THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 183 



" Think so, my dear ? " and the tone was rather that of the 

 unbeHever. Sir Toodle had seen this fair bait nibbled at once 

 or twice before, but nothing had come of it, and ' hope 

 deferred,' etc. 



"I do. You see, he is a perfect idiot " 



" Yes, that's in our favour, certainly." 



" and must get a tremendous lot of money when the old 



man dies. You know, there's only one other child, and they 

 are pretty well sure to have it all divided between them; 

 perhaps the " 



" idiot," mildly suggested Sir Toodle. 



" young man will even get the larger share. In either 



case the father is sure to come down with a big allowance 

 on the boy's marriage. Terrible old couple, the mother and 

 father— you saw them at the Hunt Ball, you know ; still, 

 Luty is not quite so young as she was, and I think— I really 

 do think— it would be a very good thing for her." 



For truth to tell, Luty's combative spirit had always been 

 somewhat of an exhausting factor in the home tranquillity of 

 Catchem Court— she was, as her father used to say, ' a trifle 



wearing.' 



Sir Toodle said nothing as he bent forward over the mirror, 

 and carefully completed the tallowing of his nose. He had 

 caught cold on the drive home from the meet that day. Then, 

 blowing out the candle, he sententiously remarked— 



" At all events, my dear, it would be a very good thing 



for us ! " 



