verness, a Miss Gorham, who was
discharged by Mr. Jones at the time he took his daughter from Chicago
to New York."

"That isn't such a bad clew!" Josie quickly returned, sitting up
straight and staring reflectively at the old gentleman. "Miss Gorham,
eh? Now, how long had she been Alora's governess?"

"For some years, I believe." It was Mary Louise who answered this
question.

"Then she doubtless knew the family secrets. Was Alora fond of her?"

"I think not. She has told me that at the time they separated she was
glad to be rid of the woman."

"Then the woman may be the kind that would resort to blackmail.
Discharged from a good place, where she had drawn pay for years, she
would be angry. Brooded during the last four years on her imagined
wrongs and figured out a neat revenge. Had sized up Papa Jones and knew
he clung to money with a desperate grip and would pay some rather than
lose all. Couldn't get another job; was poor; had no money to chase up
Jones, but figured he would some time return to Chicago and give her an
opportunity play her game. Discovered that Alora had arrived at this
hotel, and----See here! What would prevent the former governess, now in
reduced circumstances, from being employed as a servant in this very
hotel? Perhaps as a night chambermaid. May have seen Alora enter her
room and recognized her former pupil. During the long night she figured
and planned how to take advantage of the fortunate circumstances. Early
in the morning, before she left here, went to Alora and in some way
induced the girl to go out with her. Alora would accompany her old
governess without suspicion. So--there's the whole story, in a
nutshell, rather cleverly figured out."

"Oh, Josie, it must be true!" cried Mary Louise, who had eagerly
followed this plausible reasoning.

"And it may not," laughed Josie. "It's just a theory, and good
detectives distrust theories, which often befog clever brains. Still,
the deduction sounds mighty logical. I'm going to my room, now, to give
the suggestion some serious thought. I'll try to tear it to pieces, or
at least to pick holes in it. When I came away Daddy said to me:
'Josie, beware that imagination of yours. If it asserts itself, sit on
it.' Daddy was glad to have me tackle the case, and try to help you,
for these little affairs give me practice; but he hates to have me make
a flat failure. So, for dear old Daddy's sake, I'm not going to let any
good-looking theory lead me