"Oh girls, girls!" she cried, looking around at them, while her eyes
filled with tears, "do you know what you've done for me--do you? But of
course you don't," she answered herself, sitting down on the couch while
the children climbed up and snuggled against her. "And that's what I want
to tell you."

"Ob, but not now," protested Connie's mother. "I want to get you a cup of
tea first."

"Oh, please let me tell the girls now. I want to," begged Miss Arbuckle,
and Connie's mother gave in.

"You see," the teacher began while the girls gathered around eagerly,
"only a few months ago Hugo--my brother--and I were very happy. That was
before the dreadful thing happened that changed everything for us. I was
nurse and governess," she hugged the children to her and they gazed up at
her fondly, "to these children at the same house where Hugo was head
gardener. Our employers were very wealthy people, and, having too many
social duties to care for their children, Hugo and I sort of took the
place of their father and mother. Indeed we loved them as if they
belonged to us."

She paused a moment, and the girls stirred impatiently.

"Then the terrible thing happened," she continued. "One night the
children disappeared. I had put them to bed as usual, and in the morning
when I went in to them they were gone."

"Oh!" cried the girls.

"But that wasn't enough--Hugo and I weren't sorrow-stricken enough," she
went on, a trace of bitterness creeping into her voice. "But they--Mr.
and Mrs. Beltz--must accuse us--us--of a plot to kidnap the children.
They accused us openly, and Hugo and I, being afraid they had enough
circumstantial evidence to convict us, innocent though we were, fled from
the house.

"That's about all," she said, with a sigh. "Hugo built himself a little
refuge in the woods and made fern baskets, selling enough to make him a
scanty living, and I went as a teacher and house matron to Three Towers
Hall. That is why," she turned to Billie, who was staring at her
fascinated, "I was so desperate when I lost the album, and why," she
added, with a smile, "I acted so foolishly when you returned it."

"You weren't foolish," said Billie. "I think you were awfully brave. I
understand everything now."

"But I don't--not quite," put in Connie's mother, her pretty forehead
puckered thoughtfully. "Of course you didn't kidnap the children,"
turning to Miss Arbuckle, "but it is equally certain that somebody must
have done it."