ONLY THE MAEE 



When one opens a suspicious-looking envelope and 

 finds something about " Mr Shopley's respectful com- 

 pliments " on the inside of the flap, the chances are 

 that Mr Shopley is hungering for what we have 

 Ovid's authority for terming hTitamenta malorum. 

 Not wishing to have my appetite for breakfast spoiled, 

 I did not pursue my researches into a communica- 

 tion of this sort which was amongst my letters on a 

 certain morning in November ; but turned over the 

 pile until the familiar caligraphy of Bertie Peyton 

 caught my eye : for Bertie was Nellie's brother, and 

 Nellie Peyton, it had been decided, would shortly 

 cease to be Nellie Peyton ; a transformation for 

 which I was the person chiefly responsible. Bertie's 

 communication was therefore seized with avidity. 

 It ran as follows : — 



" The Lodge, Holmesdale. 



" My dear Charlie, 



" I sincerely hope that you have no important 

 engagements just at present, as I want you down 

 here most particularly. 



134 



