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Holla day
Case
Hfofi
(e:Tisn:i.)
"Since two months only. It Is my
inti'lil Inn to otablisi hero a business
iU Willed."
"Well," 1 explained, "you can take
no stops toward uniurnlizatlou for
tliree years. Then you go before u
court ami make a declaration of your
intentions. Two years later you will
got your papers."
"You mean," lie hesitated, "that It
takes so many years"
"Five years' actual residence yes."
"Hut," and he hesitated again, "I
had understood that that"
"That it was easier? There nre ille
gal ways, of course, hut you can scarce
ly expect me to advise you concerning
them, Mr. Martlguy."
"No. Of course, no!" he cried has
tily, waving his hand In disclaimer. "I
did not know It makes nothing to me
1 will wait I wish to obey thu laws."
lie picked up a fresh cigarette, lit it
from the other and tossed awny the
end.
"Will you not try one?" he asked,
seeing that my pipe was finished, and
I presently found myself enjoying the
heat cigarette I had ever smoked. "You
comprehend French no?"
"Not well enough to enjoy it," I said.
"I am sorry. I believe you would
like this book which I am reading,"
and he pulled a somewhat tattered
volume Irom his pocket. "I have read
It, oh, ver' many times, as well as all
the others, though this, of course, is
the masterpiece."
lie held it so that I could see the
title. It was "Monsieur Lecoq."
"I have read It In English," I Bald.
"And did you not like It yes? I am
ver' fond of stories of detection. That
Is why I was so nbsorbed In that af
fair of Mees Mees ah, I have forgot
ten! Your names are so dltiicult for
me."
"Miss Holladay," I said.
"Ah, yes. And has that mystery
ever arrived at a solution?"
"No," 1 said. "Unfortunately wo
haven't any M. Lecoqs on our detective
force."
"Ah, no," he smiled. "And the young
lady in her I conceived a great Inter
est, even though I did not see her.
How Is she?"
"The shock was a little too much for
her," I said. "She's gone out to her
country place to rest. She'll soon be
nil right again, I hope."
He had taken a third etgarette and
was lighting It carelessly with his face
half turned away from me. I noticed
how flushed hi neck was.
"Oh, undoubtedly," he agreed after a
moment; "at least I should be most
sad to thick otherwise. Hut It Is late;
I perceive that you are weary; I thank
you for your kindness."
"Not at all," I protested. "I hope
you'll come in whenever you feel lone
ly." "A thousand thanks! I shall avail
myself of your Invitation. My apart
ment is Just across the hall," he added
ail I opened the door. "I trust to see
you there."
"You shall," I snld henrtily, and bade
him good night.
"My name in MartignvJcupcr Mar
tlgnv." In the week that followed I saw n
good deal of Martlguy. I would meet
liini on the stairs or in the hall. Ho
came aguln to see me, and I returned
his visit two nights inter, flpon which
occasion he produced two bottles of
Chateau Yquera of a delicacy beyond
all praise. And I grew more and more
to like hjra. UetjoW mernany torli
A Mystery
Of Two
Continents
"By
BURTON E.
STEVENSCN
Copyrijht. 1903, by
Henry Holt and
Company
of Paris, which, It seemed, lind alway.i
been his home, with a wit to which
his slight accent and formal utterance
gave new point; he displayed a kindly
Interest In my plans which was very
pleasing; he was always tactful, cour
teous, good humored. He was plainly
a botiluvnrdler, a man of the world,
with an outlook upon life a little star
tling in Its materiality, but Interesting
In Its freshness and often amusing In
its frankness. And he seemed to re
turn my liking certainly It was he
who sought me, not I who sought him.
He was being delayed, he said, in es
tablishing his business; he could not
get Just the quarters he desired, but
in another week there would be a placo
vacant. Ho would aflk me to draw up
the lease. Meanwhile time hung rath
er heavily on his hands.
