3o6 MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 



very decisive in it, in fact it bore evidence of close affinity to 

 a certain learned judge's directions to the jury at the close 

 of his summing up : '* If, gentlemen, you agree that the boy 

 be the boy, then it is your duty to find the boy guilty ; but 

 if, on the other hand, it is your opinion that the boy be 

 not the boy, then you must give the boy the benefit of the 

 doubt ". 



" Victor pays and takes his choice," Charles Badsworth 

 said. (He had come up to make future arrangements.) 

 " Hugo was an ass, though he was my own brother." 



Miss Badsworth smiled as she remarked : — 



** I am not certain that he was, looking at the matter from 

 one point of view, at least." She handed the second docu- 

 ment to her brother. 



" Well done, Lavvy ! " that gentleman exclaimed. 



** What have I done now, dad ? I gather it is something 

 good." Lavvy had entered the room at the moment and 

 caught the words. 



Charles Badsworth looked at his daughter proudly after 

 receiving his matutinal kiss. 



" If you had only been a man, Lavvy ! " he said. 



" Oh, I am tired of hearing that, dad. Joe Summers has 

 said the same. Well, I am glad I am not, there ! I might 

 have got over head and ears in debt, taken to drink, married 

 a barm.aid, or done something towards breaking your heart." 



" You might — yes. Get on with your breakfast and hide 

 your blushes whilst I read this." 



The document was a very carefully worded request that if 

 she did not find it too great an inconvenience, or too much 

 of a tax on her «?trength, Miss Lavinia Badsworth would 

 consent to carry the horn and continue in an office in which 

 she had displayed such proficiency. About threescore names 

 were appended, with the Duchess's and Lady Flora Park- 

 field's at the head. 



" It's for auntie to appoint her hunt servants," the girl 

 said demurely. 



Miss Badsworth laughed. " It's all quite correct, my 



