70 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



couldn't remember the figure he had carried) by his being 

 voted to the chair. It went against the grain with Major 

 Creswell to make a proposition which he felt should have 

 been made by some one else in his favour. 



Sir Gregory rose with some hesitation both in speech and 

 manner. 



** Gentlemen, I " 



" And ladies," put in Lady Flora, with a hand to one ear, 

 though she was only slightly deaf. 



" Gentlemen and ladies, I — er — regret the sad circum- 

 stance which has brought us together " 



" Postcards ; I hate and detest postcards for all the ser- 

 vants to read," Lady Flora remarked in what she supposed 

 was sotto voce. 



" I should say, necessitated our meeting to-day. For 

 twenty-five years we have — er — been indebted to our — er 

 — lamented friend " 



" It's twenty-seven," said Lady Flora, fixing the speaker 

 with a pair of tortoise-shell mounted glasses on a nine-inch 

 handle. 



" Twenty-seven — I — er — thought it was twenty-five. Our 

 good friend, who, as I may say — er — died in harness " 



" Saddle, surely," suggested her ladyship. 



'' I understand from the — ah — remarkable provisions of 

 his — er — Will, the management of the hounds and country 

 are " 



" Is," from Lady Flora. 



" Is vested in his — er — sister. Lady " 



" Miss," corrected her ladyship. 



" I should say Miss Lavinia Badsworth." 



*' She's Miss Badsworth ; I know all the ins and outs of 

 the family," said Lady Flora, and Sir Gregory began to 

 writhe. 



"Well — er — the question is — ah — what are we to do ? " 



Sir Gregory looked round as a swimmer gazes for the last 

 time at the blue sky when he feels the exhaustion which he 

 knows means death, and sank into his chair. 



