urmured in a low voice:

"Let me go! Please let me go!"

"In a moment, Eliza."

Her hands were clasped together nervously and she had dropped her basket
and scissors on the path before her. The man looked intently into her
eyes, in a shrewd yet kindly way, and she seemed as if fascinated by his
gaze.

"Tell me, my dear, have you forgotten your old life?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Poor girl! And you are trying to keep this a secret and not let anyone
know of your trouble?"

Suddenly she started and sprang away, uttering a cry of terror.

"You're trying to trap me," she panted. "You know my name is not Eliza
Parsons. You--you want to ruin me!"

From the position in which they stood in the corner of the garden, with
high hedges behind the maid, and Mr. Burke and Louise blocking the path
in front, there was little chance of escape. But she looked around
wildly, as if about to make the attempt, when Louise stepped forward and
gently took Eliza's hand in her own.

"Mr. Burke is a good man, my dear, and means well by you," she said in
her sweet, sympathetic tones. "He shall not bother you if you are afraid
of him."

"I--I'm not afraid," said Eliza, with a resumption of her old manner and
a toss of her head.

The detective gave Louise a look which she thought she understood.

"Will you finish cutting these roses, Mr. Burke?" she asked, with a
smile. "Eliza and I are going to my room. Come, my dear," and without
waiting for a reply she led the girl, whose hand was still clasped in
her own, along the path.

Eliza came willingly. Her manner was a little defiant at first, but when
Louise drew her unobserved to the side entrance and up the staircase she
grew gentle and permitted the other girl to take her arm.

Once in her room with the strange maid, Louise locked the door quietly
and said to her companion with a cheerful smile:

"Now we are quite alone, and can talk at our ease. Take that low chair,
dear, and I'll sit here."

Eliza obeyed, looking wistfully into the fair face of her new friend.

"You are very pretty, Eliza; and I'm sure you are as good as you're
pretty," announced Louise. "So you must tell me about yourself, and
whether you are happy here or not. From this time on I'm going to be
your friend, you know, and keep all your secrets; and I'll help you all
I can."

This rambling speech seemed to impress Eliza favorably. She relaxed
somewhat from the tense alertness that was habitual with