called a hansom. The two men drove off together.

CHAPTER VIII

THE MANNERING MYSTERY

Borrowdean was curter than usual, even abrupt. The calm geniality of his
manner had departed. He spoke in short, terse sentences, and he had the
air of a man struggling to subdue a fit of perfectly reasonable and
justifiable anger. It was a carefully cultivated pose. He even refrained
from his customary cigarette.

"Look here, Mannering," he said, "there are times when a few plain words
are worth an hour's conversation. Will you have them from me?"

"Yes!"

"This thing was started six months ago, soon after those two
bye-elections in Yorkshire. Even the most despondent of us then saw that
the Government could scarcely last its time. We had a meeting and we
attempted to form on paper a trial cabinet. You know our weakness. We
have to try to form a National party out of a number of men who, although
they call themselves broadly Liberals, are as far apart as the very poles
of thought. It was as much as they could do to sit in the same room
together. From the opening of the meeting until its close, there was but
one subject upon which every one was unanimous. That was the absolute
necessity of getting you to come back to our aid."

"You flatter me," Mannering said, with fine irony.

"You yourself," Borrowdean continued, without heeding the interruption,
"encouraged us. From the first pronouncement of this wonderful new policy
you sprang into the arena. We were none of us ready. You were! It is true
that your weapon was the pen, but you reached a great public. The country
to-day considers you the champion of Free Trade."

"Pass on," Mannering interrupted, brusquely. "All this is wasted time!"

"A smaller meeting," Borrowdean continued, "was held with a view of
discussing the means whereby you could be persuaded to rejoin us. At that
meeting the Duchess of Lenchester was present."

Mannering, who had been pacing the room, stopped short. He grasped the
back of a chair, and turning round faced Borrowdean.

"Well?"

"You know what place the Duchess has held in the councils of our party
since the Duke's death," Borrowdean continued. "She has the political
instinct. If she were a man she would be a leader. All the great ladies
are on the other side, but the Duchess is more than equal to them all.
She entertains magnificently, and with tact. She never makes a mistake.
She is part and parcel of the Liberal Party. It was she