CHAPTER I.
IN WHICH THE READER IS MADE ACQUAINTED WITH A STATE OF INNOCENCE; AND THE MEANING OF THE WORD "CUMEELFO".
"Any news to-night ?" asked Admiral Buzza, leading a trump.
"Hush, my love," interposed his wife timidly, with a glance at the Vicar.

She liked to sit at her husband's left, and laid her small cards before him as so many tributes to his greatness.
"I will not hush, Emily.

I repeat, is there any news to-night ?" Miss Limpenny, his hostess and vis-a-vis, finding the Admiral's eye fierce upon her, coughed modestly and announced that twins had just arrived to the postmistress.

Her manner, as she said this, implied that, for aught she knew, they had come with the letters.
The Vicar took the trick and gathered it up in silence.

He was a portly, antique gentleman, with a fine taste for scandal in its proper place, but disliked conversation during a rubber.
"Twins, eh ?" growled the Admiral.