ar-seeing to contract a marriage with a Fordyce. This
Petherton, by name Edward, lived at Kirkby Lonsdale, and his
wife, Emily Jane Fordyce, at Dent, in the same district.

I haven't a family tree by me, but know the late-lamented
Emily Jane by name. She was part of the issue of one Henry
Fordyce, who is in the direct line, absolutely non-stop,
without changing, from the earliest known Fordyce to myself.

What a field for speculation is here opened up! With your
scientific bent you will grasp the possibilities of the
hereditary influence of my family on yours, supposing Edward
Petherton to be a direct ancestor of your own. To me the
unexpected result of my researches will give an added interest
to our correspondence, and I await with eagerness your views
as to the value and interest of my discovery.

Your kinsman,

HENRY J. FORDYCE.

Petherton cried "Touche" at once, and lunged at me in accordance with
my plan of campaign.

SIR (he spluttered),--As a very busy man I must protest
against your attempt to distract my attention by writing to me
on a matter that is of no importance. That your discovery is
of a somewhat disconcerting nature I will not deny, but that
it is of any particular value or interest to me is hardly to
be expected, seeing that it relates to a by-gone century, and
any defects acquired by the Pethertons from such a union will,
I imagine, have been overcome by now.

The Fordyces were apparently a more attractive race in the
eighteenth than in the twentieth century. I can scarcely
imagine a present-day Petherton contracting such a
_mesalliance_.

A direct ancestor of mine, Edward Petherton, as I see by the
Family Bible in my possession, was born in 1699, married in
1728, and lived at Kirkby Lonsdale. His wife's name is not
stated, but I can the more readily believe that he is the
misguided individual to whom you refer, as he died in 1729, no
doubt as the result of his rash act. His son, Primus Postumus
Petherton, born, as his second name suggests, after his
father's death, carried on the line. Any possible virtues or
talents my family may possess are not, I am certain, from the
distaff side of this union.

Yours faithfully,

FREDERICK PETHERTON.

I made a thrust in tierce:--

DEAR COUSIN FRED,--What a mine of information you are! I