n those days, so that monotony became the
order of the day, and the colonel inquired ironically if he were living
in the Bush, since he was put on a diet of tinned food. Peggy peaked
miserable brows, and said she never had seen such a stupid little
village! She did her best. Only this very day she had left an
enthralling story to cycle miles and miles to buy fish and meat, had
suffered tortures _en route_ from the heat and dust, and behold the
shops were closed! It always _was_ Thursday afternoon somehow. She
could not think how it occurred. But the colonel was not so easily
appeased. His moustache bristled and his eyes flashed with the steel-
like glance which always came when he was annoyed.

"Excuses!" he thundered. "Idle excuses! It is your own fault for
forgetting what it is your business to remember, and it only adds to the
offence to shield yourself by blaming others. Fine thing this, to be
starved in my own house by my own daughter! I'd better sell up at once
and go and live in a club. If you were a practical, well-regulated
young woman, as you ought to be, you would put business first, and make
no more of these stupid blunders!"

"But I _should_ be so uninteresting! Practical people who never make
mistakes are such dreary bores. Novelty is the spice of life, father
dear, and if you would only regard it in the right light, even a bad
dinner is a blessing in disguise. It does so help one to appreciate a
good one when it comes! At least you must acknowledge that there is no
monotony in my method!"

But for once the colonel refused to smile, and when he had marched out
of the room, Mrs Saville took advantage of the occasion to speak one of
those rare words of admonition which were all-powerful in her daughter's
ear.

"Don't worry your father, Peg darling!" she said. "It doesn't matter
for ourselves when we are alone, for we don't care what we eat, but men
are different. They like comfortable meals, and it is only right that
they should have them. Give a little thought to your work, and try to
arrange things more equally, so that we shall not have a feast one night
and a fast the next. Little careless ways like these are more annoying
to a man's temper than more serious offences. It is difficult for you,
I know, dearie, but I won't offer to release you from the
responsibility, for it will be valuable experience. Some day you will
have a house of your own and a husband to consider."

Peggy