On my return, late in the afternoon, meeting Miss G. in the passage, I said to her:  “Who is the third servant that Mrs. K. and myself have seen once or twice in our bed-room?”

Miss G. looked, I thought, rather scared, and, murmuring something that I could not catch, turned and went hurriedly down the stairs into the kitchen.

An hour afterwards, as we were sitting waiting for our dinner, Jane brought a note from Miss G. enclosing her account, and saying that she had just had a telegram summoning her to the sick-bed of a relation, that in all probability she would not be back till after our departure, but that she had left directions with the servants, and hoped they would make us quite comfortable, and that we would excuse her hurried departure.

A few minutes after, a cab drove up to the door, into which, from our window, we saw Miss G. get, and drive rapidly away.

Later on in the evening, whilst Jane was clearing away the dinner things, I said to her:  “By-the-by, Jane, who is the third maid?” She was just going to leave the room as I spoke; instead of replying she turned round with such a scared look on her face that I felt quite alarmed, then, hurriedly catching up her tray, she left the room.  Thinking that further inquiry would be very disagreeable to her, I forbore again mentioning the subject.  Next day, our week being up, we departed for fresh woods and pastures new.

* * * * *

Our tour led us considerably further north, but a month later saw us homeward bound.  The nearest route by rail led us by X. As we drew up at the station we noticed on the platform a parson, in whom we recognised one of the clergy of X., whose church we had been to.  Presently the door of our compartment was opened and he put in a lady, wished her good-bye, the guard’s whistle blew and we were off.  After a short time we fell into conversation with the lady and found her to be the clergyman’s wife.  Amongst other things, we asked after Miss G.

“Oh, Miss G.,” she replied; “she is very well, but I hear, poor thing, she has not had a very good season.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” I replied; “why is it?” She was silent for a minute and then related to us the following facts.

At the beginning of the season a rather untoward event occurred at Miss G.’s lodgings.  An elderly lady took one of the flats for a month.  She had with her an attendant of about thirty.  Before long Miss G. observed that they were not on very good terms, and one morning the old lady was found dead in her bed.

A doctor was at once called in, who, on viewing the body, found there were very suspicious marks round the neck and throat, as if a person’s fingers had been tightly pressed upon them.  The maid on hearing this at once became very restless, and going to her bed-room, which was at the top of the house, packed a small bag and, having put on her things, was about to descend the stairs when, from hurry or agitation, she missed her footing and, falling to the bottom, broke her neck.