MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 247 



It was a well-known fact that according to custom 

 Casselton Ashbed, a mile away from Casselton itself, would 

 be the first covert drawn. Later in the season it was almost 

 a sure find, but when the leaves of the ash trees lay in semi- 

 green heaps after the first sharp frost or two, it was more 

 than doubtful, but then Heyleaze was close by. 



Alf Diccox, equally according to custom, walked round 

 early to ** see how things was," as he put it. Twice he had 

 been delayed by little business matters with two small 

 farmers en routes so that he was somewhat late and dis- 

 inclined to pause when he arrived at the Ashbed, for Lady 

 Flora Parkfield's hospitality extended to the rank and file of 

 the spectators, and withal, as we know, the home-brewed ale 

 was of the best. 



To his astonishment, though he showed no sign, on the 

 road immediately beneath the covert, he met Bill Hart coming 

 in the opposite direction to that in which Casselton lay. That 

 in itself was suspicious, and raised Alfs curiosity in view of 

 the above-named hospitality ; moreover. Bill had evidently 

 fortified himself already against the labours of the day. 



''Mornin', Bill," said one. " Mornin', Alf," said the 

 other. As a rule. Bill was as talkative as Alf was reticent ; 

 on this occasion he passed on as if anxious to avoid criticism, 

 whereat Alf wondered the more. He rarely asked questions 

 but he liked finding things out. 



There was a contrast between the two, for Bill Hart was 

 a long, leggy scarecrow of a man, whose good times in this 

 life had never been able to overcome the bad times of a semi- 

 vagrant existence. Bill Hart was one who could work and 

 work well, but he always knocked off when possessed of 

 funds sufficient to enable him "to go on the drink," after 

 which bout he began again. 



A few steps farther on Alf Diccox was conscious of a 

 slightly pungent odour ; it brought back to his memory the 

 time when " the children had them bad coughs ". " Aniseed ; 

 p'r'aps it was medicine Bill was taking somewhere, p'r'aps it 

 wasn't." 



