露易丝和布尔克与伊丽莎白在花园中“偶遇”。布尔克的一番话使伊丽莎白受惊，露易丝带着她“逃离”花园到了露易丝的房间。伊丽莎白终于向露易丝道出了真相……
On Sunday morning Mr.Burke again appeared at Elmhurst，and told Kenneth he wanted an interview with Eliza Parsons.
"I don't want you to send for her，or anything like that，for it would make her suspicious，"he said."I'd like to meet her in some way that would seem accidental，and not startle her.""That is rather a hard thing to arrange，Mr.Burke，"said the boy，with a smile.
"Why，I think not，"declared Louise."It seems to me quite easy.""That's the woman of it，sir，"laughed Kenneth；"if it'sa question of wits her sex has the advantage of us.""What do you propose，miss？"asked the detective，turning to Louise.
"I'll have Martha send the girl into the garden to gather ？owers，"she replied；"and you can wander around there and engage her in conversation.""Excellent！"he exclaimed."Can this be arranged now？""I'll see，sir."She found Martha and asked her to send Eliza Parsons for some roses and chrysanthemumsa，which were in a retired place shut in by evergreen hedges.
"One of the other maids will know the garden better，"suggested the housekeeper."But I wish Eliza to go.""Very well，Miss Louise."From an upper window the girl watched until she saw Eliza Parsons leave the house with a basket and go into the retired garden she had chosen.Then she returned to the library for Mr.Burke and led him toward the same place.
"Eliza is just beyond that gap in the hedge，"she said，and turned away.
"Wait a moment，please，"he said，detaining her."On second thought I would like you to come with me，for your tact may be of great assistance.Have you spoken much with Eliza？""Not at all，I think.Beth has talked with her，but I havescarcely been near her since she came here.""You are willing to come？""I shall be glad to.""The poet Saxe，"said Mr.Burke，walking through the gap beside Louise，"has never been properly appreciated by his countrymen，although since his death his verses are in greater demand than while he lived.Do you care for them？""I don't know Saxe very well，"she answered，observing that they were approaching a place where Eliza was bending over a rose—bush."But one or two of his poems are so amusing that they linger in my memory."Eliza turned at the sound of their voices and gave them a quick glance.But the next moment she resumed her occupation of cutting roses.
"The man's greatest fault was his habit of punning，"remarked the detective，watching the girl's form as he drew nearer."It is that which blinded his contemporaries to his real talents.What exquisite roses，Miss Merrick！May I ask for one for my button—hole？""Yes，indeed！"she replied，pausing with him just beside Eliza."Will you cut that bud yonder，for Mr.Burke，my dear？"The maid silently obeyed and as the detective took the ？ower from her hand he said：
"Why，isn't this Eliza Parsons？""Yes，sir，"she replied，carelessly."Don't you remember me，Eliza？"She seemed a little surprised，but answered promptly："No，sir.""I'm William Burke，your mother's cousin.How did you leave your brother Harry，and have you heard from Josephine lately？"The girl gave him a startled look and shrank back."Why，how nice！"cried Louise."I did not know youknew Eliza's family，Mr.Burke.""Yes，she is one of my relatives，and came from Roanoke，Virginia.Isn't that correct，Eliza？""Yes，sir—no！I—I don't remember！"she said，in a low tone.
"Don't remember，Eliza？That is strange."
The girl stared at him half frightened，and drew her hand over her eyes with a gesture of bewilderment.
"I hope，my dear，you are not going to be like yourmother，"said Mr.Burke，gently."My poor cousin Nora was subject to a strange lapse of memory at times，"he remarked to Louise."She always recovered in time，but for days she could remember nothing of her former life—not even her own name.Are you ever affected that way Eliza？"She looked up at him pleadingly，and murmured in a low voice：
"Let me go！Please let me go！""In a moment，Eliza."Her hands were clasped together nervously and she had dropped her basket and scissors on the path before her.The man looked intently into her eyes，in a shrewd yet kindlyway，and she seemed as if fascinated by his gaze.
"Tell me，my dear，have you forgotten your old life？"he asked.
"Yes，"she whispered.
"Poor girl！And you are trying to keep this a secret and not let anyone know of your trouble？"Suddenly she started and sprang away，uttering a cry of terror.
"You're trying to trap me，"she panted."You know myname is not Eliza Parsons.You—you want to ruin me！"From the position in which they stood in the corner of thegarden，with high hedges behind the maid，and Mr.Burke and Louise blocking the path in front，there was little chance of escape.But she looked around wildly，as if about to make the attempt，when Louise stepped forward and gently took Eliza's hand in her own.
"Mr.Burke is a good man，my dear，and means well by you，"she said in her sweet，sympathetic tones."He shall not bother you if you are afraid of him.""I—I'm not afraid，"said Eliza，with a resumption of herold manner and a toss of her head.
The detective gave Louise a look which she thought she understood.
"Will you finish cutting these roses，Mr.Burke？"sheasked，with a smile."Eliza and I are going to my room.Come，my dear，"and without waiting for a reply she led the girl，whose hand was still clasped in her own，along the path.
Eliza came willingly.Her manner was a little defiant at first，but when Louise drew her unobserved to the side entrance and up the staircase she grew gentle and permitted the other girl to take her arm.
Once in her room with the strange maid，Louise lockedthe door quietly and said to her companion with a cheerful smile：
"Now we are quite alone，and can talk at our ease.Take that low chair，dear，and I'll sit here."Eliza obeyed，looking wistfully into the fair face of hernew friend.
