"Yes, perfectly. In fact, I wonder we hadn't thought of it
ourselves. In the old home, you know, the dinner-hour was six
o'clock, while here it is half-past six."

"What has that got to do with it?" asked Thaddeus.

"How obtuse of you, Teddy!" exclaimed Bessie. "Don't you see, the
poor old thing has been so used to six-o'clock dinners that she has
everything ready for us at six? And if we are half an hour late, of
course things get cold; or if they are kept in the oven, as was the
case with the beef last night, they are apt to be overdone?"

"Why, of course. Ha! Ha! Wonder I didn't think of that," laughed
Thaddeus, though his mirth did seem a little forced. "But--she's--
she's going to change, I suppose?"

"She said she'd try," Bessie replied. "She was really so very nice
about it, I hadn't the heart to scold her."

"I'm glad," was all Thaddeus said, and during the rest of the meal
he was silent. Once or twice he seemed on the verge of saying
something, but apparently changed his mind.

"Are you tired to-night, dear?" said Bessie, as the dessert was
served.

"No. Why?" said Thaddeus, shortly.

"Oh, nothing. I thought you seemed a little so," Bessie answered.
"You mustn't work too hard down-town."