ability when he returned home that night. As for
Thaddeus, he spoke his mind very plainly--to Liscomb. Bessie never
knew what he said, nor did any of the servants; but he said it to
Liscomb, and, as Liscomb remarked later, he seemed like somebody
else altogether while speaking, he was so fierce and determined
about it all. That night a telegram came from Liscomb, saying that
he had been unexpectedly delayed, and that, as there were several
matters requiring his attention at his own home, he thought he would
not be up again until Sunday.

Bessie was relieved, and Thaddeus was mad.

"We MUST have those rules," he said.

And so they were brought out. Ellen received them with stolid
indifference; Jane with indignation, if the slamming of doors in
various parts of the house that day betokened anything. Norah
accepted them without a murmur. It made no difference to Norah on
what day she swept the parlor, nor did she seem to care very much
because her "days at home" were shifted, so that her day out was
Friday instead of Thursday.

"Has Ellen said anything about the rules, my dear?" asked Thaddeus,
a week or two later.

"Not a word," returned Bessie.

"Has she 'looked' anything?"

"Volumes," Bessie answered.

"Does she take exception to any of them?"

"No," said Bessie, "and I've discovered why, too. She hasn't read
them."

Thaddeus was silent for a minute. Then he said, quite firmly for
him, "She must read them."

"MUST is a strong word, Teddy," Bessie replied, "particularly since
Ellen can't read."

"Then you ought to read them to her."

"That's what I think," Bessie answered, amiably. "I'm going to do
it very soon--day after to-morrow, I guess."

"What has Jane said?" asked Thaddeus, biting his lip.

Bessie colored. Jane had expressed herself with considerable force,
and Bessie had been a little afraid to tell Thaddeus what she had
said and done.

"Oh, nothing much," she answered. "She--she said she'd never worn
caps like a common servant, and wasn't going to begin now; and then
she didn't like having to clean the silver on Saturday afternoons,
because the silver-powder got into her finger-nails; and that really
is too bad, Teddy, because Saturday night is the night her friends
come to call, and silver-powder is awfully hard to get out of your
nails, you know; and, of course, a girl wants to appear neat and
clean when she has callers."

"Of course," said Thaddeus. "And I judge by the app