"Will you take him this card and say that I'd like to see him at once, if possible?" The clerk hurried away with the card. He was back again in a moment. "This way, sir," he called. We followed him across the room and through a door at the farther side. "Ah, Mr. Royce, glad to see you," cried the coroner, as we entered. "We tried to find you last night, but learned that you were out of town, and I was just calling up your office again." "Miss Holladay asked for me, then?" "Yes, at once. When we found we couldn't get you, we suggested your senior, but she said she'd wait till you returned." I could see our junior's face crimson with pleasure. "You didn't think it necessary to confine her, I trust?" he asked. "Oh, no; she wasn't disturbed. She spent the night at home--under surveillance." "That was right. Of course, it's simply absurd to suspect her." Goldberg looked at him curiously. "I don't know, Mr. Royce," he said slowly. "If the evidence turns out as I think it will, I shall have to hold her--the district attorney expects it." Mr. Royce's hands were clutching a chair-back, and they trembled a little at the coroner's words. "He'll be present at the examination, then?" he asked. "Yes, we're waiting for him. You see, it's rather an extraordinary case." "Is it?" "We think so, anyway!" said the coroner, just a trifle impatiently. I could see the retort which sprang to our junior's lips, but he choked it back. There was no use offending Goldberg. "I should like to see Miss Holladay before the examination begins," he said. "Is she present?" "She's in the next room, yes. You shall see her, certainly, at once. Julius, take Mr. Royce to Miss Holladay," he added to the clerk. I can see her yet, rising from her chair with face alight, as we entered, and I saw instantly how I had misjudged her. She came a step toward us, holding out her hands impulsively; then, with an effort, controlled herself and clasped them before her. "Oh, but I'm glad to see you!" she cried in a voice so low I could scarcely hear it. "I've wanted you so much!" "It was my great misfortune that I could come no sooner," said my chief, his voice trembling a little despite himself. "I--I scarcely expected to see you here with no one----" "Oh," she interrupted, "there was no one I cared to have. My friends have been very kind--have offered to do anything--but I felt that I wanted to be just alone and think. I should have liked to have my maid, but----" "She's one of the witnesses, I suppose," explained Mr. Royce. "Well, now that I'm here, I shall stay until I've proved how utterly ridiculous this charge against you is." She sank back into her chair and looked up at him with dark, appealing eyes. "You think you can?" she asked.