hout speaking; but, despite her admirable composure, I could guess
how she was racked with anxiety.

"Miss Holladay," began my chief, "this is Mr. Singleton, the district
attorney, who wishes to ask you a few questions."

"One question only," corrected Singleton, bowing. "Were you at your
father'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 studying 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 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 morning--another case which, perhaps, involved just as
great heartache and anguish as ours had. Five minutes later my chief
came hurrying 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 added, 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 three o'clock, and I reflected that I
should yet have 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
of 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
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 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 be