MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 9S 



" I hardly know." 



" My dear Lavvy, what can your father have been think- 

 ing of? That is the worst of men; they are blind, blind 

 except when their own interests are immediately con- 

 cerned ; now I have only known you a few hours, but in 

 that time " 



Her speech was interrupted by a pair of strong soft arms 

 thrown suddenly round her neck. 



" Don't blame dad, auntie, you have made a mistake. 

 You asked if there was anything between Victor and me, 

 and I said there was ; well, I repeat it, there is a great deal 

 between us." 



There was a pause before the last word was whispered in 

 Miss Badsworth's ear — ** Whisky ! " 



Notwithstanding the relief she felt, Miss Badsworth was 

 sorely tempted to shake her niece till her teeth rattled, but 

 the arms still round her neck were firm and strong, so she 

 determined that discretion was superior to valour. 



" I am so glad," she said instead. 



" Do you know, auntie, I was desperately afraid of you as 

 measured by report. I expected all sorts of terrible things, 

 and instead of that you are the most lovable person, except 

 dad, that I ever met ; but we mustn't forget that we have to 

 stand up to our guns." 



For reply Miss Badsworth pinched her niece's cheek. She 

 didn't quite take in at first the meaning of the concluding 

 words, but she had a vague idea that her brother's daughter 

 had a determination as strong or stronger than her own. 

 Taken altogether it wao a comfort to find one upon whom 

 she could rely with confidence. 



Miss Lavvy, in a white wrapper bedecked with countless 

 tiny frills, leaned out of her window to have one more look 

 at the moon. For a few moments her thoughts were occu- 

 pied with her aunt, and they speedily came to the conclusion 

 that " advanced women " as a genus must be subdivided 

 into varying species. She had hoped to have had simply to 

 obey orders, but now she was doubtful. It followed that her 



