The Holladay Case

a Fascinat

he jury, and came down

er work, Mr. Royce," he said. "Will yo

sh of pleasure which reddened his cheeks

I'll be glad to, if

tact and penetration I though admirable. "Y

inquiringly at the

d, "may I ask what yo

iter of that note," answ

ut Miss H

is lips thoughtful

last, "I should like to go wit

stantly, and led the way to the ro

king at us without speaking; but, despite her admirable

is Mr. Singleton, the district attorney

, bowing. "Were you at your father's off

emphatically. "I have not been near m

her for a moment, t

table and busied myself gathering together our belongings. The room had gradually cleared, and at the end of ten minutes only the coroner and his clerk remained. They had another case, it seemed, to open in the m

ternoon, Lester. I told her it was really you who had done everything. Yes, it was!" he added, answering my gesture of denial.

morning-ages ago, as it seemed to me! It was only a few minutes after three o'clock, and I reflecte

was deeply interested in this extraordinary affair. As for me, I put all thought of it resolutely from me, and devoted myself to the work in hand. It was done at last, and I locked my desk wit

en loitering in the hall fo

't it?" he asked, as the

was well dressed, with alert eyes and strong

inner, aren't you, Mr.

I assented, more

amazement, "but I want you to dine with me this evening. I can pro

t dressed,"

ast-neither am I, you see. We

" I que

would the S

et it could have but one explanation-it must be connected in some way with the Holladay case. Unless-and I glanced at him again

I'll be glad to accept

ed appr

go unrewarded. Godfrey is my name-no, you don't kno

d thought. We rattled out into Broadway, and turned northward for the three-mile straightaway run to Union Square. I noticed in a moment that we were going at a rate of speed rather exce

t, Sam?"

ned down at us

"They couldn't stand the pace a

dio-gray and forbidding without, but a dream within. My companion led the way upstairs to a priv

o believe that you'd come with me, a

be the writer of the mysterious note? But what could his object be? Above a

f the matter at once. I wanted to talk with you about this Holladay ca

soup was a thi

ssented. "The idea wa

ing rather a study of you. That coup of yours at the coroner's cou

y acknowl

there, the

ouldn't affor

nd theory was

e explanations, which are, after all, nearly always the true ones. It's only in books that we

n't agree

and nothing has been found to indicate that he had ever made a deadly enemy, at least among the class of people who resort to murder-so that does away with revenge. On the other hand, no one will gain by his death-many will lose by it-in fact, the whole circle of his

eeply interested in this ex

ed exul

ems almost equally absurd, however, to suppose that Holladay could be mixed up with any other woman. He certainly has not been for the

ourse, her resembla

nd that he merely glanced at her. Still, whatever minor differences there may have been, she had the air, the general appearance, the look of Miss Holladay. Mere facial resemblance may happen in a hundred way

theory was reasonable, a

us suppose, ineffectual appeals by letter, she does the desperate thing of calling at his office to protest in person. She finds him inexorable-we know his reputation for obstinacy when he had once made up his mind. She reproaches him-she is already desperate, remember-and he answers with

g, however. Rogers testified that he was intimately acquainted with the affairs of his

aused for a mo

t that-then there is another theory. Holladay has not been supporting his illegitimate child, wh

ted. "It, also

body of the theory itself is unimpeachable-it's the only one which fits the fact

e n

ain. I looked at him quickly, but his eyes were on the cloth

sted in Miss Holladay's welfare; the other was that he or she knew Rogers, the clerk

I said. "You'll have

How did the writer of the not

infir

s himself didn't know it? That's what I should like to have explained. Perhaps there's only one

ed; should I set him right? Or was

as a light in them I did not quite understand. I felt

sy to trace the write

have not f

N

ecially. He said there was no answer and went away. How are the police to find that boy? Suppose they do find him? Probably all h

description of th

, at the best, vague and indefinite. Besides, they've

fee and cigars, and I

I said, "I'd like to ask you two direct que

investigator of crime

the detective

it. At present, I'

bject in bringing me

omplished. The other was to ask you to

it pursued us

r myself that was rather neatly done. Will

u'll have to go to the police

a little laugh. As I looked at him, h

The writer of the note knew nothing of Rogers

dly. "Then how did you

ives would call it de

ative puff or two,

"I must say that beats me! Dedu

ed my ackno

l you can tell

aid that

ust leave you. I've a good deal of work to do, and you've opened up a very interesting line of specu

said heartily. "I've e

s at the door. I've no further use for

he really

certainly,"

you," h

or, called the cab, and s

e met you. I'm not really such a mysterious individual-it's me

I said, a

ing after us as we drove away, then he turned

ake nothing of them. What result he had achieved I could not imagine. And yet he had seemed satisfied. As to his theory, I co

t, tipped the driver, and ran up the steps to

e minutes there's been somebody here looking for you, and there's a crowd o