"Then you know a wicked thing, Mr. Jarman, begging your pardon. But I had a quarrel with Balkis, as she would not give me money to dress Tilly, and I threatened to leave. Balkis said that I could go, and then like a fool, knowing the terrible woman she was, I said I'd tell the police about the secret rooms, and the gambling." "That was indeed foolish, Mrs. Burl." "Ah, it was, sir, and soon I found it. Balkis, when I was asleep, took Tilly--who was then a child--from my side, and hid her away." "In effect, she kidnapped her?" "Yes, Mr. Jarman, she did; and when I woke fair distracted, she said I would never see my child again until she made her money out of the gambling. When she shut them up and returned to America--" "Ah!" said Eustace, "she came from America." "She did, Mr. Jarman, from a West Indian island. But when she went I was to have Tilly again. I implored her to give me my child, but she only laughed. She declared if I said a word about the gambling rooms that I would never see Tilly again. Then she turned me out, and I went searching for Tilly, for many a long month, till I was taken up for vagrancy, and you found me." "Why didn't you tell me this before?" asked Eustace. "I could have told the police and have recovered your child." "That's just why I held my tongue," said Mrs. Burl, quickly. "If the police had been informed, I would never have got Tilly again. When I was with you I several times went to ask Balkis about Tilly, and she assured me that she was well." "I was brought up in a wurk-hus," put in Tilly, "and then Mrs. Betts took me, so I've bin 'ere since, though the situation ain't worth much." "I see," said Eustace. "Well, Mrs. Burl, and how did you recover Tilly?" Mrs. Burl moved uneasily. "Now I'm coming to my ingratitude, sir. I was afraid when I saw the picture of Balkis which Mr. Lancaster left." "Hullao!" cried Eustace, with sudden suspicion. "How did you know my secretary was Lancaster? And what do you know of him?" "I know all that I read in the papers," said Mrs. Burl, with hanging head, "and when I went sometimes to see Balkis I heard Captain Berry talk of how he wished to get Mr. Lancaster." "Captain Berry? You know the whole gang?" "Ah, that I do, sir, and will give you any information I can, now that I have my Tilly safe. Balkis wanted to catch Mr. Lancaster also, because he had killed Mr. Starth, of whom she thought much." "She was in love with him?" "Well, sir, you might go so far as that. She loved him, and thought Mr. Lancaster guilty. So when I found out that you were hiding Mr.--" "Wait," said Eustace. "How did you learn that?" "I listened and then I knew," murmured Mrs. Burl. "I see," said Eustace, sternly, "and you betrayed the poor wretch." Mrs. Burl began to weep. "I am ashamed of myself--"