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84 job to be a lady's maid; I've known some housekeepers that was more free and pleasant to get along with, and I don't care if you go and tell her I said so. Didn't even want to room with me when she came, but got Mrs. Lorne to give her a room to herself. She won't be here long, though, now the poor mistress is gone."

"Why?" asked Odell.

"Because she's no good as a personal maid. I heard Miss Cissie say so herself. Anybody can mend lace and keep things picked up; but she's such a blockhead she can't even take messages over the 'phone for Miss Cissie, and she has to attend to it for herself. Miss Cissie complained about it to her mother only a few days before the poor lady hurt herself with that needle, but Mrs. Lorne liked her and wouldn't hear of sending her away. I guess things'll be different now."

It was evident that the affronted Jane would be quite willing to continue the subject indefinitely, but the detective had learned what he wanted to know and promptly took advantage of the opening which offered.

"What was the needle like which caused Mrs. Lorne's illness? Did you see it?"

"Indeed I did, sir." Jane visibly swelled with importance. "Wasn't it me went and got it when the doctor asked to see it? Miss Meade came out of the sickroom and told me to go get it, and I did; but I wrapped my hand up good in a towel before 1 touched it, sir, as you may believe. There it was, sticking into the work she'd dropped as innocent as if it wasn't the cause of what was going to be the poor lady's death. It had become unthreaded from the red silk, but it was right in place for the next stitch.