Then Cragg was conscious of imprudence. He had not meant to let slip this intention. When one lives with argumentative people, the less said about one's intentions the better, and Cragg had by this time learnt as much. Mrs. Cragg sat at the other end of the table, in a loose gown which could not be described as clean, while her hair was twisted up and still in curling-pins. The effect was not becoming. She jerked up her head, and said: "I should think you'd wasted time enough already over those Dales. How much do you suppose that house cost you to build?" Cragg intimated that all the bills were not in yet. "And how much do you imagine you'll ever make by it?" "A good deal less than nothing, I'm afraid." "And that's what you call 'business,' I suppose?" "I call it one of the mistakes which the best of business men may make, once in a way. Nobody thought of any old mine being thereabouts." "Somebody ought to have thought of it." "I don't know who would. The old verger fancies now that he can remember hearing of one which was closed nearly seventy years ago, but he had forgotten all about it—till this happened." "If you had taken the trouble to make proper inquiries before building, he would have remembered, fast enough. That's just your way of doing things." Cragg was silent. He knew it would be useless to reply, that, when no idea of a possible mine is entertained, people do not go about asking after one. "And now you'll be for ever croaking about expenses, I suppose; saying you can't afford this, and don't mean to afford that." The opportunity was not allowed to slip. "I think it will be needful to draw in a little, there's no doubt," her husband said mildly. "You can draw in as much as you like. Nobody minds if you do." "It will be needful for us both, my dear; not for one only. I can't go on at this rate." Mrs. Cragg wanted to know what rate he meant. Mr. Cragg, being a kindly and placid man, found it difficult to state point-blank that his wife's bills were too heavy. He knew it must come to that, but for the moment he temporised. "The present rate," he explained. "Business hasn't been good lately, and we are spending too much—a lot too much—all round." "I s'pose you mean to say I'm spending too much, Mr. Cragg?" Cragg did mean it, and he was silent. Mrs. Cragg held her head high, but curling-pins are not dignified. She also grew very red, and Dot, gazing with curious eyes, remarked,—"Ma-ma angly." "The way you encourage that child's impertinence!" "My dear, she does not understand. She is but a babe. I do not wish to vex you, but it is as well that you should know my means to be— not unlimited. I have had some heavy losses this year, and here is another. Unless we draw in a little now, I may by-and-by find my head under water. I think you should manage to fix upon a definite sum for your clothes and for housekeeping, and keep to it. That is what I have wanted to say for some time past."