of his leisure was wasted at home. When people
looked at the sallow, smileless face of his wife they didn't blame him.

Sometimes, when a general sense of tension and anxiety betrayed his
presence somewhere in the great dreary house, and the master yet forbore
to descend for the early meal, he would rejoice the heart of his little
daughter by having her brought to his room to make tea and share his
breakfast.

On these occasions a sense of such unexpected surcease from care
prevailed in the dining-room as called for some celebration of the
holiday spirit. It found expression in the inclination of the two women
to linger over their coffee, embracing the only sure opportunity the day
offered for confidential exchange.

One of these occasions was the morning of Wark's warning, which,
however, Vida determined to say nothing about till she was obliged. She
had just handed up her cup for replenishing when the door opened, and,
to the surprise of the ladies, the master of the house appeared on the
threshold.

'Is--is anything the matter?' faltered his wife, half rising.

'Matter? Must something be the matter that I venture into my own
breakfast-room of a morning?'

'No, no. Only I thought, as Doris didn't come, you were breakfasting
upstairs, too.' No notice being taken of this, she at once set about
heating water, for no one expected Mr. Fox-Moore to drink tea made in
the kitchen.

'I thought,' said he, twitching an open newspaper off the table and
folding it up--'I thought I asked to be allowed the privilege of opening
my paper for myself.'

'Your _Times_ hasn't been touched,' said his wife, anxiously occupied
with the spirit-lamp.

He stopped in the act of thrusting the paper in his pocket and shook it.

'What do you call this?'

'That is my _Times_,' she said.

'_Your_ _Times_?'

'I ordered an extra copy, because you dislike so to have yours looked at
till you've finished with it.'

'Dreadful hardship _that_ is!' he said, glancing round, and seeing his
own particular paper neatly folded and lying still on the side table.

'It was no great hardship when you read it before night. When you don't,
it's rather long to wait.'

'To wait for what?'

'For the news of the day.'

'Don't you get the news of the day in the _Morning Post_?'

'I don't get such full Parliamentary reports nor the foreign
correspondence.'

'Good Lord! what next?'

'I think you must blame me,' said Vida, speaking for the first ti