42 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



" Great Scott, you don't say so 1 How do you know ? " 



For answer she handed him the telegram. He threw his 

 cap into the air when he read it. 



" There's a chance for some of us now." 



'VVictor, you are a brute," Lavvy said viciously. " If 

 uncle ignored us during his life, why should he make any 

 difference at his death ? " 



" Oh, they often do ; make a sort of bargain with the 

 Almighty ; what they have isn't theirs, but that is no matter, 

 they treat it as if it were. Give me a drink, just for luck." 



Miss Badsworth looked disgustedly at him. 



'* Not a drop. I'm going indoors." 



" Not for a minute, Lavvy. This might make all the dif- 

 ference ; you and I could club up together. I've often thought 

 of it." 



'* Then don't think of it any more, let me go ! " as he took 

 her arm to detain her. 



" We used to be very good pals, Lavvy ! " 



" Perhaps we were, but that was long ago." 



"What's the odds; we should get on first rate if Uncle 

 Hugo has left us the needful. You'll marry me, won't you ? " 



Miss Badsworth's eyes flashed and she set her teeth. 

 " Never ! " she said, jerking her sleeve from his grasp. 

 " For all the gold of Ophir I wouldn't marry a drunkard — 

 there ! " 



'< But I'll " 



" Don't add another to the list," she interrupted. " You've 

 promised dad dozens of times. A man who hasn't the 

 moral strength to keep one promise will not keep another." 



She turned to enter the house. 



''Did you talk to that other chap like that?" he asked. 

 " I'll warrant you didn't; we shall see." 



She tossed her head as she ran up the two steps, angry 

 with herself because her face turned crimson. 



