"So she will marry you?" he said, smiling, and then, gazing curiously at the happy, little man, who was not more than thirty years old, he added: "Pardon me, but you are quite young, and Mrs. Ernscliffe's maid was quite middle-aged, was she not?"
"Oh, no, she was quite young and pretty," said the detective, laughing his happy, good-humored laugh.
"But surely——" began the listener.
"Mrs. Ernscliffe's maid was in disguise, both as to name and appearance," said Mr. Kidder, interrupting him. "Perhaps a bit of her history might interest you, sir, seeing that she has served you a good turn."
"I should like to hear it," said Captain Ernscliffe. "But wait a moment, Kidder, until I ring for lights. It is growing dark."
When the gas was lighted, and the curtains dropped over the windows, he turned back to his visitor and said:
"Go on, Kidder, let me hear Elsie Gray's history."
"Well, sir, Elsie Gray's true name is Jennie Thorn, and she is not more than twenty years old.
"She was a poor farmer's daughter when this man whom she has tracked to his doom deceived and ruined her under a pretense of marriage.
"The poor girl went home to her parents, but her honest father drove her away with curses when he discovered her condition and learned her sad story.