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About Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 1906)
f 3 v A Mystery f J &t)B Of Two i tt tt rr f Continents -5 Mmladay ZEZ I T STEVENSON T "Tnat -will do," said Mr. Royce," and the girl went back to the witness room (without understanding In the least the meaning of the questions. "Now. let us have the office boy again," he said, and that young worthy was called out. "You say you didn't see the face of that woman who left your office yes terday afternoon?" "No, sir." "Iiut you saw her gown?" "Oh, yes, sir. "And what color was it?" "Dark green, sir." "That will do," said our junior, and san'; back in his chair with a sigh of rel:.-f. 'xhe solution had been under ou hands in the morning, and we had ml ed it. Well, we had found it now. "G itlemen," no added, his voice a-evi". his face alight, as he sprang to Iiis feet and f:iced the jury, "I'm rea ' for your verdict. I wish only to ,'irint out that with this one poiit the whole case against my client falls to the ground! It was preposterous fro::i the very first!" lie sat down again and glanced at the coroner. HJimtlenien of the jury," began Goldberg, "I have merely to remind you tha- your verdict, whatever it may be, will not finally affect this case. The police authorities will con tinue their Investigation in order that the guilty person may not escape. I conceive that it is not within our prov ince to probe this case further that may be left to abler and more expe rienced hands nor do I think we should inculpate any one so long as there Is a reasonable doubt of his guilt. We await your verdict." The jury filed slowly out, and I watched them anxiously. In face of the coroner's instructions, they could bring in but one verdict, yet I knew from experience that a jury Is ever an unknown quantity, often producing the most unexpected results. The district attorney came down from his seat and shook hands with both of ue. "That was a great stroker he said, with frank admiration. "Whatever made you suspect?" Mr. Boyce handed him the note for answer. He read It through and stared back at us in astonishment. "Why," he began, "who wrote this?" "That's the note that was delivered to us awhile ago," answered Mr, Royce. "You know as much about it as we do. But It seems to me a pretty important piece of evidence. I turn it over to you." "Important!" cried Singleton. "I should say so! Why, gentlemen," and his eyes were gleaming, "this was writ ten either by an accomplice or by tha woman herself!" My chief nodded. "Precisely," he said. "I'd get on the track of the writer without delay." Singleton turned and whispered a few words to a clerk, who hurried from the room. Then he motioned to two smooth faced, well built men who sat near by, spoke a word to the coro ner and retired with them Into the lat ter's private office. The reporters crowded about us with congratulations and questions. They scented a mys tery. What was the matter with Sin gleton? What was the new piece of evidence? Was It the note? What was in the note? Mr. Royce smiled. "Gentlemen," he said, "I trust that try. connection with this affair will end ic a very few minutes. For any fur ther Information I must refer you to the district attorney. The case is in his hands." But those men he had summoned into his office were Karle and Johnson, the cleverest detectives on the f orce. What did he want with them? Mr. Royce merely shrugged his shoulders, where at the reporters deserted him and massed themselves before the door into the coroner's room. It opened in a mo ment, and the two detectives came hur rying out. They looked neither to the right nor left, but shouldered their way cruelly through the crowd, paying not the slightest attention to the questions showered upon them. Then the dis trict attorney came out and took in the situation at a glance. "Gentlemen," he said, raising his voice, "I can answer no questions. I must request you to resume your seats or I shall ask the coroner to clear the room." They knew that he meant what he said, so they went back to their chairs chagrined, disgusted, biting their nails, striving vainly to work out a solution to the puzzle. It was the coroner's clerk who created a diversion. "The Jury is ready to report, sir." he announced.'