found a letter. This was the letter--

Messrs. J. K. Shearne (father of T. B. A. Shearne) and P. W. Shearne
(brother of same) beg to acknowledge receipt of Mr. C. F. Spencer's
esteemed communication of yesterday's date, and in reply desire to
inform Mr. Spencer of their hearty approval of his attentions to
Mr. T. B. A. Shearne's wind. It is their opinion that the above,
a nice boy but inclined to cheek, badly needs treatment on these
lines occasionally. They therefore beg to return the postal order,
together with another for a like sum, and trust that this will meet
with Mr. Spencer's approval.

(Signed) _J. K. Shearne,_
_P. W. Shearne._
Two enclosures.

"Of course, what's up really," said Spencer to himself, after reading
this, "is that the whole family's jolly well cracked."

His eye fell on the postal orders.

"Still----!" he said.

That evening he entertained Phipps and Thomas B. A. Shearne lavishly
at tea.




A CORNER IN LINES