infants were a nuisance; no one
desired their coming, and the older they grew the more expensive they
were.

It was a cold evening of October; Pennyloaf had allowed the fire to get
very low (she knew not exactly where the next supply of coals was to
come from), and her husband growled as he made a vain endeavour to warm
his hands.

'Why haven't you got tea ready?' he asked,

'I couldn't be sure as you was comin', Bob; how could I? But I'll soon
get the kettle boilin'.'

'Couldn't be sure as I was coming? Why, I've been back every night this
week--except two or three.'

It was Thursday, but Bob meant nothing jocose.

'Look here!' he continued, fixing a surly eye upon her. 'What do you
mean by complaining about me to people? Just mind your own business.
When was that girl Jane Snowdon here last?'

'Yesterday, Bob.'

'I thought as much, Did she give you anything?' Ho made this inquiry in
rather a shamefaced way.

'No, she didn't.'

'Well, I tell you what it is. I'm not going to have her coming about
the place, so understand that. When she comes next, you'll just tell
her she needn't come again.'

Pennyloaf looked at him with dismay. For the delivery of this command
Bob had seated himself on the corner of the table and crossed his arms.
But for the touch of black-guardism in his appearance, Bob would have
been a very good-looking fellow; his face was healthy, by no means
commonplace in its mould, and had the peculiar vividness which
indicates ability--so impressive, because so rarely seen, in men of his
level. Unfortunately his hair was cropped all but to the scalp, in the
fashionable manner; it was greased, too, and curled up on one side of
his forehead with a peculiarly offensive perkishness. Poor Pennyloaf
was in a great degree responsible for the ills of her married life; not
only did she believe Bob to be the handsomest man who walked the earth
but in her weakness she could not refrain from telling him as much. At
the present moment he was intensely self-conscious; with Pennyloaf's
eye upon him, he posed for effect. The idea of forbidding future
intercourse with Jane had come to him quite suddenly; it was by no
means his intention to make his order permanent, for Jane had now and
then brought little presents which were useful, but just now he felt a
satisfaction in asserting authority. Jane should understand that he
regarded her censure of him with high displeasure.

'You don't mean that, Bob?' murmur