Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work
"
"Will you send for her, please?"
Kenneth at once obeyed the request, and presently Martha entered the
library.
She was a little, withered old woman, but with a pleasant face and
shrewd but kindly eyes.
"Martha," said Kenneth, "did you employ the new linen maid, Eliza
Parsons?"
"Yes, sir," she replied, apparently surprised at the question.
"This is Mr. Burke, Martha. Please answer any questions he may ask you."
"Yes, Master Kenneth."
"Did the girl bring any recommendations?" asked the detective.
Martha reflected.
"I do not think she did, sir."
"Are you accustomed to hiring maids without recommendations?" asked Mr.
Burke.
"Oh, Eliza had a letter from my cousin, Mrs. Hopkins, who lives in
Elmwood."
"Is Mrs. Hopkins your cousin?" asked Kenneth.
"Yes, sir. She were a Phibbs before she married Erastus, and my name is
Phibbs."
"What did the letter from Mrs. Hopkins say?"
"It said she knew Eliza to be a clever and worthy girl, and if I had a
place for her I couldn't do better than take her on. So I needed a linen
maid and Eliza went right to work. Isn't she satisfactory, sir? Has she
been doing anything wrong?"
"No. Please do not mention this interview to her at present, Miss
Phibbs," said the detective. "That is all, I believe."
"Would you like to see Eliza?" asked Kenneth, when the housekeeper had
retired.
"Not at present. I want to interview Mrs. Hopkins first."
"Tonight?" asked Tom, eagerly.
"I will go at once, with Mr. Forbes's permission."
"Certainly, sir," said Kenneth. "Shall we see you tomorrow?"
"Just as soon as I have accomplished anything."
"Would you like a horse or an automobile?"
"Your man may drive me to the town, sir, if it is convenient."
Kenneth gave the required order, and then Mr. Burke asked:
"How far are you prepared to go in this matter, sir?"
"In what way?"
"In expending money."
"Will any large expenditure be required?"
"I cannot say. But we may require the services and advice of an expert
physician--a specialist in brain diseases.
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In a village there lived two men who had the self-same name. Both were named Claus. But one of them owned four horses, and the other owned only one horse; so to distinguish between them people called the man who had four horses Big Claus, and the man who had only one horse Little Claus. Now I'll tell you what happened to these two, for this is a true story.
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