MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 7 



three days to get this bone out of the ground," he said, but 

 all the same he felt the satisfaction of a genuine sportsman 

 as he held up his face in the direction where the sky was 

 supposed to be, and allowed the particles of moisture to fall 

 upon it. 



In the sacred precincts of his smoking-room he lit a pipe, 

 sat down at his table and wrote ; he read his manuscript, 

 erased words and sentences, made additions, and finally 

 having brought the matter to a satisfactory conclusion, 

 leaned back in his chair and chuckled. 



Presently he rose, unlocked a drawer, taking from it a 

 document ; his face was grim as he read the superscription : 

 "The last Will and Testament of Hugo Badsworth, of 

 Cranston Lodge, etc.". 



Not that Hugo Badsworth had any personal objection to 

 his Will ; he had often seen it since it was signed, and on 

 more than one occasion had added a codicil ; but there is 

 something sobering in the sight of the final disposition of 

 one's property, a sense of the coming time when one shall 

 lay down the reins of government for aye. 



Mr. Badsworth copied his manuscript upon the original 

 document, read it carefully, and rang the bell. 



" Is Hibbert near at hand ? " he asked the butler who 

 appeared. Hibbert was the stud-groom. " Tell him I want 

 him to come and witness my signature with you," he added 

 upon receiving an answer in the affirmative. 



The master signed, the two servants witnessed the signa- 

 ture, and the former added the date. 



Hugo Badsworth had done something unusual ; he had 

 made more or less of a joke in his last Will and Testament. 

 He was aware of the fact, and in consequence his smile was 

 grim. The drawback which had occurred to him before 

 remained, he would not be there to see. He fortified himself 

 with the belief that his action would do good, that certain old 

 scores which were owing to those around him would be paid 

 off, and that after his death some might be found to appre- 

 ciate and regret him (this latter he did not care much about). 



