MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 205 



light-weight ; smart roan pony too. Perhaps Miss Bads- 

 worth is going to have a huntsman after all, but she'll forfeit 

 the place if she does. Don't understand it." 



Mrs. Creswell, who was evidently interested in a letter, 

 glanced up with a suspicious look at her spouse as he punctu- 

 ated his remarks with rapid mouthfuls, after the manner 

 of fussy people. She herself was a placid person, which 

 together with firmness of purpose (most of the money 

 belonged to her) probably accounted for the fact that the 

 Major was second in command at home. A glance showed 

 her that her husband, who prided himself on his perspicacity, 

 had as usual made a mistake. 



"/ saw the hounds go by on the road," she said. "I 

 didn't see the young man, George, but I saw Miss Bads- 

 worth's niece." 



" God bless my soul ! What ? " 



The Major put down his knife and fork and endeavoured 

 to eradicate with his napkin some poached egg which had 

 tried to assimilate itself with his moustache ; there was an 

 amount of ferocity in the action which proved his astonish- 

 ment. 



" Miss who ? A girl ? That ? Confound it, I'm not a 

 fool, Margaret." 



" Only mistaken, dear, that's all. You know you some- 

 times are." 



'< Well, I'm " 



** Hush ! You are not on parade, George." 



" And this is what we've come to, is it ? Will Miss Bads- 

 worth herself turn out like that ? " 



" I cannot tell you," his wife replied, preparing to resume 

 the perusal of her letter; "according to report Miss Bads- 

 worth holds curious views on the subject of dress." 



The Major grunted and ejaculated over reminiscences of 

 the well-set-up figure on the roan pony. It was not so much 

 the costume which affected his mental equilibrium as the 

 fact that he had been taken in. After consideration, and a 

 few minutes' silence, he exclaimed : — 



