placed there by his prudent, economical wife, not without an anxious
flutter at the heart, in anticipation of the scene that invariably
followed. He actually groaned as he read the sum total.

"There must be some mistake, Mary" he said, pushing back his plate,
with a desperate air: "it is _absolutely impossible_ for us to have
used all these things in one month!"

"The bills are correct, John," was the meek response; "I looked them
over myself."

"Then one thing is certain, provisions are either wasted, thrown out
the window, as it were, or stolen. Jane has relatives in the place,
and I haven't the least doubt but that she supports them out of what
she steals."

Mrs. Taggard's temper was evidently rising; there were two round
crimson spots upon her cheeks, and she tapped her foot nervously upon
the floor.

"I am neither wasteful, nor extravagant, John. And as for Jane, I know
her to be perfectly honest and trustworthy."

"It is evident that there is a leak somewhere, Mary; and it is your
duty as a wife, to find out where it is, and stop it. Our bills are
perfectly enormous; and if this sort of thing goes on much longer, I
shall be a bankrupt."

Mrs. Taggard remained silent, trying to choke down the indignant
feelings that struggled for utterance.