"Did Gabrielle do all these things?"

"Oh, no, but when one maid goes the others want to, and it has been
a difficult matter to keep them all contented and busy. Gabrielle
was a good nurse, but a bit flighty and quite excitable."

"But you don't know that she has gone for good?"

"She took her boxes, and went away very unexpectedly. It may have
been on account of the fire, but we don't know. She has never gone
away like this before, but I suppose an excitable person, such as
she was, is liable to do strange things at any time."

"It must be very awkward to be without help at such a time, and
if we are any trouble---"

"Oh, no, don't think of going," said Margaret hurriedly. "By the
way, did you find an owner for the watch?"

"We have had several claimants, but no real owner," said Jack. "It
is a very handsome one, and almost anybody might be excused for
wanting it."

"Yes, indeed. I would like very much to have it myself. How could
it have been here when it does not belong to any one in our family?"

"There were strangers here last night, and we think that the man who
stole it put it in Jack's pocket by mistake when he saw that the
police were watching him."