"What's that?" asked Mr. Drummond, pricking up his ears.
"Your son can tell you," said Walter.
"What does this mean, Joshua?" demanded his father, sternly.
"It's a lie," said Joshua, unblushingly.
"Have you bought no lottery tickets?"
"No."
"Can you prove this charge which you have made against my son?" asked Mr. Drummond, turning to Walter.
"I can, but I am sorry to do so. I picked up this letter a day or two since, and intended to give it back to Joshua, but it escaped my mind. I would not have exposed him if he had not tried to charge me with theft."
He placed in Mr. Drummond's hands the letter already given, announcing to Joshua that he had drawn a blank.
Mr. Drummond read it with no little anger, for he detested lotteries.