The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-06-06

CHAPTER xxvu.-AT THE sNUeaBRY.
Sir Miles Berkeley's place was by
no means so pretentious as Bella
granda, nor could it rank in magnif-
cence with either Brentwells or
Aboyne Court, but it was situated in
a dell Of great beauty. 1t went by
the homely and comfortable name of
the "Snuggery," and all its appoint
ments and luxuries were in perfect
harmony with the name.
Sir Miles Berkeley was much too
thorough a man in all he did to care
for show, but he loved comfort for
himself, and gave it whenever he
could to others.
The housekeeper, who had been in
the family since he was a little boy,
idolized him, and like her master,
she was Of the unselfsh type. She
did not wish to reign supreme over
the feminine contingent at the
"Snuggery,n and always said that
there was only one thing wanting to
make the place perfect, and that was
a mistress. The mistress, however,
was over long in coming, and it
puzzled the good old dame that a
man 80 domesticated in his habits as
Sir Miles did not marry. Some n
talking in the slap-dash fashion in
which gossips prattle-knowing
nothing meanwhile of what they are
talking about-had put it into her
head that Sir Miles was "sweet-
hearting" with Lisbeth Glendinning.
This had vexed and upset the old
lady to such a degree that it made
her quite i'll. She was a conservative
to the backbone, and consequently a
stickler about class distinctions, and
the bare possibility that Sir Miles
should think of marrying the
daughter of a convict was so preying
on her mind that he noticed it, and
asked her n day what was the mat
ter.
To his infinite astonishment she
burst out crying. sit is here I have
lived these thirty years and more"
said the old woman, "and it is here l
should like to die"
"Well, my dear Bett, and why not9
Though surely you are not thinking
of dying for this many a day. What
should l do without you"
ooh, you'll do very we'll If she
comes to manage. You'll soon for
get that poor old Bett ever existed"
A grave expression came over Sir
Miles face, and he asked her rather
sternly--for him-what she meant.
"The Mistress" she replied, still
%sobbing, "when you've COTTON a mis-
tress like that, you won't want me;
l~eastways, you won't have me-"
Sir Miles was thoroughly mystifed,
though Of course he thought she was
abiding to Miss Delane since to win
her was his sole desire. The diff
culties which lay in the way made
him very testy and inclined to quar-
rel with the old woman for lnterfer-
Ing.
81 have been very lenient to you
and allowed you to have your own
way III most things" he said angrily,
"but ] do not know that l gave you
permission to lecture me on my pri-
vate affairs"
"There's no one else to do 1t, Sir
Miles. Your good father and mother
are in their graves. What should
they think to see a hussy like that
set up in her l~adyship's placer"
"Bett, you are forgetting yourself;
be silent or we shall quarrel. OF
course l know that the day you are
thrust from your position here by my
wife will be a hard one, but as l am
not even engaged to be married, l do
not know why you should treat me
to this jealous outbreak now"
SIT is not jealousy, Sir Miles, be-
lieve me, it is not jealousy. 1t would
be the happiest day of my life to see
you married to a nice young lady
like Miss Delane, for example-but
that mink! forgive me, I can't call
her anything else"
The cloud lifted from Sir Miles,
brow and he burst out laughing.
"You have got hold of some in
comprehensive story, my good Bett.
Who is the mink? for do not
know"
"Isn't it Lisbeth Glendinning, Sir
Miles, as all the folks about says you
are sweetheartin' with.n
ga hundred thousand times no.
Such a thought has never entered
my head or hers. Why, she is the
grand daughter of my fathers bailiff.
l simply take an interest in her on
that account. What little money
she has, too, passes through my
hands,"
Bett sat down on a chair close by
and cried Justify, but they were tears
Of joy.
"Oh! Pm SO glad-so relieved"
che sobbed, "If you would only bring
a good mistress to the old place, a
lady worthy of you, Master Miles,
like Miss Delane--"