The Holladay Case

an Insp

d I erred so egregiously in this instance? "The woman who was with Holladay wore a gown of dark green." Who was the writer of the note? How did he know the color of her gown? There was only one possible way he could know-he knew the woman. Plainly, too, he must have been present at the morning hearing. But if he kne

?" asked the coroner again. "I shall be glad to

sed himself w

k you to do that later on. Just at p

oner, and Rogers was summ

rn and grief. He had grown gray in Holladay's office; he had proved himself, a hundred times, a man to be relied on; he had every reason to feel aff

why should he lie? Above all, why should he seek to implicate his employer's daughter? Even if he wished to impl

ce was studying him, too, was straining to find

, by a kind of clairvoyance, the solution of the mystery leaped f

eve I've solved the puzzle. Hold Rogers on

ding, I ran to the nearest dry-goods house-three blocks away it was, and what fearfully long blocks they seemed!-then back

he said, as I sat down b

been given the center of the stage in so important a case. Here

ve been having some trouble

at me in

id. "Nothing to amount to a

back again. I was on

ed. I have here a number of pieces of cloth of different colors. I should like you to pick out th

r his desk with attentive face. The witness looked through the samples slowly, while I watched hi

s, at last, "which seems quite the

eard the gasp of astonishment which ran around the ro

e color of that

. I've stated

iumphantly a

ound the flaw in the chain. Mr. Rogers is evidently color-bl

the room. I could hear the scratch, scratch of the reporters' pencils-here was a situation af

e the best of us all;

azement from me to the cloth

r-blind! Why, that's nonsens

t color-blind persons don't know it until their sight is tested. Of course, we s

and the district attorney

s piece of cloth, sir," and I handed it to Goldberg. He placed it with the other exhibits on his desk, and I

ou please," he said; and the girl was summoned, whi

ark red gown yesterday afternoon?" he ask

sir; qui

k green? Think

head. "Miss Holladay hasn't any dark green gown-nor light one, eit

without understanding in the least the meaning of the questions. "Now, let

ace of that woman who left yo

, s

u saw h

yes,

t color

green,

it! Well, we had found it now. "Gentlemen," he added, his voice a-ring, his face alight, as he sprang to his feet and faced the jury, "I'm ready for your

in, and glanced

s will continue their investigations in order that the guilty person may not escape. I conceive that it is not within our province to probe this case further-that ma

instructions, they could bring in but one verdict; yet I knew from experience th

down from his seat and sh

said, with frank admiration.

answer. He read it through, and

egan, "who

Mr. Royce. "You know as much about it as we do. But it seems to

gentlemen," and his eyes were gleaming, "this was wri

ief n

'd get on the track of t

r by, spoke a word to the coroner, and retired with them into the latter's private office. The reporters crowded about us with congratulations and

oyce

r will end in a very few minutes. For any further information, I

orters deserted him and massed themselves before the door into the coroner's room. It opened in a moment, and the two detectives came hurrying out. They looked neither to the right nor left, but

er no questions. I must request you to resume your s

hagrined, disgusted, biting their nails, striving vainly to work out a so

dy to report, si

lowly back to their seats. I gazed at each face, and

a verdict, gentleme

d one of them, and hand

tlemen?" asked the coroner

affirmative as thei

read the verdict

up and cleare

eceased, do find that he came to his death from a stab wound in the nec