bread. A curious
delusion, miss, but it did not distress her, for she called herself one
of God's poor, and was persuaded He would take care of her. But it was
very distressing to those she belonged to. Twice she was lost. She
wandered away so far once that it was a month and over before we got her
back. She was found in Edinburgh. After that Mr. Frederick consented to
her being taken care of: he never would before."

"Oh, Mrs. Betts, don't tell me any more, or it will haunt me."

"Life's a sorrowful tale, miss, at best, unless we have love here and a
hope beyond."

CHAPTER XXVI.

_A MORNING AT BRENTWOOD_.

Brentwood was a comfortable house to stay in for visitors who never
wanted a moment's repose. Lady Angleby lived in the midst of her
guests--must have their interest, their sympathy in all her occupations,
and she was never without a press of work and correspondence. Bessie
Fairfax by noon next day felt herself weary without having done anything
but listen with folded hands to tedious dissertations on matters
political and social that had no interest for her. Since ten o'clock Mr.
Cecil Burleigh and Mr. Fairfax had withdrawn themselves, and were gone
into Norminster, and Miss Burleigh sat, a patient victim, with two dark
hollows under her eyes--bearing up with a smile while ready to sink
with fatigue. The gentlemen did not return to luncheon, but a caller
dropped in--a clergyman, Mr. Jones; and Miss Burleigh took the
opportunity of his entrance to vanish, making a sign to Miss Fairfax to
come too. They went into the garden, where they were met by a vivacious,
pretty old lady, Miss Hague, a former governess of Miss Burleigh, who
now acted as assistant secretary to Lady Angleby.

"Your enemy, Mr. Jones, is in the drawing-room with my aunt," Miss
Burleigh told her. "Quite by chance--he was not asked."

"Oh, let him stay. It is a study to see him amble about her ladyship
with the airs and graces of a favorite, and then to witness his
condescension to inferior persons like me," said Miss Hague. "I'll go to
your room, Mary, and take off my bonnet."

"Do, dear. We have only just escaped into the fresh air, and are making
the most of our liberty."

Miss Hague lodged within a stone's throw of Brentwood, and Lady Angleby
was good in bidding her go to luncheon whenever she felt disposed. She
was disposed as seldom as courtesy allowed, for, though very poor, she
was a gentlewoman of independent spirit, and her