234 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



worse ; there's money, too, over yonder," nodding in the 

 direction of Cranston. " Then I'll go myself," he added, 

 as his son contemplated a pair of patent leather slippers and 

 said nothing. 



Whether it was Lavvy's easy manner, or the recollection 

 of "them gates," that influenced Mr. Tucker, matters not. 

 At dinner that evening he delivered an eulogistic address to 

 his family on the subject. For a moment during the after- 

 noon when he realised that the last gate was badly damaged 

 his anger was rekindled ; he got caught in the rain which 

 came on suddenly and was much ruffled ; but a note from 

 Miss Badsworth received later regretting that damage had 

 been accidentally done and requesting that any expenses of 

 repairs should be forwarded to her, put him in good-humour 

 once more ; he made a careful estimate for the gate and 

 broken lock, folded it up and placed it in an envelope and 

 regarded it with a satisfied air ; he smoked a cigar and looked 

 at it, then he turned it over and turned it back again so that 

 the superscription lay uppermost, finally he grunted, tore it 

 up and wrote a note to Miss Badsworth to say that the 

 damage was trifling and of no consequence. 



"The little lady jumped 'em, I saw her do it," he mut- 

 tered, " She's a nice gal to my thinking, and Edwin's a 

 fool if he doesn't look in there." Then he went to dress for 

 dinner. 



" How was she dressed, Edwin ? " the eldest Miss Tucker 

 asked when her father had retired to smoke his post-prandial 

 cigar and the rest of the family lingered over coffee. 



"Just like a man — velvet cap, red coat, white breeches and 

 top-boots. I expect she's pretty lively." 



*' How disgusting," said Mrs. Tucker. 



" To give the devil his due, somehow she didn't look odd, 

 mater. The governor dressed her down in his best style, 

 thinking she was a man, and somehow found his mistake and 

 was all treacle ; he says he is going to buy another horse." 



*' And he's offered a thousand pounds to Prue or me when 

 we ride over one of those white gates," Miss Tucker said. 



