32 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



rously bedecked with a multitude of narrow pleats is a strong 

 contrast to a weather-worn green jacket, and a black satin 

 skirt, well cut and fitted, wipes out the very existence of its 

 grey fellow scarred with more than one effort of the darner's 

 skill ; but after all it matters little if the wearer be the same, 

 either will do on occasion. Such might have been the sum 

 total of Jack Morgan's thoughts had he had time to unravel 

 them from a tangle of surprise ; but there was no time, for 

 the Squire said : — 



*' Come along, then " (apparently referring to the dinner 

 bell) ; " take Lavvy, Mr. Morgan." 



And so, in the cosy dining-room with its oak furniture, its 

 simply arranged table, its sporting prints, and the portrait of 

 the Squire's dead wife looking down with a sweet smile from 

 its place of honour over the fireplace, the three sat down, 

 and the Fates, busy with woof and web, wove on as though 

 but a few hours before they had not severed the thread of a 

 fourth and changed the pattern of their work. As he spread 

 his napkin Jack Morgan looked up at the portrait of the 

 Squire's dead wife, and then involuntarily glanced at Miss 

 Badsworth before he raised his eyes to the picture again. 

 The face was older, but the resemblance to the daughter was 

 remarkable. 



" You see it, Mr. Morgan, everybody does," the Squire 

 said in a voice in which pride and regret jostled one another. 

 " Like in more ways than one," he added. 



Miss Badsworth coloured ever so slightly ; she kissed her 

 hand to her father, and said : — 



" Dad wants something, I suppose; I wonder what it is." 



" Well, if you must know, child, I want to hear all about 

 Dumpshire, and Cranston in particular. You don't come in 

 at all." 



He glanced at the portrait, nevertheless, ere he turned to 

 Jack, and prepared to assist his narration by numerous ques- 

 tions. 



" Fancy your knowing Hugo as well as that," he said 

 when the parlour-maid had finally left the room. *' It's an 



