you, and I believe you will prove to
be the right man in the right place."

CHAPTER XII.

A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.

There was one person who was much vexed that he could not have a hand
in the late doings. This was Roberts, the butler, who still was far
from well, and not allowed out except in the garden on dry days.

But he talked a good deal with the housekeeper; and one day, after one
of these talks, she went to Mr. Burnet and said, "If you have no
objection, sir, I should like to ask Mrs. Mitchell and Juliet to take
tea with me some afternoon."

"By all means," replied Mr. Burnet. "You can give them some of your
scones, Mrs. Johnson, and some of your new strawberry jam."

Accordingly a day was fixed for Mrs. Mitchell and Juliet to drink tea
at Bourne House. They arrived at four o'clock, neatly dressed, and
were taken by Mrs. Johnson into her own little room.

"You see," explained the housekeeper, "I am what is called
cook-housekeeper; I do the cooking and manage the house. Then there is
Mary the housemaid, under my orders; she is out this afternoon, so
you won't see her. And there is the butler, who is not under my
orders; and you won't see him, because he has his meals in his room,
being still an invalid. I daresay your Juliet will take his tea up to
him."

"Oh, yes, I will," cried Juliet. "He has been very kind to me."

"So have a good many people," said Mrs. Johnson. "Now, here you are.
You'll find him in the first room on the right-hand side, at the top
of the first flight of stairs."

As soon as Juliet had started with the tray on which Roberts's tea was
arranged, Mrs. Johnson went on talking to Mrs. Mitchell.

"The house is not all furnished yet, and Roberts is not in the room
which is really to be his. There are three reception rooms, a lovely
drawing-room opening into the conservatory, good dining-room, and
small study. Eight bed-rooms: Mr. Burnet's, Mr. Leonard's, the
butler's, the housemaid's, mine, and there will be three spare rooms;
so I suppose Mr. Burnet means to have a good deal of staying company."

"Eight bed-rooms!" repeated Mrs. Mitchell; "and only one housemaid for
all of them! Why, however will she keep them all?"

"You may well ask that," said the housekeeper in a peculiar tone.
"I'll show you over the house by and by, and you shall judge for
yourself how Mary will manage it."

Juliet now returned.

"Well, how does he seem?"

"He seems pretty well," said Juliet; "and