no MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



asked presently. " As I said just now, I don't like it at all, 

 that part of it at least, but there is no other way that I can 

 see. It will be hard enough work without handicapping 

 myself with a skirt ; out of perversity it will probably pour 

 with rain every hunting day, and I cannot go home just 

 when I like." 



It suddenly dawned upon Miss Badsworth that her niece 

 was about to undergo a considerable amount of self-sacrifice, 

 and she found herself wondering what the country-side gener- 

 ally would say. Of course, according to all her theories, this 

 fact should not have entered into her calculations, it should 

 have been relegated to the back attic, labelled " prejudice," 

 but when it came to play the practical part of Balaam's 

 angel and stand in the way, there was nothing for it but to 

 recognise it as a fact. She looked at her niece, who avoided 

 scrutiny by providing Johnnie with bread and milk. People 

 who pride themselves upon reading character, which often 

 takes the form of failing to observe what exists and imagin- 

 ing that which does not, are frequently at a loss to recog- 

 nise straightforward honesty of purpose. To be considered 

 shrewd one has to suspect almost everything, which too 

 often results in the condemnation of the innocent and per- 

 mitting the offender to go scot free. One edges away from 

 the rough-looking coster in a crowd, and stands confidingly 

 beside the mild curate with the high all-round collar ; it is 

 not until the latter has picked one's pocket that one learns 

 that appearances of evil are often as unreliable as appear- 

 ances of good. 



" We must begin somewhere, Lavvy," Miss Badsworth 

 said, watching " the Reformer" execute various feats before 

 he received his food. 



"Just so, auntie." 



" I like to get the disagreeable done first, and I look upon 

 *^Jiose horrible kennels as the chief infliction ; we will go 

 down there." 



*' They constitute a necessary evil under the present con- 

 dition of things," Lavvy said, looking up with a smile. 



