Pill; "but if you
wish to see Miss Saxon, see her you will. Come this way to
the lower room, an' I'll go up to the attics."
"Let me go, too, and it will save Miss Saxon coming down,"
said Jennings, wishing to take Juliet unawares.
"Ah, now you speaks sense. Legs is legs when stairs are
about, whatever you may say," said Mrs. Pill, leading the way,
"an' you'll excuse me, Mr. Policeman, if I don't stop, me
'avin' a lot of work to do, as Susan's gone and Geraldine with
'er, not to speak of my 'usbin' that is to be, he havin' gone
to see Mrs. Herne, drat her!"
"Why has he gone to see Mrs. Herne?" asked Jennings quickly.
"Arsk me another," said the cook querulously, "he's a secret
one is Thomas Barnes, whatever you may say. He comes and he
goes and makes money by 'is doin's, whatever they may be. For
not a word do I 'ear of 'is pranks. I've a good mind to
remain Pill to the end of my days, seein' as he keeps secrets."
Jennings said no more, but secretly wondered why Thomas had
gone to visit Mrs. Herne. He determined to call on that lady
at once and see if he could learn what message Thomas had
taken her and from whom. But he had not much time for thought
as Mrs. Pill opened a door to the right of a narrow passage
and pushed him in. "An' now I'll go back to my dustin'," said
the cook, hurrying away.
Jennings found himself face to face with Juliet. She was
standing on a chair with her hand up on the cornice.
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