"That is news to me，"she said in a tone that indicated she had made a discovery."Do you mean that Mildred once lived in this neighborhood？""Yes；very near here.She told me she had known this oldhouse well years ago，when she was a girl.She used to visit it in company with her father，a friend of old Se？or Cristoval.""Huh ！"exclaimed Patsy."That's queer，Why didn't she tell us this，when we ？rst proposed bringing her out here？""I don't know.I remember she was overjoyed when I ？rst suggested her coming，but I supposed that was because she had at last found a paying job.""When did she tell you of this？""Just lately.""What else did she say？""Nothing more.I asked if she had any relatives or friends living here now，but she did not reply.""Beth，I'm astonished ！"asserted Patsy，with a grave face."This complicates matters.""I don't see why.""Because，if Mildred knows this neighborhood，and wanted to steal baby and secrete her，she could take little Jane to her unknown friends and we could never discover her hiding—place.""Why should Mildred Travers wish to steal baby？"askedBeth.
"For a reward—a ransom.She knows that Arthur Weldon is rich，and that Uncle John is richer，and she also knows that dear little Toodlums is the pride of all our hearts.If she demands a fortune for the return of baby，we will pay it at once.""And prosecute her abductora，Mildred，afterward，"saidBeth."No，Patsy；I don't believe she's that sort of a girl，at all.""We know nothing of her history.She is secretive and reserved.Mildred's cold，hard eyes condemn her as one liable to do anything.And this was such an easy way for her to make a fortune."Beth was about to protest this severe judgment，but onsecond thought remained silent.Appearances were certainly against Mildred Travers and Beth saw no reason to champion her，although she confessed to herself that she had liked thegirl and been interested in helping her.
"We have still Inez to consider，"said she."What has become of the Mexican girl？""We are coming to her presently，"replied Patsy."Let us ？nish with Mildred ？rst.A girl who has evidently had a past，which she guards jealously.A poor girl，whose profession scarcely earned her bread—and—butter before we engaged her.A girl whose eyes repel friendship；who has little to lose by kidnapping Jane in the attempt to secure a fortune.She was fond of baby；I could see that myself；so she won't injure our darling but will take good care of her until we pay the money，when Toodlums will be restored to us，smiling and crowing as usual.Beth，if this reasoning is correct，we needn't worry.By to—morrow morning Arthur will receive the demand for ransom，and he will lose no time in satisfying Mildred's cupiditya.""Very good reasoning，"said Beth；"but I don't believe aword of it.""I hope it is true，"said Patsy，"for otherwise we are facing a still worse proposition.""Inez？""Yes.Inez isn't clever；she doesn't care for money；she would not steal Jane for a ransom.But the Mexican girl worships baby in every fibre of her being.She would die for baby；she—"lowering her voice to a whisper，"she wouldkill anyone for baby."Beth shivered involuntarily as Patsy uttered this horrible assertion.
"You mean—"
"Now，let us look at this matter calmly.Inez has，from the ？rst，resented the employment of Mildred as chief nurse.She has hated Mildred with a deadly hatred and brooded over her fancied wrongs until she has lost all sense of reason.She feared that in the end baby Jane would be taken away from her，and this thought she could not bear.Therefore she has stolen baby and carried her away，so as to have the precious one always in her keeping.""And Mildred？"asked Beth.
"Well，in regard to Mildred，there are two conjectures to consider.She may have discovered that Inez had stolen baby and is now following in pursuit.Or—""Or what，dear ？"as imaginative Patsy hesitated，appalled by her own mental suggestion.
"Or in a fit of anger Inez murdered Mildred and hid her body.Then，to escape the penalty of her crime，she ran away and took baby with her.Either one of these suppositions would account for the absence of both nurses."Beth looked at her cousin in amazement.