68 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



things to her care he must have imagined her something 

 different from what she is ; she could no more hunt the 

 hounds than fly ; she is very nice but purely theoretical, 



" Now, the question is, what is to be done ? It would be 

 folly to let the estate go to Victor. (I'm sorry to say he is 

 rarely what one might call sober.) The codicil provides that 

 Lavinia Badsworth shall hunt the hounds one month from 

 the first of November. Will you help your aunt out of the 

 mess by taking on the job ? Think it over. I don't wish you 

 to do anything you object to. If you see your way send a wire. 



" Your affectionate father. 



"P.S. — We are lucky in having Mr. Morgan as sole 

 executor ; the more I see of him the more I like him, and, 

 of course, he knows the place and people." 



Miss Lavvy read the letter two or three times, especially 

 the postscript, then she put on a tweed cap, whistled " the 

 Reformer," and went out. Up amongst the gorse, where 

 the patches of heather formed the outposts of the moorland, 

 she sat down in the sunshine and thought. Then she took 

 out the letter and read it once more. 



The sun shone brightly in its April strength, and a soft 

 fresh breeze from the sea gently shook the curls upon her 

 forehead, pushed as they were slightly out of place by the 

 hand upon which her head was resting. 



There is no place like the open air to think in, and so she 

 sat and thought. 



" Dad wants me to do it, that is evident, though the dear 

 thinks he has left me to decide." 



She read the postscript again. " I should think Mr. 

 Morgan could be nice in an emergency," she said, and then 

 for a few minutes whistled softly. 



" Come on, Johnnie ! " she exclaimed presently, rising 

 with a spring to her feet, " we'll send the telegram," and 

 forthwith the two made a bee line for Tordon. 



That evening Charles Badsworth handed a yellow paper 

 to his sister. *' All right — anything to help — Lavvy." 



*' She's a good sort is Lavvy," was all he said. 



