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20 "His family are some expense to him now. It costs something to keep four boys and girls at school in Adelaide. But are you not pleased about the tutor, Mr. Staunton?"

"Staunton?" said Mrs. Hammond. "I thought you wrote the name Stratton."

"Not Stratton; I wrote the name as plain as possible. It is a remarkably fine name—Gerald Staunton. You ought to be able to read my handwriting by this time."

"Gerald Staunton!" echoed the lady, "Gerald Staunton!"

"Yes, the author. You may have heard of him, as you are more bookishly inclined than I am."

"I really think, George, that you have been much too hasty in this matter. You ought to have consulted me before you definitely arranged to have not only one person, but two additional persons as inmates of my house."

"I have always engaged the tutors hitherto, Clarissa."

"Yes; but what torments they have been; and this is a double risk. Does this Mr. Staunton know anything about teaching?"

"There's his degree; there's no mistake about that."

"His degree will not make him a good tutor,