- "Very well; bring them out" And the Jurymen filed slowly back to their seats. I gazed at each face and cursed the inexpresslveness of the human countenance. "Have you arrived at a verdict, gen tlemen?" asked the coroner. "We have, sir," answered one of them and banded a paper to the clerk. "Is this your verdict, gentlemen?" asked the coroner. "Do you all concur initr Thev asatranvUn tha aiSrmatlxa - EA5H.es were called. "The clerk will read the verdict," ; said Goldberg. j Julius stood up and cleared his throat "We, the jury," he read, "impaneled in the case of Hiram W. Holladay, de ceased, do find that he came to his death from a stab wound in the neck, Inflicted by a penknife in the bands of j a person or persons unknown." CHAPTER V. THE coroner dismissed the jury and came down and shook hands with us. , - "I'm going to reward you for your clever work, Mr. Soyce," he said. "Will you take the good news to Miss Holladay?" ' My chief could not repress the swift flush of pleasure which reddened bis cheeks, but he managed to speak un concernedly. "Why, yes; certainly. Ill be glad to, if you wish it," he said. "I do wish it," Goldberg assured him, with a tact and penetration I thought admirable. "You may dismiss the po liceman who Is with her." Our junior looked inquiringly at the district attorney. "Before I go," he said, "may I ask what you intend doing, sir?" "I intend finding the writer of that note," answered Singleton, smiling. "But, about Miss Holladay?" Singleton tapped his lips thought fully with his pencil. "Before I answer," he said at last, "I should like to go with you and ask her one question." . "Very well," assented Mr. Royce in stantly and led the way to the room where Miss Holladay awaited us. She rose with flushing face as we en tered and stood looking at ua without speaking; but, despite her admirable composure, I could guess how che was racked with anxiety. "Miss Holladay," began my chief, "this is Mr. Singleton, the district at torney, who wishes to ask you a few questions." "One question only," corrected Sin gleton, bowing. "Were you at your fa ther's office yesterday afternoon. Miss Holladay?" "No, sir," she answered instantly and emphatically. "I have not been near my father's office for more than a week." I saw him study her for a moment, then he bowed again. "That is all," he said. "I don't think the evidence Justifies me in holding her, Mr. Royce," and he left the room. I followed him, for I knew that I had no further part in our Junior's errand. I went back to our table ii busied myself gathering together our belong ings. The room had gradually cleared and at the end of ten minut?s only the coroner and his clerk remained. They had another case, it seemed, to open in the morning another case which perhaps Involved just as great heartache and anguish as ours had. Five minutes later my chief came hur rying back to me and a glance at his beaming eyes told me how he had been welcomed. "Miss Holladay has started home with her maid," he said. "She asked me to thank you for her for the great work you did this afternoon, Lester. I told her it was really you who had done everything. Yes, it was!" he add ed, answering my gesture of denial. "While I was groping helplessly around in the dark you found the way to the light. But come; we must get back to the office." We found a cab at the curb and in a moment were rolling back over the route we had traversed that morning ages ago, as it seemed to me! It was only a few . minutes after 3 o'clock, and I reflected that I should yet hare time to complete the papers In the Hurd case before leaving for the night. ! Mr. Graham was still at his desk, ' and he at once demanded, an account f the hearing. I went back to my work, and so caught only a word here and there enough, however, to show me that our senior was deeply inter ested in this extraordinary affair. As for me, I put all thought of It resolute ly from me and devoted myself to the work in hand. It was done at last, and I locked my desk with a sigh of relief. Mr. Graham nodded to me kindly as I passed out, and I left the office with the comfortable feeling that I had done a good day's work for myself as well as for my employers. A man who had apparently - been loitering In the hall followed me into the elevator. "This is Mr. Lester, Isn't it?" he asked as the car started to descend. "Yes," I said, looking at him in sur prise. He was well dressed, with alert eyes and