I70 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



** It's a deuce of a job, you know." 



''Yes, I know it is ; please remember I didn't choose it." 



For nearly an hour the united knowledge, and perhaps 

 prejudice in some cases, of the judges was brought to bear, 

 and when the number of hounds was reduced to half a score, 

 there was much sucking of whip-handles. 



Lavvy took down the final decisions, nature of award, 

 name of person by whom the hound had been walked and 

 name of hound. With a feeling of satisfaction she wrote 

 Lady Flora Parkfield's name against Ferryman and Rector. 



It had not been the custom for many outside the limit of 

 those immediately concerned to attend the Cranston puppy 

 show. Farmers and some landowners, together with those 

 who had walked puppies, had been wont to drop in as certain 

 persons do at large sales, more for the sake of getting their 

 luncheon free rather than anything else. That function had 

 entered the progressive state since the days when Hugo 

 Badsworth first took up the reins of government. Rounds 

 of beef and the best October brewing had been supplemented 

 by cold salmon, elegant mayonnaise, and a variety of super- 

 numerary dishes, to which was added what some of the 

 guests still called " champaney wine". Curiosity on this 

 celebrated occasion, when Miss Badsworth would preside as 

 master, spread its tentacles far and wide ; it induced many 

 to run down to the country from town for the week-end. 

 Perhaps the pessimistic view which was taken by Major 

 Creswell of things in general, and champagne selected by a 

 woman in particular, may also have had its effect. At all 

 events when Miss Badsworth took the chair at one o'clock 

 the large marquee was well filled. 



At the hostess's request Jack Morgan had drawn up the 

 toast list, and though Miss Badsworth remonstrated on its 

 length, he assured her it was the sort of thing which people 

 in and about Cranston liked. Little slips of paper were dis- 

 tributed by Jack to those who would be flattered by the 

 attention, and the one or two who in the past imagined 

 themselves aggrieved, and who in all probability would de- 



