she looked very 111?" ed lie asked. ed "Oh, vorv 111, sir;, alarmingly 111, to If, : jy Continued on page 6. ''v p