"Though I do not quarrel with thnt,"
he added, sitting in my room one even
lug; "It is necessary for me that I
take life easily. 1 hnvo n weakness of
the heart, which bus already given
me much trouble. Besides, 1 have your
companionship, which Is most wel
come, and for which 1 thank you. 1
trust Mees Mees what you call Hol
laday Is again well."
"We haven't heard from her," 1 said.
"She la still at her place in the coun
try." "Oh, she Is doubtless well in her I
take such an interest you will par
don me If I weary you."
"Weary me? Hut you don't!"
"Then I will make hold to ask you
have you made any what you call
theory of the crime?"
"No," I answered "that Is, none be
yond what was In the newspapers the
Illegitimate daughter theory. I suppose
you saw it. That seems to lit the case."
He nodded meditatively. "Yet I like
to Imagine how M. Lecoq would ap
proach It. Would he believe It was a
murder simply because It so appeared?
Has it occurred to you that Mees Hol
laday truly might have visited her fa
ther and that his deatli was not a mur
der at all, but an accident?"
"An accident?" I repeated. "How
could it be an accident? How could a
man he stabbed accidentally in the
neck? Besides, even If it were an ac
cident, how would Unit explain his
daughter's rushing from the building
without trying to save him, without
giving the alarm? If It wasn't a mur
der, why should the woman, whoever
she was, be frightened? How else can
you explain her lllght?"
He was looking at me thoughtfully.
"All that you say is ver' true," he said.
"It shows that you have given to the
ease much thought. 1 believe that you
also have a fondness for crimes of
mystery," and lie smiled at me. "Is it
not so, Mistair Lester?"
"I had never suspected it," I laughed,
"until this case came up, but the mi
crobe seems to have bitten me."
"Ah, yes," lie said doubtfully, not
quite understanding.
"And I've rather fancied at times," I
admitted, "that I should like to take a
hand at solving It though, of course, I
never shall. Our connection with tins
ease Is ended."
He shot me a quick glance, then
lighted another cigarette.
"Suppose It were assigned to you to
solve it." he asked, "how would you
met about It?"
"I'd try to find the- mysterious wo
man."
"Hut the police, so I understand, at
tempted that and failed," lie objected.
"How could you succeed?"
"Oh, I dare say I shouldn't succeed,"
I laughed, h'ls air striking me as a little
more earnest than the occasion de
manded. "I should probably fall, Just
as the police did."
"In Franco," he remarked, "it is
not In the least expected that men of
the law should"
"Nor Is it hero," I explained. "Only,
of course, a lawyer can't help it some
times. Some cases demand more or
less detective work and are yet too del
icate to be Intrusted to the police."
"It is also the fault of our police that
It is too fond of the newspapers, of
posing before the public. It Is u fault
of human nature, is it not?"
"You speak English so well, Mr.
Martlguy," I said, "that 1 have won
dered where you learned it."
"I was some years In England the
business of wine and devoted myself
seriously to the study of the language.
But 1 still find it sometimes very dltii
cult to understand you Atucrlcnns
you speak so much more rapidly than
the English nud so much less distinct
ly, You have n way of running your
words together, of dropping whole syl-labjes"-
-'Ys," I smiled, "and that Is the very
thing we complain of in the Freuch."
"Oh, our elisions aro governed by
well defined, laws which each ona com
prehends, while here"
"Every man Is a law unto himself.
Remember It Is the land of the free"
"And the home of the license, Is it
not?" lie added, unconscious of Irony.
Yes, I decided, I was very fortunate
in gaining Martlgny's acquaintance.
Of course after he opened his business
he would have less time to devote to
me, but nevertheless we should havu
many pleasant evenings together, and
I looked forward to them with consid
erable anticipation. He was Interest
ing In himself -utcrtululug, with that
large tolerance and good humor which
I have already mentioned and which
was one of the most striking character
istics of the man. And then- shall I
admit It? I was lonely, too, some
times, as I suppose every bachelor
must be, and I welcomed a companion.
It was Monday, the fourteenth day
of April, and we had Just opened the
ofilce, when n clerk hurried in with n
message for Mr. Royce.
