CHAPTER XXI. 



It was the eve of the puppy show. All arrangements had 

 been made with a liberal hand. Jack Morgan supplied the 

 details, and Miss Badsworth and her niece duly carried them 

 out. 



Curiosity is a strong incentive, and curiosity, therefore, 

 influenced a variety of persons who, in the ordinary course 

 of events, would have displayed little interest in the proceed- 

 ings. To see a woman at the head of affairs was a novelty ; 

 Miss Badsworth would take the chair at the luncheon as a 

 matter of course. Hugo Badsworth had always done so, 

 and his successor would follow suit ; but it is just possible 

 that Lady Flora's announcement that she should make a 

 point of being present had as much to do with the numerous 

 acceptations as the exceptional character of the situation. 



Two huntsmen from celebrated packs and a neighbouring 

 M.F.H. consented to act as judges. 



Then came the thorn in the rose, or the flesh, or whatever 

 you like to call it. 



" Now, what is to be done about that ? " 



Miss Badsworth asked her niece the question as she 

 handed a letter across the breakfast table. 



Miss Lavvy read it, proceeding with her breakfast at the 

 same time (for she had been out for three hours' exercise 

 with the hounds already, but a feeling of soreness inside the 

 knees did not detract from her appetite), A slight curl of 

 the lip was the only perceptible change in her countenance 

 as she refolded the letter. 



" There is only one thing to be done, auntie," she said. 

 " Let her come ; you cannot very well help it as she says 



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