at father committed suicide, and mother felt the disgrace
dreadful. That was why she married and changed the name. But I don't
believe father, when on the point of making us rich, would swallow so
much arsenic as he did."

"What's that--arsenic?" said Jennings, recalling the death of Tyke.

"Yes, sir. It was this way. Father was working at Rexton--"

"At Rexton?" said Jennings impatiently, "yes, yes, go on."

"At a house near the railway station which I can point out, mother
having seen it when she went to inquire."

"Inquire about what?"

"About father's secret job. He had one he used to go to for three
hours every day by agreement with the foreman. Father was very clever
and could do all sorts of things. Mother never knew what the job was,
but father said it would make us all rich."

"Yes, go on." Jennings looked at her, nursing his chin.

"The other day I came across some papers," said Susan, taking a roll
out of her pocket. "And it proved to be plans of father's secret job.
And you might have knocked me down with a feather, Mr. Jennings, when I
saw on the plans the name of Rose Cottage."

The detective jumped up, greatly excited. "Rose Cottage!" he cried,
holding out his hands. "The plans--the plans!"

"I brought them, as I know Miss Saxon who now has Rose Cottage, is
engaged to Mr. Mallow--"

"Haven't you got over that nonsense yet?" said Jennings, who was
looking eagerly at the plans.

"Yes, I have," replied Miss Grant, confidentially. "I am engaged to a
rising young baker who is just a foreman just now, but we hope to save
and start a shop. Still, I promised to help Mr. Mallow, and I thought
he would like to see those plans. You see, sir, they have to do with
Rose Cottage."

"Yes, I do see," almost shouted Jennings, "and I'll bag the whole lot."

"What are you talking about, sir?"

"Ah, I forgot you don't know," said the detective subsiding, "I'll tell
you later. But you have made a discovery, Susan. This plan shows a
secret entrance into Rose Cottage."

"I know it does, sir, and I thought Miss Saxon would like to see it. I
don't know what Miss Loach wanted with a secret entrance, though."

"I fancy I do," said Jennings, rolling up the plans. "Your father was
a very clever man, Susan. Too clever for some people. He made this
secret entrance when the new wing of the cottage was built five years
ago, and those who employed him gave him arsenic by way of a reward.
Tyke died of