happy. Still, my happiness is
not unmixed when I think of leaving you."

"Hoots-toots, child, I'll do well enough. Jane will look after me, and
that nice little friend of yours, Catherine, will come and cheer me up
now and then. I shall have lots to do, too, this autumn, for I'm going
to have all the chintzes recalendered, and the carpets taken up and
darned in the weak places, and there are some sheets to be cut down the
middle and sewn up again. I won't have breathing-time, let alone
half-hours for fretting. So the thought of the old mother needn't
trouble you, my dearie dear. And the captain has promised to bring you
back as soon as ever he can get fresh leave, so I can look forward to
that, if I have a minute of time to look forward at all."

Beatrice smiled and kissed her mother.

"I don't think any one ever had a dearer mother than you are," she said,
"or a more unselfish one."

"Oh, now, my pet," replied the crafty old lady, "you know you'd change
me for Mrs. Bertram any day; she's so stylish, Bee, and so--so genteel,
darling. You know I never did aim at being genteel. I always
acknowledged that I was a step below your father and you."

"Hush! You were a step below no one. You stand on a pinnacle which no
other mother can reach, as far as I am concerned. Compare you with Mrs.
Bertram indeed!"

Here Beatrice tried to look scornful. The expression was so foreign to
her face that her mother absolutely laughed and chuckled. Of course, she
had meant Bee to say the kind of thing she had said; it was balm to the
old lady to hear such words from her beautiful child.

Up at the Manor now everything went smoothly. Mrs. Bertram was in
perfect health, and perfect spirits. The bustle of a coming wedding
excited and pleased the girls. There was that fuss about the place which
generally precedes an event of rejoicing. Such fuss was delicious to
Catherine and Mabel. Captain Bertram not only looked perfectly happy,
but all his best qualities appeared now on the surface. New springs of
feeling, depths hitherto untouched, had been awakened by Beatrice. She
had a power over this young man; she could arouse all the latent
nobility which he possessed. He thought he was very much in love with
her; he certainly did care for her, but more as his guardian-angel than
with the passionate love he might offer to a wife. He made all sorts of
good resolves when he was with Beatrice, and these resolves grew into
his face, and made it loo