It may therefore be inferred that when John began to settle up accounts, and look into financial matters, they seemed to him not to be going exactly in the most promising way.

He thought he would give Lillie a little practical insight into his business,—­show her exactly what his income was, and make some estimates of his expenses, just that she might have some little idea how things were going.

So John, with great care, prepared a nice little account-book, prefaced by a table of figures, showing the income of the Spindlewood property, and the income of his law business, and his income from other sources.  Against this, he placed the necessary out-goes of his business, and showed what balance might be left.  Then he showed what had hitherto been spent for various benevolent purposes connected with the schools and his establishments at Spindlewood.  He showed what had been the bills for the refitting of the house, and what were now the running current expenses of the family.

He hoped that he had made all these so plain and simple, that Lillie might easily be made to understand them, and that thus some clear financial boundaries might appear in her mind.  Then he seized a favorable hour, and produced his book.

“Lillie,” he said, “I want to make you understand a little about our expenditures and income.”

“Oh, dreadful, John! don’t, pray!  I never had any head for things of that kind.”

“But, Lillie, please let me show you,” persisted John.  “I’ve made it just as simple as can be.”

[Illustration:  “I never had the least head for figures.”]

“O John! now—­I just—­can’t—­there now!  Don’t bring that book now; it’ll just make me low-spirited and cross.  I never had the least head for figures; mamma always said so; and if there is any thing that seems to me perfectly dreadful, it is accounts.  I don’t think it’s any of a woman’s business—­it’s all man’s work, and men have got to see to it.  Now, please don’t,” she added, coming to him coaxingly, and putting her arm round his neck.

“But, you see, Lillie,” John persevered, in a pleading tone,—­“you see, all these alterations that have been made in the house have involved very serious expenses; and then, too, we are living at a very different rate of expense from what we ever lived before”—­

“There it is, John!  Now, you oughtn’t to reproach me with it; for you know it was your own idea.  I didn’t want the alterations made; but you would insist on it.  I didn’t think it was best; but you would have them.”

“But, Lillie, it was all because you wanted them.”

“Well, I dare say; but I shouldn’t have wanted them if I thought it was going to bring in all this bother and trouble, and make me have to look over old accounts, and all such things.  I’d rather never have had any thing!” And here Lillie began to cry.

“Come, now, my darling, do be a sensible woman, and not act like a baby.”