hen bade me begone, calling me
by some strange name and saying I was a thief. It was then that I
invented the name of Eliza Parsons. I don't know why, but it popped into
my head and I claimed it for my name and have clung to it ever since."

"Have you no idea what your real name is?" asked Louise, greatly
interested in this terse relation.

"I have no idea of anything that dates beyond that morning," replied
Eliza. "The first time I looked in the mirror I saw a strange face
reflected there. I had to make my own acquaintance," she added, with one
of her bright laughs. "I suppose I am between seventeen and twenty years
of age, but what my life was during past years is to me a sealed book. I
cannot remember a person I knew or associated with, yet things outside
of my personal life seem to have clung to me. I remembered books I must
have read; I can write, sing and sew--I sew remarkably well, and must
have once been trained to it. I know all about my country's history, yet
I cannot recollect where I lived, and this part of the country is
unknown to me. When I came to Elmhurst I knew all about it and about Mr.
Forbes, but could not connect them with my former life."

"How did you happen to come here?" asked Louise.

"I forgot to tell you that. While I was arguing with the woman, who was
a Mrs. Hopkins, her husband heard us and came out into the kitchen. He
began to question me about myself and I gave any answer that came into
my head, for I could not tell him the truth. It pleased me to hear my
voice, I seemed to have a keen sense of the humorous, and if I said
anything at all clever, I laughed as heartily as anyone. My heart was
light and free from all care. I had no worries or responsibilities at
all. I was like the birds who see the sunshine and feel the breeze and
are content to sing and be happy.

"Mr. Hopkins saw I was wholly irresponsible and reckless, and he decided
to use me to spy upon the people here at Elmhurst and report to him what
they said and did. I agreed to this readily, prompted by a spirit of
mischief, for I cared nothing for Hopkins and had nothing against Mr.
Forbes. Also Hopkins paid me money, which I had sufficient knowledge to
realize was necessary to me.

"Oh, how happy and gay I was in those first few days! There was not a
thought of the past, not an ambition or desire of any sort to bother me.
Just to live seemed pleasure enough. I enjoyed eating and sleeping; I
loved to talk and laugh; I w