the pain of a right boot on a left foot, had not Norah unfortunately
chosen for that member a box-toed boot, while for the right she had
selected one with a very decided acute angle at its toe-end.

"Just like a woman!" ejaculated Thaddeus, angrily.

"Yes," returned Bessie, missing Thaddeus's point slightly. "It was
very thoughtful of Norah to look after John's work, knowing how
important it was to you."

Fortunately Thaddeus was out of breath trying to shine up the other
pointed-toe shoe, so that his only reply to this was a look, which
Bessie, absorbed as she was in putting the studs in Thaddeus's
shirt, did not see. If she had seen it, I doubt if she would have
been so entirely happy as the tender little song she was humming
softly to herself seemed to indicate that she was.

"Some people are born lucky!" growled Thaddeus, as he finished
rubbing up the left boot, giving it a satin finish which hardly
matched the luminous brilliance of its mate, though he said it would
do. "There's Bradley, now; he never has any domestic woes of this
sort, and he pays just half what we do for his servants."

"Oh, Mr. Bradley. I don't like him!" ejaculated Bessie. "You are
always talking about Mr. Bradley, as if he had an automaton for a
servant."

"No, I don't say he has an automaton," returned Thaddeus.
"Automatons don't often work, and Bradley's jewel does. Her name is
Mary, but Bradley always calls her his jewel."