296 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



though the view may not meet with approval from you, 

 auntie, you couldn't be anything but a lady however hard 

 you tried." 



" I see what you mean, Lavvy," Miss Badsworth replied 

 thoughtfully, " but still I think when women strike out a line 

 for themselves they are often misjudged." 



" Isn't the ' line of their own ' often a copy of a bad model, 

 auntie ? Doesn't the copyist frequently act on the supposi- 

 tion that she has discovered something which nobody else 

 knew before, whereas to men it has been a matter of course 

 from boyhood ? " 



Miss Badsworth sighed as she looked up at the portrait of 

 her late brother and then regarded Miss Spook's examination 

 paper. 



*' There was certainly more in what your uncle said than 

 I thought at the time. This uncertainty worries me, 

 Lavvy." 



Miss Lavvy reached over and stroked her aunt's hand 

 as she said : — 



" Only three more clear weeks, only six or seven hunting 

 days if the weather is open." 



'' Yes ; but what will happen then ? " 



" It's rather awkward, because I am bound to hunt the 

 hounds till the end of the month, and dad thinks if Ned 

 Barlow had a bye-day or two it might complicate matters. 

 He will have to take his chance, but no doubt he will do very 

 well." 



" I wasn't thinking of that," Miss Badsworth remarked. 



" I suppose I shall have to accept Victor's offer," Miss 

 Lavvy said, looking demurely at the table, and her aunt's 

 eyes turned quickly to her. What they saw I don't know, 

 but she smiled as she replied, " I suppose you will have 

 to". 



Lavvy felt the necessity of a diversion. 



** Those gilded negative monograms will come in for all 

 these people, auntie, and with our experience of Mrs. Dickin- 

 son before us, I should suggest you offer to mount ' The 



