They were all covered with mud--a regular mask of mud.

She wanted to rub the mud off, but he said that didn't matter: he was in a hurry to get away.
While she had them in her hands she turned them up and looked at the bottoms, intending to put them to the kitchen fire to dry them if the soles were wet, and it was then she noticed that there was a circular rubber heel on one which was missing on the other--only the iron peg being left.

She took particular notice of the peg, because she intended to hammer it down in the kitchen, thinking it must be very uncomfortable to walk on, but the young gentleman didn't give her the chance--he just took the boots from her and walked into his room, shutting the door behind him.
Thus far Ann proceeded, between convulsive sobs and jelly-like tremors of her fat frame.

By dint of further questioning, it was elicited from her that during this colloquy at the bedroom door the young gentleman had put a pound note into her hand, and told her to give it to her master in payment of his bill.

"It won't be so much as that, sir," she had said.