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"What was his mother's maiden name?"

"Fenwick," responded Jane Gilman, having no suspicion that Mrs. Avery had heard the name before.

Mrs. Avery started. "I've heard that name before," she said.

"Have you?" asked Jane, momentarily uneasy, but quickly recovering her self-possession she reflected that the Averys could not possibly know anything of Jed's real history.

"I suppose there's a many Fenwicks in the world and some of 'em in America. My brother's wife was a good-looking woman, and the boy takes after her."

"She died young, I suppose?"

"Only three months after he was born."

"Is your brother still living?"

"No; he was killed in a railroad accident out in Iowa six months since. He was a brakeman on the railroad. He left me a tidy sum of money, and said that I was to look up Jed."

"This accounts for your visit, then?"

"Yes; I want to take my nephew with me and see to his education, as my brother wished me to."

"Did Mrs. Fogson give you any idea where he was?"

"She said he had run away, but she had information that he was at Bar Harbor, wherever that is, in the service of some rich gentleman."

"We have heard the same thing. What do you propose to do?"

"I'll have to go there, I suppose. But there is one thing I want to ask you about."

"What is that?"

"When I left the baby with you there was a gold locket suspended from his neck. Did you find it?"

"Yes, I found it."

"I'll thank you if you'll give it to me. I meant to take it at the time, but I went away in a hurry, as you know, and I thought it would be safe in your hands."

"I can't let you have it to-day, Miss Gilman."

"And why not?" demanded Jane suspiciously.

"I deposited it with a party I had confidence in, for safe keeping," replied Mrs. Avery.

"Then I'll be glad to have you get it as soon as you can. I want it," rejoined Jane Oilman sharply.

"How am I to feel sure you are entitled to it?" asked Mrs. Avery.

"If I am not, who is, I'd like to know? I'm the one that left the boy with you at the poorhouse."

"I presume this is true."

"Of course it's true. I'll tell you what. Mrs. Avery, I'm not much pleased with your trying to keep the locket. Are you sure you haven't sold or pawned it?"

"Yes, I am sure of that. But perhaps I shall not have to make you wait long for it. The gentleman in whose hands I placed it is in this house at this very minute."

Jane Oilman looked very much surprised.

"Where is he?" she asked.

Detective Peake answered for himself. He stepped into the room from the small bedroom and held up the locket.

"Is this the one?" he asked.

"Yes," answered the woman eagerly.

"Give it to me."

Mr. Peake quietly put it back into his pocket.

"Not till I have asked you a few questions," he answered.

"What right have you to ask me questions?" asked Jane defiantly.

"I will assume that I have the right," the detective answered.

"Whose miniatures are those in the locket?"

"They are my brother and his wife."

"Your brother doesn't seem to look like you, Miss Gilman."

"Perhaps you know better than I who it is," said Jane sullenly.

"Well, perhaps so."

"And who do you say they are?"

"Sir Charles and Laura Fenwick of Fenwick Hall, England."

Jane Gilman started to her feet in astonishment.

"Who told you?" she asked hoarsely.

"It is not necessary for me to tell you. It is enough that I am commissioned by the boy's mother to find him and restore him to her. There may be trouble in store for you, Miss Jane Gilman," he added significantly.

Jane Gilman fanned herself vigorously and seemed very ill at ease.

"However," continued the detective, "you can save yourself and secure a handsome reward by giving me all the help you can, and making full confession of your stealing the child, and telling who instigated you to do it"

The woman hesitated, but her hesitation was brief.

"Will you promise this?" she asked.

"Yes. I am the confidential agent of Lady Fenwick, who is now in America."

"Then I'll do it. Guy Fenwick hasn't treated me right, and I don't mind if I do go back on him. It was he that hired me to make off with little Robert, though I didn't let him know what I did with him."

"And what was your present object?"

"To take the boy away and make Sir Guy pay a good round sum for my keeping the secret."

CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE DETECTIVE SECURES AN ALLY.

"ARE you in communication with Guy Fen wick? Do you know whether he is now at Fenwick Hall?" asked the detective.

"No, he is not there."

"Where is he, then?"

"At sea. In a day or two he will probably be in New York," answered Jane Gilman coolly.

Mr. Peake started. This was unexpected intelligence.

"What brings him to New York?" he inquired hastily.

"I do."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I wrote him some time since for a hundred pounds. He sent me five pounds and told me that I needn't call on him again."

"He doesn't seem much afraid of you.

"No; he thought the boy was dead."

"I suppose you told him so?"