MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 315 



when trees overhung ; then she thought of the horseman 

 who had inquired about her, and, on the chance, blew her 

 horn once more. A hail came out of the distance, followed 

 shortly by the sound of a horse trotting on the road. 



" Hold hard ! " Lavvy cried, as the sound drew near, and 

 a voice from the darkness shouted " Hurrah ! Are you all 

 right ? " 



Reaction must have overcome conventionalities, for the 

 reply was : — 



" Yes, Jack ; but I never was so pleased to meet any one 

 before. I'm deadly tired of walking." 



" Then get on this nag and tell me all about it." 



" Don't touch me, I'm all fox and mud." 



" Are you hurt or anything ? " 



" No." 



"Then nothing else matters; up you go," and Lavvy 

 found herself in the saddle. 



"Phew! What's that?" Jack exclaimed as something 

 clammy touched his face. 



" It's this horrid mask. I have slung it on my whip. 

 I'm so sorry." 



" Poor little girl ! You've had a rough time for your last 

 day, at least I hope it's the last," Jack said, when Lavvy 

 had sketched her adventures. 



" You didn't sign the petition." 



"No." 



" I felt rather hurt." 



" Did you ? What are you going to do ? " 



There was a little pause before Lavvy replied. 



" I cannot go on if the request is not unanimous." 



It was wonderful how Jack Morgan managed to find the 

 girl's hand in the dark before he gave his reasons. He 

 always declares that he never enjoyed a seven-mile walk so 

 much in his life, though he wore top-boots and was wet 

 through. Certainly Lavvy forgot to blow her horn as fre- 

 quently as she should have done considering that other 

 searchers were out. 



