224 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



think, Duchess, if she has fairplay Miss Badsworth will 

 make a good master." 



The memory of Hugo Badsworth had to bear the com- 

 ments of the next quarter of an hour. Both Mr. Colling- 

 bourne-Ducis and Mr. Silas Tucker salved their consciences 

 with regard to their coverts by agreeing that hounds were bad 

 enough as a general rule, but with an inexperienced woman 

 to handle them they would hang about all day and do incal- 

 culable mischief. 



" But you haven't answered my question, Mr. Morgan, as 

 to who hunted the hounds." The Duchess suddenly remem- 

 bered that her curiosity had not been gratified. 



*' Miss Lavinia Badsworth, of course, she's bound to," 

 Jack replied. 



" Well, I really can't fancy it, from what I saw of her. 

 Can she ride ? " The Duchess had fallen into Jack's trap. 



" I fancy she can, but you should come out and see for 

 yourself." 



"I never like hunting in the middle of the night. Hunt- 

 ing suits me better when foxes have learnt to run." The 

 Duchess spoke with the air of one used to take a good place 

 and keep it. 



" We'd better be getting to work," her spouse said, light- 

 ing his cigar. " Come along." 



*' Well, how did you get on ? " Victor Bickersdyke asked, 

 when Captain Majendie dropped in to see him. Victor was 

 making a sketch of the view from the window, in which the 

 upper branches of two over-ripe elm trees had changed to a 

 yellow autumnal tint long before the lower foliage had shown 

 a sign of parting with its summer verdure. 



** Hum ! " Majendie ejaculated doubtfully. ''It's not going 

 to be as easy as I thought ; the girl is wonderfully smart for 

 a girl, and is rather difficult to get hold of." 



Victor looked up. "You mean Miss Lavinia ? " he asked 

 in a stand-off tone. 



" Of course," Majendie replied. " I only meant it's diffi- 



