"Stamps!" he replied, calmly holding out his hand.

"Well, really--" I expostulated.

"Oh, halfpenny ones will do. You're surely not so mean as to mind
tenpence, are you?"

"I don't think I'm mean, but--"

"Hand them over then, and don't waste so much time talking," said the
little man impatiently, and so, just to get rid of him, I gave him the
stamps and sat down to my letters again.

I had hardly begun when he came back.

"Don't you take any other newspapers than these?" he demanded, showing
me a handful.

"No, I don't, and I think it's rather extravagant of me to have
those," I replied.

"Well, then, how do you suppose that I am going to manage? I want at
least five other papers, and it's _most_ important that I should have
them."

"You might buy them," I suggested.

"They are so dear," he grumbled.

"Well, why don't you go to the Public Library then?" I suggested. "You
know where it is, and you could see all of the papers there, you
know."

"Ah, a capital idea," he said, putting on his hat and going out.

"Now," I thought, "I shall have peace at last."

I was not left undisturbed long though, for a few minutes later Mrs.
Putchy came to the door.

"Oh, please, sir, will you go down? Mr. Doctor-in-Law is having such a
bother with the postman."

I hurried out, and found the little man very angry indeed.

"This postman won't give me a letter," he cried when he saw me.

"Perhaps he hasn't one for you," I answered.

"But I saw him giving them away all down the street for nothing,"
persisted the Doctor-in-Law. "And when I asked him in a civil way for
one, he refused to give it to me. It's no use for him to say he hasn't
one, when he has a whole packet in his hand now, and a lot more in
his bag, no doubt. Are you going to give me a letter or not?" he
continued, turning to the postman.

[Illustration: "ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE ME A LETTER OR NOT?"]

"No, sir," continued the man, smiling. "I haven't any for you."

"Very well, then," said the Doctor-in-Law decidedly, "I shall
certainly write to the Queen and tell her that if she employs you any
longer I shall take all my custom away, and I shall not send the
twenty letters, that I intended writing to-day, off at all."

I endeavoured to explain to the little man that the postman could not
possibly give him a letter if he had not one addressed to him.

"Oh, that's all nonsense," he exclaimed, going off in a huff. "Of
course you would take his part