"There's a man out hero who wants
to see you nt once, sir," lie said. "He
says his name's Thompson and that
he's Miss Frances llollnday's butler."
Our Junior half started from Ills chair
In his excitement; then he controlled
himself and sank back Into It again.
"Show him In," lie said, and sat with
his eyes on the door, 1 niggard in ap
pearance, pitiful In his eagerness. Not
until that moment had I noticed how
the past week had aged him and worn
him down. Ills work of course might
account for part of It, but not for all.
He seemed almost ill.
The door opened In a moment and
a gray haired man of about sixty en
tered. He was fairly gasping for
breath and plainly laboring under
strong emotion.
"Well, Thompson." " demanded Mr.
Royce, "what's the trouble now?"
"Trouble enough, sir!" cried tiie oth
er. "My mistress hns been made
away with, sir. She left town Just
ten days ago for Belalr, where wo
were all waiting for her, and nobody
has set eyes on her since, sir."
CHAPTER X
MR. ROYCE grasped the arms
of hlH chair convulsively, and
remained for a moment
speechless under the shock.
Then he swung around toward me.
"Come here, Lester," he said hoarse
ly. "I needed you once before, and I
need you now. Tills touches me so
closely I can't think consecutively.
You will help, won't you?"
There was an appeal in his face
which showed his sudden weakness
nn appeal there was no resisting, even
had 1 not myself been deeply interest
ed in the case.
"Gladly," I answered from the
depths of my heart, seeing how over
wrought he was. "I'll help to the very
limit of my power, Mr. Royce."
He sank back Into his chair again
and breathed a long sigh.
"I knew you would," he said. "Get
the story from Thompson, will you?"
1 brought a chair and sat down by
the old I uitler.
"You have been in Mr. Holladny's
family a great many years, haven't
you, Mr. Thompson?" I asked to give
him opportunity to compose himself.
"Yes, n great many years, sir near
ly forty. I should say."
"Before Miss Holladny's birth, then?"
"Oh, yes, sir; long before, .lust be
fore ills marriage Mr. Holladay bought
the Fifth avenue house ho lived in ever
since, and I was employed then, sir,
as an underservant."
"Mr. Holladay and ills wife were
very happy together, weren't they?" I
questioned.
"Very happy; yes, sir. They were
Just like lovers, sir, until her death.
They seemed Just made for each other,
sir," and the trite old saying gathered
a now dignity as he uttered it.
1 paused a moment to consider. This,
certainly, seemed to discredit the tlieo
ry that Holladay had ever had a liaison
with any other woman, and yet what
other theory was tenable?
"There was nothing to mar their hap
piness that you know of? Of course,"
I added, "you understand, Thompson,
that I'm not asking these questions
from Idle curiosity, but to get to the
bottom of this mystery if possible."
"I understand, sir," lie nodded, "No,
there was nothing to mar their happi
nessexcept one tiling."
"And' what was that?"
"Why, they had no children, sir, for
fifteen years and more. After Miss
Frances came, of course thnt was all
changed."
"She was horn abroad?"
"Yes, sir; in France. I don't Just
know the town."
"But you know the date of her
birth?"
"Oh, yes, sir-the 10th of June, 187(1.
We always celebrated it."
"Mr. Holladay was with his wife nt
the time?"
"Yes, sir. He and his wife had been
abroad nearly a year. Ills health bad
broken down, and the doctor made him
take a long vacation. He came home
a few months later, but Mrs. Holla
day stayed on. She didn't get stroug
again, some way. She stnyed nearly
four years, and he went over every
few months to spend a week with her,
and at last she came homo to die,
bringing her child with her. That was
the first time any of us ever saw Miss
Francea."
JOKr, Holladay thought a great deal
feee6ee&&66$6&63&r.
Mr
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of her?"
"You may well say so, sir. She took
his wife's place," said the old man
simply.
"And .she thought a great deal of
him?"
"More than that, sir. She fairly wor
shiped lilm. She was always nt the
door to meet him; always dined with
lilm; they almost always spent their
evenings together. She didn't care much
for society. I've often heard her tell
him that she'd much rather Just stay
at home with lilm. It was ho who
rather Insisted on her going out, for
lie was proud of her, as he'd a right
to lie."
