CHAPTER XXVIII. 



As Jack Morgan wended his way to Newnton with the reins 

 on his horse's neck he pondered many things with which 

 Miss Lavinia Badsworth, the younger, was concerned. As 

 a sportsman he could not help a feeling of pride at the 

 success of his little ally. He knew that there were very few 

 men who, placed in the same position, would have kept their 

 heads and carried out what were no doubt Joe Summers' 

 instructions as the girl had done. There had been no sign 

 of swagger or self-consciousness about her ; she had con- 

 centrated herself upon what she had to do, and had done it ; 

 but all the same Jack would have welcomed what he called 

 " a bust up of the whole show," if only it would have liber- 

 ated Lavvy from her share of responsibility. *' She'll meet 

 with some accident or get some bad tumbles for a certainty, 

 though there is more judgment than recklessness in the way 

 she goes," he thought. 



Just then Captain Majendie rode up alongside him. 



" Not a bad morning for the first," he said. 



" No, never saw a better," Jack replied. 



*' A good bit of luck, you know." 



" Was there ? Where or when ? " 



" Well, having a scent, you know." 



" I suppose that does help. Anything else ? " 



" That holloa, for instance, between Clinkern and the 

 spinney ; you might have bet your hat the fox had gone on." 



'' I didn't hear one, and if there was one, Miss Badsworth 

 took no notice of it." 



Majendie had too high an opinion of himself to observe 

 that Jack's remarks had an aggressive tone in them. 



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