56 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



Mr. Bailey looked round at Miss Badsworth as the prin- 

 cipal person concerned, and she promptly replied, ** Certainly, 

 by all means ". Whereupon Joe's hand went up and back 

 once more, and he remained standing whilst the lawyer 

 read. 



Mr. Bailey looked at the old man's face when he came to 

 the end just to see if he was satisfied. The face was in- 

 scrutable, till with one more glance at the portrait, Summers 

 said, in a low voice, but with much intent : — 



''Well, I'm damned; might just so well be sent to look 

 for a fox in Hyde Park." 



It must have been Charles Badsworth who chuckled 

 audibly. 



The butler threw open the door seeing that the meeting 

 was ended, and the housekeeper whispered as she passed, 

 '* How could you, Mr. Summers ? " to which remark there 

 was no reply. When a little later the stud-groom seemed 

 inclined to open a debate, all the answer he got was, " I 

 make no comments". 



