CHAPTER II

THE CRIME

The kitchen was rather spacious, and as neat and clean as the busy hands of Mrs. Pill could make it.  An excellent range polished to excess occupied one end of the room; a dresser with blue and white china adorned the other.  On the outside wall copper pots and pans, glittering redly in the firelight, were ranged in a shining row.  Opposite this wall, a door led into the interior of the house, and in it was the outer entrance.  A large deal table stood in the center of the room, and at this with their chairs drawn up, Geraldine and the cook worked.  The former was trimming a picture-hat of the cheapest and most flamboyant style, and the latter darned a coarse white stocking intended for her own use.  By the fire sat Thomas, fair-haired and stupid in looks, who read tit-bits from the Daily Mail for the delectation of Mrs. Pill and Geraldine.

“Gracious ’eavens, Susan,” cried the cook, when Susan returned, after admitting the visitors, “whatever’s come to you?”

“I’ve had a turn,” said Susan faintly, sitting by the fire and rubbing her white cheeks.

At once Mrs. Pill was alive with curiosity.  She questioned the new parlor-maid closely, but was unable to extract information.  Susan simply said that she had a weak heart, and set down her wan appearance to the heat.  “An’ on that accounts you sits by the fire,” said Mrs. Pill scathingly.  “You’re one of the secret ones you are.  Well, it ain’t no business of mine, thank ’eaven, me being above board in everythink.  I ’spose the usual lot arrived, Susan?”

“Two gentlemen and a lady,” replied Susan, glad to see that the cooks thoughts were turning in another direction.

“Gentlemen!” snorted Mrs. Pill, “that Clancy one ain’t.  Why the missus should hobnob with sich as he, I don’t know nohow.”

“Ah, but the other’s a real masher,” chimed in Geraldine, looking up from her millinery; “such black eyes, that go through you like a gimlet, and such a lovely moustache.  He dresses elegant too.”

“Being Miss Loach’s lawyer, he have a right to dress well,” said Mrs. Pill, rubbing her nose with the stocking, “and Mr. Clancy, I thinks, is someone Mr. Jarvey Hale’s helpin’, he being good and kind.”

Here Geraldine gave unexpected information.

“He’s a client of Mr. Hale’s,” she said indistinctly, with her mouth full of pins, “and has come in for a lot of money.  Mr. Hale’s introducing him into good society, to make a gent of him.”

“Silk purses can’t be made out of sows’ ears,” growled the cook, “an’ who told you all this Geraldine?”

“Miss Loach herself, at different times.”

Susan thought it was strange that a lady should gossip to this extent with her housemaid, but she did not take much interest in the conversation, being occupied with her own sad thoughts.  But the next remark of Geraldine made her start.  “Mr. Clancy’s father was a carpenter,” said the girl.