es, I suppose so," agreed Mr. Royce, and the chief called up a
broker and gave the necessary orders. Then he turned to other work,
and the day passed without any further reference to Miss Holladay or
her affairs.

The proceeds of the sale were brought to the office early the next
afternoon, a small packet neatly sealed and docketed--one hundred
thousand-dollar bills. Mr. Graham turned it over in his hand
thoughtfully.

"You'll take it to the house, of course, John," he said to his
partner. "Lester 'd better go with you."

So Mr. Royce placed the package in his pocket, a cab was summoned, and
we were off. The trip was made without incident, and at the end of
half an hour we drew up before the Holladay mansion.

It was one of the old-styled brownstone fronts which lined both sides
of the avenue twenty years ago; it was no longer in the
ultra-fashionable quarter, which had moved up toward Central Park, and
shops of various kinds were beginning to encroach upon the
neighborhood; but it had been Hiram Holladay's home for forty years,
and he had never been willing to part with it. At this moment all the
blinds were down and the house had a deserted look. We mounted the
steps to the door, which was opened at once to our ring by a woman
whom I knew instinctively to be the new maid, though she looked much
less like a maid than like an elderly working-woman of the middle
class.

"We've brought the money Miss Holladay asked Mr. Graham for
yesterday," said Mr. Royce. "I'm John Royce, his partner," and without
answering the woman motioned us in. "Of course we must have a receipt
for it," he added. "I have it ready here, and she need only attach her
signature."

"Miss Holladay is too ill to see you, sir," said the maid, with
careful enunciation. "I will myself the paper take to her and get her
signature."

Mr. Royce hesitated a moment in perplexity. As for me, I was
ransacking my memory--where had I heard that voice before? Somewhere,
I was certain--a voice low, vibrant, repressed, full of color. Then,
with a start, I remembered! It was Miss Holladay's voice, as she had
risen to welcome our junior that morning at the coroner's court! I
shook myself together--for that was nonsense!

"I fear that won't do," said Mr. Royce at last. "The sum is a
considerable one, and must be given to Miss Holladay by me personally
in the presence of this witness."

It was the maid's turn to hesitate; I saw her lips tighten ominously.

"Ve