essing
circulars of instruction to the Republicans who were to work at the
polling places. This was Saturday, and the election was to be on the
following Tuesday. The meeting at Fairview was therefore the last
important rally of the campaign.

At dusk the party arrived from Fairview in the automobiles, the girls
greatly delighted with the success of the meeting. They all followed
Kenneth into the library, where the butler had just lighted the lamps.
The evenings were getting cool, now, and a grate fire was burning.

Kenneth greeted Mr. Burke and introduced him to the young ladies, who
begged to remain during the interview.

"We are all alike interested in Lucy Rogers, Mr. Burke," said the boy;
"so you may speak freely. Is there any news?"

"Nothing of importance, sir, unless a clew has been found in your own
house," replied the detective.

"Here at Elmhurst?" asked the astonished Kenneth.

"Yes. Tom Gates has seen a girl--one of your maids--who so strongly
resembles Lucy Rogers that he at first believed she was the missing
girl."

"I know," said Beth, quickly. "It's Eliza Parsons. But Tom was mistaken.
He saw her in the dim light of a corridor, and the resemblance confused
him."

"I've seen her since," remarked Tom, "and the likeness is really
bewildering. It's only her manner that is different."

"When I first saw her, before Tom came, I was astonished at her
resemblance to Mrs. Rogers," announced Beth. "I have never seen Lucy,
but I know Mrs. Rogers, and it seemed to me that Eliza was exactly like
her in features. Mr. Forbes and I first saw her riding in a buggy with
Mr. Hopkins. That was before either of us knew she was employed at
Elmhurst. You see she isn't one of the servants who come much in contact
with the family; she does the mending and takes charge of the linen
room."

Beth then related the manner in which they first noticed Eliza, and how
they had discovered her to be a spy in the service of Mr. Hopkins.

The detective was much interested in the recital and seemed surprised
that he had not been informed of this before.

"Of course," said Kenneth, "the girl is not Lucy Rogers. It is not
possible they could be the same."

"Why not?" asked Mr. Burke.

"Well, Lucy was a gentle, sweet country girl, of little experience in
life. Her nature was so susceptible, so very sensitive, that when she
discovered Tom Gates, whom she loved, to be guilty of a forgery, she
worried herself into an attack of b