strong, pleasing face. I had never seen him before. "And you're going to dinner aren't you, Mr. Lester?" he continued. "Yes to dinner," I assented, more and more surprised. "Now, don't think me impertinent," he said, smiling at my look of amaze ment, "but I want you to dine with me this evening. I can promise you as good a meal aa you will get at most places In New York." "But rm not dressed," I protested. "That doesn't matter in the least neither am L yon see. We will dine wlfliant-aHwi' "WE ere r I questioned. "Well, how would the Studio suit? The car had reached the ground floor, and we left it together. I was com pletely in the dark as to my compan ion's purpose, and yet it could have but one explanation it must be connected in some way with the Holladay case. Unless and I glanced at him again. No, certainly, be was not a confidence man even if he was, I would rather welcome the adventure. My curiosity won the battle. "Very well," I said. "Ill be glad to accept your invitation, Mr." He nodded approvingly. "There spoke the man of sense. Well, you shall not go unrewarded. Godfrey is my name no, you don't know me, but I'll soon explain myself. Here's my cab." - I mounted Into it, he after me. It seemed to me that there was an un usual number of loiterers about the door of the building, but we were off In a moment, and I did not give them a second thought. We rattled out into Broadway and turned northward for the three mile straightaway run to Union sqcare. I noticed in a moment that we were going at a rate of speed rather exceptional for a cab, and It steadily Increased as the driver found a clear road before him. My compan ion threw up the trap in the roof of the cab as we swung around into Thir teenth street "All right Sam?" he called. . The driver grinned down at us through the hole. "All right sir," he answered. "They couldn't stand the pace a little bit They're distanced." - The trap snapped down again. We turped into Sixth avenue and stopped in a moment before the Studio, gray and forbidding without but a dream within. My companion led the way up stairs to a private room, where a table stood, ready set for us. The oysters appeared before we were fairly seated. "You see," he smiled, "I made bold to believe that you'd come with me, and so had the dinner already ordered." I looked at him without replying. I was completely In the dark. Could this be the writer of the mysterious "Of counts you're puzzled," h said. note? But what could his object be? Above all, why should he so expose himself? He smiled again as he caught my glance. "Of course you're puzzled," ho said. "Wel I'll make a clean breast of the matter at once. I wanted to talk with you about this Holladay case, and I decided that a dinner, at thft Studio would be Just tne ticket" o ; I nodded. The soup was a thing to marvel at "You were right," I assented. . "The idea was a stroke of genius." "I knew you'd think so. You see, since this morning I've been making rather a study of you. That coup of yours at the coroner's court this after noon was admirable, one of the best tilings I ever saw." I bowed my acknowledgment!. "You were there, then?" I asked. . "Oh, yes. I couldn't afford to mlsa It" "The color blind theory was a simple one." "So simple that it nover occurred to any one else. I think .we're too apt to overlook the simple explanations, which are, after all, nearly always the true ones. Ifs only in books that we meet the -reverse. You remember ifs Gaboriau who advises one always to distrust the probable?" "Yes. I don't agree with him. "Nor L Now take this case, for In stance. I think ifs safe to state that murder, where it's not the result of sudden passion, Is always committed for one of two objects revenge or gain. But Mr. Holladay's past life has been pretty thoroughly probed by the reporters, 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 associates will lose by It It might seem, at first glance, that his daughter would gain, but I think she loses most of alL She already had all the money she could possibly need, and she's lost her father, whom,'- it's quite certain, she loved dearly. So what re mains?" "Only one thing," I said, deeply Inter ested in this exposition. "Sudden pas- (To be Continued.) You Doubtless want to know - about MiADAY By BURTON E. STEVENSON ELntertmmng, Ohermmg Story DEALING WITH ROMANCE AND MYSTERY Now Running in the CORVA -0- The New York it The reader will put the book down until he has reached the last page. Well written into the bargain." 