Her face brightened as Toomey turned the corner and promptly lengthened when she saw that he was empty-handed and walking with the exaggerated swagger which she was coming to recognize as a sign of failure.
A glimpse of his face as he came in, banged the door, and flung off his hat and coat made her hesitate to speak.
“Well?” he glared at her. “Why don’t you say something?”
“What is there to say, Jap?” meekly. “I see he refused you.”
“Refused me? He insulted me!”
Mrs. Toomey looked hurt.
“What did he say, Jap?”
“He offered me fifteen dollars a week to clerk.”
Toomey resented fiercely the pleased and hopeful expression on his wife’s face, and added:
“I suppose you’d like to see me cutting calico and fishing salt pork out of the brine?”