"Yes," I said, for all this fitted in
exactly with what I had always hoard
about the family. "There were no
other relatives, were there?"
"None at all, sir. Both Mr. Holla
day and his wife Avero only children.
Their parents, of course, have been
dead for years."
"Nor any Intiiiiate friends?"
"None I'd call intimate, sir. Miss
Francos lind some school friends, but
she was always well -reserved, sir."
"Yes," I nodded again. "And now,"
I added, "tell me, as fully as you can,
what has happened within the last
three weeks."
"Well, sir," ho began slowly, "after
, her father's deatli she seemed quite
! distracted for' awhile wandered about
the house, sat in the library of even
ings, ate scarcely anything. Then Mr.
Royce got to coming to the house, ami
she brightened up, and wo nil hoped
she'd soon be nil right again. Thou she
seemed to get worse of a sudden and
sunt us all away to get Belalr ready.
I got Uie place In order, sir, and .tele
graphed her that we were ready. Shu
answered that she'd come in a few
days. Ten days ago the rest of the
servants eanie, and I looked for her
every day, but she didn't come. I tele
Replied her again, but she didn't nn
sTor, and finally I got so uneasy, sir,
I couldn't rest, and came back to tho
city to see what was the matter. I
got here early this morning und 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 her started for Belalr tho
same day the servants did. That's all
1 know."
"Then she's been gone ten days?" I
questioned.
"Ten days; yes, sir."
Ten days! What might not have hap
poned In that timet Dr. Jenklnsoa'fl
theory of dcmentlarecurred to me, aud
1 I was more than ever Inclined to credit
It. How else exjdniu this flight? I
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could see from Mr. Royce's face how
absolutely nonplused he was.
"Well," I said at last, for want of
something better, "we'll go with you to
tin; house and sec thu man In chargo
there. Perhaps ho can tell us some
thing more."
But lie could tell us very little. Ten
days before a carriage had driven up
to the door. Miss Holladay and her
maid had entered It ami been driven
away. The carriage had been called,
he thought, from some neighboring
stable, us the family coachman hud
boon sent away with the other serv
ants. They had driven down the ave
nue toward Thirty-fourth street,
where he supposed they were going to
the Long Island station. Wc looked
through the house; it was In perfect
order. Miss Holladny's rooms wero
Just as she would naturally have left
them. Her father's rooms, too, wero
evidently undisturbed.
"Hero's one thing," I said, "that
might help," and I picked up n photo
graph from tho mantel. "You won't
mind my using It?"
Mr. Royce took It with trembling
hand and gazed at it for a moment
at the dark eyes, the earnest mouth.
Then he banded it back to me.
"No," he answered, "not if It will
really help. Wo must use every means
wo can. Only"
"I won't use it unless I absolutely
have to," I assured him. "And when
I'm done with It I'll destroy It."
"Very well," ho assented, and I put
!t In my pocket.
There was nothing more to lie dis
covered there, and we wont away, aft
er warning the two men to say not a
word to any one concerning their mis
tress' disappearance.
Plainly the first thing to be douo
was to find tho coachman who had
driven Miss Holladay and her maid
away from tho house, and with tlila
end In view we visited all the stables
In the neighborhood, but from none of
thorn had a carriage boon ordered by
her. Had she ordered It herself from
a stable In some distant portion of tho
city for the purpose of concenllng her
whereabouts, or had It been ordered
for her by her maid, and was she real
ly the victim of foul play? I put this
I question to Mr. Royce, but he seemed
quite unable to reach a conclusion. As
for myself, I was certain that she had
gone away of her own accord and bad
deliberately planned her disappearance.
Why? Well, I began to suspect that
wo had not yet really touched tho hot
torn. of. the mystery .
(To bo Continued )
Hay and teed at Plumb's.
I' w.ii..(i,nW.
-K SW TSBW't "
.. ." -r I
