I30 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



herself covered with confusion, take care there was no one 

 else there to see it. 



" I suppose, auntie, I may order such things as are ne- 

 cessary," she said at breakfast the morning after their arrival 

 in London. 



Miss Badsworth who was occupied in the fruitless en- 

 deavour to arrange her plans so as to be in more places than 

 one at the same time, replied : — 



** To be sure, my dear ; but if you would come with me 

 this afternoon I think you would be interested. I fear I 

 must leave you to your own devices this morning. If you 

 meet me at Verrey's in Regent Street at one, we can have 

 some lunch and go on from there." 



A partially dismantled house is not alluring, so Lavvy 

 determined to get over the tailoring ordeal as quickly as 

 possible. Being ignorant of London she signalled a hansom 

 and gave Messrs. Lappel & Stock's address to the cabman. 



Fortunately for her, Miss Lavinia Badsworth had plenty 

 of courage, the more nervous she felt the less she showed it. 

 If her heart was bumping about, as though it were dancing 

 a breakdown on its own account, and her lips felt unaccount- 

 ably dr}^ there was no outward sign of trepidation in the 

 quiet and dignified young lady who, clad in an undeniable 

 black costume, with a large hat to match, walked composedly 

 into Messrs. Lappel & Stock's shop. 



Mr. Lappel, who stepped forward to meet her with a 

 courteous, reverential bow, was rather a shock. 



Lavvy could not help contrasting him with the little 

 tailor in Tordon, who was always in his shirt-sleeves, and 

 wore a tape measure over his shoulder as though it were the 

 chain of office of a mayor. 



Mr. Lappel's dress was faultless ; his frock-coat sat 

 wrinkleless upon him ; his black satin scarf, relieved by a 

 single pearl pin, was folded with mathematical precision. 

 Notwithstanding his long neck and consequently high collar, 

 there was a paternal air about him which gave the impres- 

 sion that at any moment he might pronounce a benediction 



