u and I both know that you cannot last the session."

"It is a positive luxury at times," Redford answered, "to be able to
indulge in absolute candour. We cannot last the session. You pulled us
through our last tight corner, but we shall part, I suppose, on the New
Tenement Bill, and then we shall come a cropper."

Mannering nodded.

"The Opposition," he said, "are not strong enough to form a Government
alone. And I do not think that a one-man Cabinet would be popular. It
has been suggested to me that at no time in political history have the
conditions been more favourable for a really strong coalition Government,
containing men of moderate views on both sides. I am anxious to know
whether you would be willing to join such a combination."

"Under whom?" Lord Redford asked.

"Under myself," Mannering answered, gravely. "Don't think me
over-presumptuous. The matter has been very carefully thought out. You
could not serve under Rushleigh, nor could he serve under you. But you
could both be invaluable members of a Cabinet of which I was the nominal
head. I do not wish to entrap you into consent, however, without your
fully understanding this: a modified, and to a certain extent an
experimental, scheme of tariff reform would be part of our programme."

"You wish for a reply," Lord Redford said, "only in general terms?"

"Only in general terms, of course," Mannering assented.

"Then you may take it," Lord Redford said, "that I should be proud to
become a member of such a Government. Anything would be better than a
fourth-party administration with Imperialism on the brain and rank
Protection on their programme. They might do mischief which it would take
centuries to undo."

"We understand one another, Lord Redford," Mannering said, simply. "I am
very much obliged to you. This is my turning."

Mannering, when he found himself alone in his study, drew a little sigh
of relief. He flung himself into an easy-chair, and sat with his hands
pressed against his temples. The events of the day, from the morning at
Sandringham to his recent conversation with Lord Redford, were certainly
of sufficiently exciting a nature to provide him with food for thought.
And yet his mind was full of one thing only, this chance meeting with
Berenice. It was wonderful to him that she should have changed so little.
He himself felt that the last two years were equal to a decade, that
events on the other side of that line with which his life was r