The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-03-28

When Jim Glendinning reached
Lisbeth's cottage it was of course, to
ind-as Pierce Vaughan had found
before him-that she was absent, and
that gentleman, on making his exit,
had left the kitchen window wide
open.
Jim had not the slightest scruple
about entering by this means having
done so he dropped into the first
chair he saw and laying his head on
the table went to sleep.
He had not yet shaken off the
effects of alcohol, and moreover the
day was exceedingly hot and snltry.
For quite half an hour he slept
thus and then woke, with a stretch
and yawn, to swear at Lisbeth for her
absence as his predecessor had done.
The place was wretched without
her, no fire in the kitchen and conse-
quently no food, and jim Glendin-
ming, to use his own coarse express
sion, "liked his ~victuals,' a weakness
which his long term of penal
servitude had rather increased than
diminished.
He went into the little scullery
where he knew he should find a pump
and having sluiced his head well with
cold water felt consi ierably refreshed
and equal to any emergency.
He took stock of the premises,
found some uncooked meat in the
larder, and decided that if Lisbeth
did % 500 return he would light a
fire and prepare a supper for himself.
He was toe dainty to like the look
of her leavings of the previous even
ing, so he set to work to remove
them into the scullery out of his sight,
"Hullo, here's a letter! Let's see
what that's about, it may throw some
light on her absence"
1t seemed as if Pierce Vaughan
could not quit the world without
leaving behind him a heritage of
mischief.
Why had he not followed his first
impulse and put that letter into his
pocket?
Jim Glendinning read it and took
it in with as much gusto as if it had
been a most s%ucculent repast.
"a kid, by lingo, a bloomin' kid.
Then it was Lisbeth as was at her
aunt's and | would't believe it 'cos OF
that there kid they spoke of. Mrs.
Ellis, a niece OF Ellis, and a kid-that
was Lisbetb. That fellow, Vaughan,
was right, he didn't know about this
'ere kid though. Well, if ever |
expected to disentsngle a story like
this 'ere, and about that bumptlous,
bloomin gal O. mine, too! She's a
chip o. the old block, that's what she
is. | never could walk straight,
neither can she. Iain'tsorry though,
it's capital for me, specially il l puts
on an aggrieved face and plays the
indignant father. Repentant, that's
what | am, and virtuous very don't
like them kind o backsldings."
Having delivered himself OF these
grandiloquent remarks he slapped
his sides and laughed a loud gutfdw
that made the walls OF the cottage
ring again.
Meantime of course, he had pock-
eted the letter; he was not going to
allow a document SO telling against
Lisbeth to escape him. So delighted
was he with the discovery that he
was NJ longer hungry. Such a trou-
vaille as this letter was meat and
drink to him, and the only annoyance
was that Lisbeth was not there for
him to tell her what he thought about
the matter.
'If she's gone to Hampstead TO see
about that bloomin' infant she won't
be back yet awhile, 50 | shall just
make myself comfortable here until
she does return; meanwhile, Phi see
if l can't father that kid and get some
coin. Who shall it be? Baronets,
by lingo, I'll begin with the baronets.
Don't much care about going to Sir
Miles, them Berkeleys have known
us Gle~ndinnings for so long, he'll
preach and he won't pay up. Sup
pose | try Sir Clement Dunraven.
'I'lI just take him the letter and ask
him, as a gentleman and a magis-
trate, what he would advise an
unhappy father to do. That's it, |
shall soon see how the land lies. |
must pull a long face and look as
miserable as can"
So he turned up his collar, brushed
his hair, which was rather long, very
straight, and, by lengthening all the
lines about his person, produced,
what he considered, a miserable
aspect.
And in this condition he arrived at
the back door at Aboyne Court,
When he got there he was some
what surprised at his own impudence,
and scarcely expected to see sir
Clement. He was still more sur
prised when, having persuaded the
butler to take his message, he was al
once shown in a lower room where
all business in connection with the
estate was transacted, and told that
Sir Clement would noroa tn hin, in ,