i6o MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



Banker set up his back and squib, thereby nearly bringing 

 about a dissolution of partnership. 



When Mrs. Dickinson had recovered herself, she was in 

 the centre of a procession, one red-coated man in front, one 

 following behind, and Miss Lavvy with a perfectly grave 

 face saying, " Let him have his head, he will go quite 

 smoothly ". 



Shortly the Banker resumed his customary business-like 

 demeanour, and his rider regained sufficient confidence to 

 look about her and envy the graceful ease of the rider on 

 her off side. 



"You don't mean to say the dogs have all got names ! " 

 she exclaimed, as the second whip admonished a loitering 

 hound. 



*' How else could you distinguish them any more than 

 you could human beings ? " Lavvy asked in reply. 



" But do they know their names? To me they all look 

 alike," Mrs. Dickinson said. 



" There is a good deal to learn in this world," Lavvy 

 replied drily, ** but even hounds learn some of it." 



Mrs. Dickinson pondered ; she was profoundly impressed. 

 Presently she said : — 



" It must cost a great deal of money to keep all these 

 dogs and horses, surely it would be much better spent " 



" On the abolition of the responsibility of parents ? " 

 Lavvy interrupted. *' Perhaps it would. Jog on, Ned." 



Poor Mrs. Dickinson ! Never had an incipient argument 

 on a favourite hobby been more assuredly cut off in its early 

 youth ! For full twenty minutes she bumped up and down 

 to the accompaniment of a slow jog-trot, breathless, and 

 eventually with a stitch in her side. 



Lavvy observed her out of the corner of one eye, and was 

 rather at two with herself for the feeling of intense satisfac- 

 tion which crept over her. 



" I must try and impress her with the fact that she doesn't 

 know everything, and has no right to lay down the law to 

 everyone else," she thought. 



