The Secret Passage

"Gracious 'eavens, Susan," the cook cried, when Susan returned, after admitting the visitors, "whatever's come to you?" "I've had a turn," Susan said faintly, sitting by the fire and rubbing her white cheeks. At once Emily 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," Emily said 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," Susan replied, glad to see that the cooks thoughts were turning in another direction. "Gentlemen!" Emily snorted, "that Clancy one ain't. Why the missus should hobnob with such as he, I don't know nohow." "Ah, but the other's a real masher," Geraldine chimed in, looking up from her millinery; "such black eyes, that go through you like a gimlet, and such a lovely mustache. He dresses elegant too." "Being Miss Loach's lawyer, he have a right to dress well," Emily said, 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," Emily growled, "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," Geraldine said. "My father was a carpenter," Susan remarked sadly. "Ah," Emily cried with alacrity, "now you're speaking sense. Ain't he alive?" "No. He was poisoned!"