汤姆在肯尼思家用餐的时候再次遇到侍从伊丽莎白，相貌和声音与露西完全一样的伊丽莎白却有着和露西完全不一样的性格，这使汤姆很疑惑。他把自己的想法告诉了前来拜访肯尼思的侦探布尔克。布尔克认为露西和伊丽莎白是同一个人的可能性很大，而且后来才得知伊丽莎白居然是霍普金斯夫人介绍来的……
The servants at Elmhurst all ate in a pleasant dining room with windows facing a garden of geraniums.Tom Gates had been at the house two days before he encountered Eliza Parsons at the table，for the servants were not all able to take their meals at the same time.
It was at luncheon，the day of the joint debate at Fairview，that the young man first met Eliza，who sat opposite him.The only other person present was old Donald，the coachman，who was rather deaf and never paid any attention to the chatter around him.
As he took his seat Tom gave a half—frightened glance into Eliza's face and then turned red as she smiled coquettishlya and said：
"Dear me！It's the young man who called me his dearLucy.""You—you're very like her，"stammered Tom，unable to take his eyes from her face."Even now I—I can't believe I'm mistaken."She laughed merrily in a sweet，musical voice，and thensuddenly stopped with her hand on her heart and cast at him a startled look that was in such sharp contrast to her former demeanor that he rose from his chair.
"Sit down，please，"she said，slowly.And then shestudied his face with sober earnestness—with almost wistful longing.But she shook her head presently，and sighed；and amoment later had regained her lightness of manner.
"It's a relief to have a quiet house for a day，isn't it？"she asked，eating her soup calmly."I'll be glad when the election's over.""Have you been here long？"he asked，although Beth hadtold him of Eliza's coming to Elmhurst."Only a short time.And you？""Two days，"said he."But where did you live before you came here？"She shook her head.
"I wish you would answer me，"he begged."I have a reason for asking.""What reason？"she demanded，suddenly serious again.
"Two people have never lived that were so near alike as you and Lucy Rogers.""Indeed？""Will you show me your left arm？""No."She was again studying his face.
"If you are Lucy Rogers you have a scar there—a scar where you burned yourself years ago."She seemed frightened for a moment.Then she said：
"I have no scar on my left arm.""Will you prove it？""No.You are annoying me.What did you say your nameis？""Tom Gates."She was thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head."I have never heard of you，"she declared，positively，and resumed her eating.
Tom was nonplusseda.One moment he believed she was Lucy，and the next told himself that it was impossible.This girl possessed mannerismsb that Lucy had never exhibited in all the years he had known her.She was bold and unabashedc where Lucy was shy and u n a s s u m i n gd.This girl's eyes laughed，while Lucy's were grave and serious；yet they were the same eyes.
"Let me tell you about my lost Lucy，"he said，with aglance at the unconscious Donald.
"Go ahead，if it will relieve you，"she answered，demurely.
"She lived on a farm five miles from here，and she wasmy sweetheart.Her mother is blind and her father old and feeble.She worked for a dentist in the town and was accused of stealing a ring，and it nearly broke her heart to be so unjustly suspected.In order to make good the loss of the ring，a valuable diamond—I—I got into trouble，and Lucy was so shocked and distressed that she—she lost her head—became mad，you know—and left home during the night without aword to any one.We haven't been able to ？nd her since.""That's too bad，"remarked Eliza Parsons，buttering herbread.
"About the time that Lucy went away，you appeared at Elmhurst，"continued Tom."And in face and form you're the image of my Lucy.That is why I asked you to tell me where you came from and how you came here.""Ah，you think I'm mad，do you？"asked the girl，with a quizzicala smile."Well，I'm not going to satisfy your curiosity，even to prove my sanity；and I'm not anxious to pose as your lost Lucy.So please pass the sugar and try to be sociable，instead of staring at me as if I scared you."Tom passed the sugar，but he could not eat，nor couldhe tear himself away from this strange girl's presence.He tried again to draw her into conversation，but she showed annoyance and resented his persistence.Presently she went away，giving him an amused smile as she left the room—a smile that made him feel that this was indeed a case of mistaken identity.
In fact，Tom Gates，on sober reflection，knew that thegirl could not be Lucy，yet he could not still the yearning in his heart whenever he saw her.His heart declared that she was Lucy，and his head realized that she could not be.
While he waited in the library for Mr.Forbes to return from Fairview a man was shown into the room and sat downquietly in a corner.
He was a small，lean man，of unassuming appearance，with a thin face and gray eyes set close together.When he looked at Tom Gates he scarcely seemed to see him，and his manner conveyed the impression that he disliked to attract notice.
"Waiting for Mr.Forbes，sir？"asked Tom.
"Yes，"was the quiet reply.
Suddenly it struck the young man that this might be the detective who called every evening to give his report，and if so Tom was anxious to talk with him.So he ventured to say：
"It's Mr.Burke，isn't it？"
The man nodded，and looked out of the window."I'm Tom Gates，sir.""Yes；I know.""You've seen me before？"asked the youth，astonished."No；I've heard of you.That's all."Tom ？ushed，remembering his recent crime.But he was eager to question the detective.
"Have you heard anything of Lucy Rogers，Mr.Burke？""Not yet.""Is there no trace of her at all？""A slight trace—nothing worth mentioning，"said Mr.Burke.
For a few moments Tom sat in silence.Then he said：
"I thought I'd found her，day before yesterday.""Yes？"There was little interest in the tone.
"There's a girl in the house，sir，one of the maids，who is the living image of Lucy Rogers.""You ought to be able to identify her，"suggested thedetective，his gaze still out of the window.