0- Youcan read it without money in the 1 1 CoRVALLisg Gazette. New Suh scribers supplied with back chapters of the story. O- Isunusually well equipped to do all kinds of work. A First-class Job Printer always kept in the office and all work guaranteed to be strictly up-to-date. the Yew re . priionMr & 0- GAS S GAZE Tribune Says: not want to 0- ':. Work th&t OFFBCE CtASSIFIEQ ADVtRTISbMENTS CLAB&inKD ADVSSTI8EHSST8 : Fifteen words or less, 25 cts for three successive insertions, or 50. cts per month; for all up to and including ten additional words. cent a word for each insertion. For all advertisements over 25 words, 1 ct per word for the first insertion, and K per word for each additional inser tion. Nothing inserted for less than 25 cents. lodge, society and church notices, nther than strictly news matter, will be? ehmwd for. ' FOR SALE FULLBLOOD BARRED ROCK OOCK erels. $1-00; two-year old cock (former "ost tS) now $1 00. F. R. Barr.es. Oorvallis, Ore., R F. D. 1. l2-16f 22 HEAD OF CATTLE FROM 1 TO 3 vesrs past; fi milk cows, fresh in Feb ruary and Marc. Will sell risrbt. to right party. Wm. Brvans, Wren, Oreer. 11-19 PLASTERING PLASTERING AND CEMENT WORK. Cpment walks a snecialtv. Work guar anteed. H. Bier & Co.. Oorvallis. Oreeon. ... .., . 12tf ATTORNEYS J F. YATES, ATTORNEY-AT LAW. Office First National Bank Buidin. Onlv set of abstracts in Benton County R. BRYSON ATTORNEY AT LAW. Office in Post Office Building, Corval .'s, Oregon. WANTED w A NTE n WK) SUBSCRIBERS TO THE' OazkttB and Weekly Oregonian at $2.55per year. BANKING. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF Corvallis, Oreeon, transacts a general conservative banking business. Loans money on approved security. Drafts f bought and Fold ani money transferred to the principal cities of the United States, Europe and foreign countries. Vete r i n a ry Surq eo n DR. E. E. JACKSON. V. S., WTNEGAR A Snow livery barn. Give him a call. Phones, Ind., 328; Residence, 389 or Bell phone. 12tf PHYSICIANS B. A. OATHEY, M. D., PHYSICIAN tnd Surgeon. Rooms 14, Bank Build ing. Office Honrs : 10 to 12 a. m , 2 to 1 p. m. Residence : cor. 5th and Ad ams St. Telephone at office and res idence. Oorvallis. Oregon. MARBLE SHOP.3 MARBLE AND GRANITE MONU meats ; curbing made to order ; clean ing and reparing done neatly: save agent's commission . Shop North Main St., Frank Vanhoosen, Prop. o2tf" 1 Croup. Begins with the symptons of a com mon cold ; there is chilliness, sneezing, sore throat, hot skin, quick pulse, hoarse ness and impeded respiration. Give fre quent small doses of Ballard's Hore- -hound Syrup, (the child will cry for it), and at the first Rigns of a cronpy cough, apply frequentlv Ballnrd.s Snow Lini ment to the throat. " Mrs. A. Vliet, New Cast:e, Colo.,. writ3 March I9, 1902; "I think Ballard's Horehound Syrup fa wonderful remedy, and so pleasant to take. Sold by Graham and Wertham. STEAMER POMONA For Portland and way points, leaves Oorvallis Monday. Wednesday and Fri day at 6 a. m. Albany 7 a. m. Fare to Portland, $1.75; round trip !f3 00. H. A. Hoffman, Agt 103-10 Health. Means the ability to do a good day's work without undue fatigue and to find life worth living. You cannot have in--digestion and constipation without its upsetting the liver and polluting the blood. Such a condition may be best and quickest relieved by Her'nine, the best liver regulator that the world has ever known, Mrs. D W. Smith writes, April 3, 2. "I use Herbine, and find it the best medicine for constipation and regulating the liver I ever .used." 50c Sold by Graham & Wortham, Luckiest Man In Arkansas. "I'm the luckiest man in Arkansas," ' writes H. L. Stanley, of Bruno, "since the restoration of my wife's health after five years of continuous coughing and bleeding f-om the lungs ; I owe my good fortune to the world's greatest medicine, Dr. King's New "Discovery for Consump tion, which I know from experience will cure consumption if taken in time. My wife improved with the first bottle and twelve bottles completed the cure." Cuies the worst coiiiili- and colds or money refunded. At Allen & Wood--ward druggists. oO cent snd $1.00. Trial bottle free. The Gazette fOLErSHOIiFi for chtldrmm sofz nrr -ytaw , for Job Work..