2o8 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



opinion (based on the report of keepers who having sold 

 their masters' birds accounted for shortage by the hounds 

 coming early) that incalculable damage was done by routing 

 about the cubs. Some of these took heart of grace now 

 that Hugo was gone and his sister reigned in his stead. Of 

 such was Mr. Silas Tucker (the old horror, as Lavvy called 

 him), who, dissatisfied with the fact that his wife's prize 

 poultry had fallen victims to a two-legged thief (which an 

 inspection clearly proved), at once forbade the presence of 

 hounds in his coverts until after the middle of November. 



Mr. Silas Tucker was one of those people who, having 

 made a fortune in cement, sought late in life to become a 

 country magnate ; money could do most things, it could 

 amongst them provide any amount of birds to be shot at, 

 but all the same it could not purchase the love of sport in 

 its true sense, that innate sportsmanship which is beyond 

 the reach of coin of the realm. 



Mrs. Tucker had her trials and difficulties. Having sat 

 herself down on the chess-board of Society as a queen, she 

 found herself held in check by the Duchess (the dear Duchess, 

 she called her) of Glencoe, and her daughter, Lady Susan 

 Blueberry, who made use of her on occasion but at the same 

 time held her at arm's-length. 



The Duchess had married, secondly, Mr. Collingbourne- 

 Ducis, and there were times when in private, and bitterness 

 of spirit, Mrs. Tucker remarked to her two rather plain 

 daughters that the names coupled together " sounded most 

 improper ". The Duchess and Lady Susan hunted (Mr. 

 Collingbourne-Ducis only came out on occasion), con- 

 sequently it was deemed necessary that the Misses Tucker 

 should " 'unt " (as Silas put it) also. He gazed at the 

 ample proportions of his wife, and then considered his own 

 few equestrian attainments, so the family honour in the 

 field had to be upheld by his son, Edwin (at Cambridge, 

 in vain trying to take a degree by means of spending 

 money), and his daughters, Lucy and Prudence. 



Mr. Collingbourne-Ducis wrote to Miss Badsworth to say 



