MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 6i 



whom Mr. Badsworth employed in local matters declares 

 that nothing of the sort has passed through his hands, and 

 Bailey, of course, says the same." 



** Well, then, Lavinia, there is nothing else left but for 

 you to comply with that confounded codicil, or forfeit the 

 whole thing except your ten thousand pounds." 



" I'm afraid the latter will be the only course open to me. 

 I might manage the estate and the farm ; but the hounds, 

 Charles ! " 



" Yes, I know, there's the rub, and that's what makes me 

 say that Hugo was as mad as mad can be. It wasn't that 

 Hugo knew nothing about it, he knew all that was worth 

 knowing ; his hounds are as near perfection as breeding and 

 care can make them ; he was aware that hunting doesn't 

 grow on a tree like gooseberries, and yet he — God bless my 

 soul, he rmist have been mad ! " 



*' But he wasn't, Charles, I'm convinced of it; and if he 

 had been, the difficulty would still remain," Miss Badsworth 

 said piteously. 



'* I can only see two courses : one, you must become a 

 confirmed invalid, and get some specialist to send you 

 abroad, or you must go through with the thing. You can't 

 possibly let that drunken fellow — I'm sorry to say it of a 

 kinsman of ours, and I have talked to him like a father — 

 you can't let him play ducks and drakes with the estate." 

 Charles Badsworth presented his ultimatum and resumed 

 his walk. 



" No," his sister replied, " not if I can help it, but I can 

 no more pose as a sham invalid than I can manage and hunt 

 the hounds." 



Jack Morgan sat as a silent listener whilst the brother and 

 sister looked at the case in all its bearings. 



" You'd be robbed all round, no doubt, Lavinia," Charles 

 said, returning to the subject after an excursion. " Horses, 

 forage, meal ; horseflesh would be up in price no doubt in 

 more senses than one. Kennel huntsman, stud-groom, hunt 

 servants, to say nothing of bailiff and labourers, would have 



