"S.P."
This letter infuriated George, so much so that George the younger, observing strange symptoms on his father's face, and strange sounds issuing from his father's mouth, stopped eating in order to give the whole of his attention to them.
"Champagne! What's he driving at?" exclaimed George, glaring at Mary as though it was Mary who had written the letter.
"I expect he's been reading that paper," said Mary.
"Do you mean to say," George asked scornfully, "that your uncle reads a rag like that? I thought all his lot looked down on worldliness."
"So they do," said Mary. "But somehow they like reading about it. I believe uncle has read it every week for twenty years."
"Well, why didn't you tell me?"
"The other morning?"
"Yes."
"Oh, I didn't want to worry you. What good would it have done?"