MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 223 



that the niece has been exercising the hounds (we've only 

 just got back from Scotland). Mr. Collingbourne-Ducis' 

 agent met the hounds one morning and thought there were 

 three men with them till he heard afterwards that one was 

 Miss Badsworth's niece." 



'' It shows that there was nothing very odd about it," Jack 

 said, beating about in his mind for some means of changing 

 the conversation and avoiding a direct answer. 



" Boots and things and riding like a man not odd, Mr. 

 Morgan ! " Mrs. Tucker exclaimed. ** Really, what will 

 people do next ? " 



" I really can't imagine," Jack said, helping himself to 

 raised pie. " Lots of things happen to-day which would 

 have astonished our grandmothers, and still more things 

 occurred in their day which would have astonished us. They 

 called a spade a spade and weren't shocked ; we use it and 

 pretend to be horrified at the mere name of it. Don't 

 you think there is a great deal of humbug about, Mrs. 

 Tucker?" 



'' It entirely depends how you have been brought up/' Mrs. 

 Tucker replied with a British matron air. 



"You are right, no doubt," said Jack. 



" I 'ardly think a woman 'as the right to make a mounte- 

 bank of 'erself/' Mr. Tucker remarked with his mouth full ; 

 he always enjoyed feeding. 



*' Depends what you call a mountebank ; prejudice has a 

 deal to say in the matter, don't you think ? The first time 

 I saw a lady running after her horse with her safety skirt 

 careering away on the crutch of her saddle I thought it odd. 

 I don't now ; it seemed better than having your brains dashed 

 out against the floor." Jack laughed. '* As for the right it 

 would hardly be well to question it in these days." 



" I wonder Miss Badsworth at her age taking to such a 

 dress and riding in such a way," the Duchess said, " but, of 

 course, one sees from reports that she has leanings in that 

 direction." 



" Is she as old as good Queen Bess ? " asked Jack. " I 



