274 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



never saw a woman so put out in my life ; I verily believe 

 she would have separated his body and soul with her hunting 

 whip. I trust he has cleared out for he will have the whole 

 country about his ears, and naturally you are supposed to 

 have aided and abetted him as he is only what you might 

 call a strolling player, but Hart held his tongue about you 

 personally." 



Victor had come to ride the high horse, but he had diffi- 

 culty in sitting on him. 



" I knew nothing about it, and care less. I have only just 

 heard from Majendie what has occurred." 



" Oh ! / don't doubt it, Bickersdyke ; the other folk are 

 the people to be reckoned with. It's all over the place that 

 Majendie is subsidised by you, or says he is, and that will be 

 a hard matter to get over with angry people." 



" Never mind, Morgan, I didn't come to talk about that; 

 the provisions of my uncle's Will have not been carried out. 

 What are you going to do ? " 



" As yet I have only your word for it," Morgan replied 

 slowly. "The assertion is being made before me for the 

 first time, and consequently I should like you to explain 

 more fully." 



" Surely it was plainly set down that Miss Badsworth 

 was to hunt the hounds for one calendar month, viz., the 

 month of November ? " 



" I think you are making a mistake," Morgan said. 



" Mistake ! How can I make a mistake when the words 

 are set down in black and white ? " He dived his hand into 

 his pocket and produced a copy of the Will. 



Jack Morgan took no notice beyond unlocking a drawer, 

 and, after turning over some papers, producing a copy in his 

 turn which he slowly unfolded and laid on the table before 

 him. After pretending to read the document and wondering 

 all the time how any godfather and godmother could have 

 named a child Lavinia, he looked up and asked, ''Well, Mr. 

 Bickersdyke, what is it ? " 



" What is it ? " Victor queried in his turn. " November 



