54 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



with the various bequests. " £to,ooo to my brother, Charles 

 Badsworth, £3,000 to my nephew, Victor Bickersdyke," and 

 so on through a long list of retainers and domestics, accord- 

 ing to length of service. 



Mr. Bailey made a pause before he said : — 



" A clause follows here which makes provision for keeping 

 up the hounds ; the Will is dated 25th June, three years 

 ago, but unfortunately (I speak of course my own opinion 

 only) the late Mr. Badsworth added a codicil on 13th Feb- 

 ruary of this year which alters matters materially. 



*' Miss Lavinia Badsworth, according to the original docu- 

 ment, is the residuary legatee ; hounds, horses, pictures, 

 plate, furniture, and, in fact, the whole estate is bequeathed 

 to her." 



Mr. Bailey took off his spectacles, wiped them, replaced 

 them on his nose, and looked helplessly round as if he had 

 been on the scaffold and was listening for the hoof strokes 

 of the galloping horse conveying his reprieve. All eyes 

 were fixed upon the ground save those of Victor Bickers- 

 dyke, and they afforded the man of law neither comfort nor 

 support. 



"This codicil, which I will now read to you, is duly exe- 

 cuted, and dated 13th February, 190 — ; and I may state that 

 on nth February Mr. Badsworth called upon me at my office 

 in London, and appeared to be in perfect health both in body 

 and mind ; I just mention the fact, as the codicil is peculiar. 



" * I, Hugo Badsworth, of Cranston Lodge in the county 

 of Dumpshire, do declare this to be a codicil of my Will, 

 dated 25th June, 18 — . I hereby cancel everything relating 

 to the provision for maintenance of hounds, horses, servants 

 and all matters concerning the upkeeping of the Cranston 

 Hunt as mentioned in my Will of 25th June, 18 — . 



" ' I will and bequeath the hounds and horses, together 

 with the residue of my estate, as set forth in the above- 

 mentioned Will, to my sister Lavinia Badsworth for her sole 

 use, and to be at her disposal, provided : — 



" ' First. — That the estate and farm be kept up and per- 



