MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 325 



grim joke. I am not quite sure whether Lavvy or Lady 

 Flora has impressed me the most. We always got on in 

 the old days, Charlie." 



" So we did ; we have missed a good deal of the middle 

 distance of our lives — I don't know why." 



" Nor I," Miss Badsworth said. 



It was Christmas Eve when Charles Badsworth and his 

 sister entertained the tenants and retainers in something of 

 old-time fashion. Lady Flora Parkfield, who was present, 

 insisted on proposing the health of Miss Lavinia Badsworth, 

 which she did in her own peculiar style, with many paren- 

 theses and deviations from the theme. Finally she called 

 on Jack Morgan to respond, and the enthusiasm waxed high. 



Jack had hardly resumed his seat before Joseph Summers, 

 clad in his red coat and with a near approach to a smile on 

 his face, passed behind the guests on one side of the table 

 until he reached Lavvy's chair. 



In a few words he said he had been deputed to ask Miss 

 Lavinia's acceptance of a " momentum " of the time when 

 she had carried the horn with so much credit to herself and 

 the Cranston Hounds. ** Those who lived saw strange things, 

 and if things hadn't happened as they had, those who had 

 seen them might have gone to their graves in ignorance 

 that such things could be." 



It was rather involved, perhaps, but Lavvy, who rose to 

 her feet with a flush of surprise and pleasure on her face, 

 knew that with the case which the old man offered her there 

 came a compliment which was the more valuable on account 

 of its rarity. 



A silver hunting horn bearing a suitable inscription re- 

 posed in that case upon ruby velvet. 



Lavvy's words of thanks, few though they were, were 

 received with rapturous cheers. 



** Might I make so bold as to ask you to blow it, ma'am ? " 

 Summers asked with the familiar upward sweep of his hand. 



Lavvy smiled at the request. 



