MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 319 



a century. Lavvy noted the legacies were similar to those 

 contained in the former will with the exception that " my 

 niece, Lavinia Badsworth," was on a par this time with " my 

 nephew, Victor Bickersdyke ". 



The girl's hand shook a little as she kissed the signature. 



"Dear old dad!" she said at length. " How we have 

 abused poor Uncle Hugo." 



The next thing was to examine the drawer. There was a 

 catch on one side, near the end, and a little research revealed 

 a small knob in the framework of the chair. There was also 

 a lock, but the key was inside the drawer. Any one seated 

 in the chair could reach down and press the knob, that is to 

 say, if they happened to know where it was situated. It is 

 needless to say Lavvy experimented with the empty drawer 

 before she replaced the books and Will exactly as she had 

 found them, taking the precaution of locking the drawer. 



Having written a note to Jack Morgan bidding him come 

 over early, as it was important, though nothing was the 

 matter, and placed instructions on the slab in the passage 

 that it was to be sent when the horses were exercised, Lavvy 

 folded a rug, laid it on the seat of the chair, together with her 

 handkerchief, and instructed " the Reformer" to see that no 

 one touched it whilst she was absent. She could afford to 

 lie awake until morning now. As a matter of fact, Clara 

 Diccox, who brought the usual cup of tea at seven o'clock, had 

 to say " If you please, ma'am," three times before she could 

 convey the intelligence to hearing ears that she *' couldn't 

 think what was the matter with Jack, but he wouldn't let 

 Sarah" (the under housemaid) ''go near the oak chair in 

 the library". 



'' Oh, never mind ; tell her to leave it alone," Lavvy said. 

 And this Clara thought was odd also. 



*' It will be very difficult to get a really good hunt servant 

 so late in the season as this," Mr. Badsworth said at the 

 close of his breakfast. " I don't know what we shall do." 



" Beckford says a good first whip is more important than 



