MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 237 



a happy knack of being on the spot. Twice she incurred 

 the displeasure of the field and yet took home an additional 

 laurel for her crown. On each occasion she had a beaten fox 

 before her which took refuge in a covert, and on each occa- 

 sion, after slow twisting work, hounds came merrily away. 

 Whether Joe Summers quoted from Peter Beckford or from 

 his own experience matters not ; he had been careful to ex- 

 plain to his pupil that when certain hounds had been at the 

 head of affairs during a run, and the pack came away from 

 a covert with a different lot in front and an improved scent, 

 it was tolerabl}^ certain they had changed foxes. 



The field grumbled when Lavvy stopped the pack and got 

 back to the covert, but each time she had the luck to pick up 

 her fox. 



'' They chopped a fresh fox," Captain Majendie asserted 

 the first time, sufficiently loudly for Lavvy to hear above the 

 baying of hounds. 



She set the dead fox up on four stiff legs and said "Just 

 so " over her shoulder, whereupon a laugh went round at 

 the Captain's expense. 



The opening meet was fixed for Casselton, as it had been 

 for many a year, and Lady Flora Parkfield gave a dinner 

 party the previous evening. 



There was much speculation as to whether Miss Bads- 

 worth herself would carry the horn on the following day in 

 accordance with the provisions of Hugo Badsworth's Will, 

 and there was much disappointment amongst the invited 

 guests when they found that Miss Badsworth and her 

 brother arrived unaccompanied by what they had begun to 

 speak of as " the wonderful girl ". Why they had come to 

 the conclusion that her present occupation would unfit her 

 for the social circle did not appear, for few had seen her in 

 private life ; but some people require no reason for their 

 prejudices. 



" She's one of the nicest girls I ever met," Lady Flora re- 

 marked with decision, in reply to a pumping question on the 

 part of the Duchess. " I'm glad to say she often comes to 



