, _I_ am not the person to be growled at; _I_
wasn't eighteen when I married you; that's to say, ha--ha--ha!--that's
funny,--" and the brisk little woman, who had a sense of humour, laughed
heartily. "You don't see? It sounded as if I were younger still,--well,
never mind. You have had a horrid day, I know; comfort your poor
soul,"--and with the words the wearied man was gently pushed down into
his own armchair, that roomy bed of luxury into which he nightly sank
when the labours of the day were over. When late like this, he had dined
elsewhere, where and when he could.

And next the mistress of the house cast around her eagle eye. She was a
born housewife, and particular about all her domain, but woe betide the
servant who scamped her work in this room. Mary Craig had what might be
called a convincing demeanour when she chose.

And she had not had a moment to run in and see that all was right on the
present occasion; and the night was dark and chill, and her husband
later than usual, having been far afield on his rounds,--it was just
like Eliza to be careless--but Eliza had not been careless.

All was as it should be; a pleasant warmth was diffused throughout the
whole snug apartment by a fire which had been lit in time, and was now a
mass of glowing coals; the hearth glittered, the curtains were properly
drawn, the lamp properly trimmed, and books and papers neatly piled upon
the various tables. She had not even to fetch the favourite pipe of the
moment, as it and a couple of matchboxes lay handy at the doctor's
elbow.

"Eliza's conception of her part," nodded Eliza's mistress, pleasantly
familiar with current quotations. "As she forgot a matchbox yesterday,
she puts two to-day."

"And that with a fire big enough to roast an ox!" grunted the doctor,
scornfully ignoring the extra contribution, and tearing off a strip from
the envelope in his hand. "Wasteful hussy--like all the rest of you;"
but when he had lit up, and thrown the burning end of paper into the
fender, where it was suffered to expire without a motion on his wife's
part, he leaned back and his hand stole along the arm of the chair till
it found quite naturally another hand, and a round, warm cheek, a dear
little cheek, lay presently upon both. For a few minutes neither spoke
again.

Then Mary looked up. "Very tired to-night, Humpty?"

Oh, if the patients who thought such worlds of their grim, overbearing
Scotch doctor, and the nurses who trembled b