132 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



linen aprons worn to keep the buckskin breeches unsoiled 

 before hunting. These are patterns of the pantaloons worn 

 with the patent skirt. Lady Sophy Macmire, a very parti- 

 cular lady to fit, is responsible for these ; they are, in fact, 

 an adaptation of the gentlemen's hunting breeches which 

 we make a speciality. You mentioned the late Mr. Bads- 

 worth of Cranston, a great sportsman and a customer of ours 

 for many years." Here Mr. Lappel gave vent to a well- 

 constructed and sympathetic obituary notice, during which 

 Lavvy occasionally bent her head in acknowledgment of 

 tributes to her uncle, whilst she contemplated the pantaloons 

 with a feeling of satisfaction that whatever other people did, 

 she could do. With true female inconsequence she took a 

 dislike to Lady Sophy Macmire, principally because Mr. 

 Lappel spoke of her as a shining light; at all events she 

 felt satisfaction in the thought that she was going one 

 better. 



" I presume," she said, " you have some record of the late 

 Mr. Hugo Badsworth's hunting things." 



" Of every detail, madam ; also of the hunt servants'. Mr. 

 Badsworth was one of the few gentlemen who put his ser- 

 vants into leathers. Our Mr. Blunt went to Cranston every 

 season to take the measurements. Mr. Badsworth was 

 particular, very particular, madam." 



"Well" — Lavvy's voice was a little unsteady — "I wish 

 to be turned out exactly like him." 



The only sign which Mr. Lappel gave was the taking one 

 step backwards ; he recovered himself in a moment, and his 

 previous position at the same time. He prided himself in 

 displaying no sense of surprise, but there is a limit to most 

 things, and never in the experience of thirty years had such 

 an order been given by a lady customer. Had Lavvy in- 

 formed him that she required the uniform of the First Life 

 Guards, helmet, cuirass, jack-boots and all, he would not 

 have been hit harder. So he cleared his throat before he 

 said : — 



" Exactly, madam, just so." 



