"The men demand, roughly, an increase of 1d. a ton."--_Daily
Chronicle._

Perhaps if they asked politely they might get it.

* * * * *

SILVER LININGS.

"We want some more coal," said Celia suddenly at breakfast.

"Sorry," I said, engrossed in my paper, and I passed her the marmalade.

"More coal," she repeated.

I pushed across the toast.

Celia sighed and held up her hand.

"Please may I speak to you a moment?" she said, trying to snap her
fingers. "Good; I've caught his eye. "We want----"

"I'm awfully sorry. What is it?"

"We want some more coal. Never mind this once whether INMAN beat HOBBS
or not. Just help me."

"Celia, you've been reading the paper," I said in surprise. "I thought
you only read the _feuill_--the serial story. How did you know INMAN was
playing HOBBS?"

"Well, POULTON or CARPENTIER or whoever it is. Look here, we're out of
coal. What shall I do?"

"That's easy. Order some more. What do you do when you're out of
nutmegs?"

"It depends if the nutmeg-porters are striking."

"Striking! Good heavens, I never thought about that." I glanced hastily
down the headlines of my paper. "Celia, this is serious. I shall have to
think about this seriously. Will you order a fire in the library? I
shall retire to the library and think this over."

"You can retire to the library, but you can't have a fire there. There's
only just enough for the kitchen for two days."

"Then come and chaperon me in the kitchen. Don't leave me alone with
Jane. You and I and Jane will assemble round the oven and discuss the
matter. B-r-r-r. It's cold."

"Not the kitchen. I'll assemble with you round the electric light
somewhere. Come on."

We went into the library and rallied round a wax vesta. It was a
terribly cold morning.

"I can't think like this," I said, after fifteen seconds' reflection.
"I'm going to the office. There's a fire there, anyway."

"You wouldn't like a nice secretary," said Celia timidly, "or an
office-girl, or somebody to lick the stamps?"

"I should never do any work if you came," I said, looking at her
thoughtfully. "Do come."

"No, I shall be all right. I've got shopping to do this morning, and I'm
going out to lunch, and I can pay some calls afterwards."

"Right. And you might find out what other people are doing, the people
you call on. And--er--if you _should_ be left alone in the drawing-room
a moment ... and the coal-box is at all adjac