MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 5 



keen, the streets slippery, no signs of a thaw. Perhaps this 

 was why his usual serenity was ruffled. 



" Daresay she would get through my work or half of it ! 

 Hold up, this brute will be down in another minute " — as the 

 hansom-cab horse made a clever recovery. " A pack of 

 hounds, to hunt them twice a week in all weathers, magis- 

 trates' meeting, county work, Board of Guardians, a farm 

 and, what's more, a bailiff — (he's down ; no he isn't ; well 

 saved ; a clever little nag) — to look after, by Jove, I'd like to 

 see her do it ; she would learn something if it was only to 

 throw over her fads. A good sort at heart Lavinia, but 

 woman's rights and rational dress, and — by Jove, ten miles 

 home in pouring rain would wash that rubbish out of her; 

 I wish it would rain cats and dogs now — ah, that settles it, 

 lucky I sat well back." 



The cab horse was down, the doors had flown open, and 

 there was nothing left for Hugo Badsworth but to finish the 

 journey to his club on foot. 



In the smoking-room of the club his sister's arguments 

 and a certain air of superiority kept recurring to him — they 

 pursued him even more vigorously as he walked home to his 

 hotel with a modicum of raw fog freezing to his close-cut 

 grey whiskers. 



" I wonder if women would learn if they were taught," he 

 said aloud just before he got into bed. 



An idea struck him, and he lay and chuckled as he medi- 

 tated on his scheme. *' The worst of it is, I shouldn't be 

 there to see," he thought. " However, with me gone there 

 would be no one to give her good advice ; these faddists 

 would have her at their mercy. Hum ! " 



Before his scheme had taken definite shape he fell asleep. 



Miss Lavinia Badsworth smiled in a superior manner 

 when her brother had left the room. It was quite clear to 

 her that Hugo, bristling with prejudices, was quite as in- 

 capable of looking on two sides of a question as the women he 

 had condemned, at least she thought it was quite clear ; but 

 notwithstanding a certain sense of satisfaction in the con- 



