m, it was not so with my knowledge. I did
all I could to prevent it. I spoke against it whenever I opened my
mouth. I would not have given a shilling for a single vote, though it
would have got me the election."

"But they were not all that way, Sir Thomas;--was they?"

"How can I tell? No;--I know that they were not. I fear they were
not. I cannot say that money was given, but I fear it."

"You must go on now, Sir Thomas, any way," said Stemm with a groan
that was not reassuring.

"I wish I had never heard the name of Percycross," said Sir Thomas.

"I dare say," replied Stemm.

"I went there determined to keep my hands clean."

"When one puts one's hand into other people's business, they won't
come out clean," said the judicious Stemm. "But you must go on with
it now, any way, Sir Thomas."

"I don't know what I shall do," said the unhappy member.

On the next morning there came another application from Percycross.
The postmaster in that town had died suddenly, and the competitors
for the situation, which was worth about L150 per annum, were very
numerous. There was a certain Mr. O'Blather, only known in Percycross
as cousin to one Mrs. Givantake, the wife of a liberal solicitor in
the borough. Of Mr. O'Blather the worst that could be said was that
at the age of forty he had no income on which to support himself.
Mrs. Givantake was attached to her cousin, and Mr. Givantake had
become sensible of a burden. That the vacant office was just
the thing for him appeared at a glance to all his friends. Mrs.
Givantake, in her energy on the subject, expressed an opinion that
the whole Cabinet should be impeached if the just claims of Mr.
O'Blather were not conceded. But it was felt that the justice of
the claims would not prevail without personal interest. The liberal
party was in power, and application, hot and instant, was made to Mr.
Westmacott. Mr. Westmacott was happy enough to have his answer ready.
The Treasury had nothing to do with the matter. It was a Post Office
concern; and he, simply as the late liberal member, and last liberal
candidate for the borough, was not entitled to intrude, even in a
matter of patronage, upon the Postmaster-General, with whom he was
not acquainted. But Mr. Westmacott was malicious as well as secure.
He added a postscript to his letter, in which he said that he
believed the present sitting member, Sir Thomas Underwood, was
intimately acquainted with the noble lord who presided at t