Whereupon Mr. Neefit had shown his teeth and
growled;--but Polly, though she loved her father, and after a fashion
respected him, was not afraid of him; and now, when her mother left
her alone with Ontario, she was free enough of her conversation. "Oh,
Polly," he said, after a while, "you know why I'm here."

"Yes; I know," said Polly.

"I don't think you do care for that young gentleman."

"I'm not going to break my heart about him, Mr. Moggs."

"I'd try to be the death of him, if you did."

"That would be a right down tragedy, because then you'd be hung,--and
so there'd be an end of us all. I don't think I'd do that, Mr.
Moggs."

"Polly, I sometimes feel as though I didn't know what to do."

"Tell me the whole story of how you went on down at Percycross. I was
so anxious you should get in."

"Were you now?"

"Right down sick at heart about it;--that I was. Don't you think we
should all be proud to know a member of Parliament?"

"Oh; if that's all--"

"I shouldn't think anything of Mr. Newton for being in Parliament.
Whether he was in Parliament or out would be all the same. Of course
he's a friend, and we like him very well; but his being in Parliament
would be nothing. But if you were there--!"

"I don't know what's the difference," said Moggs despondently.

"Because you're one of us."

"Yes; I am," said Moggs, rising to his legs and preparing himself
for an oration on the rights of labour. "I thank my God that I am no
aristocrat." Then there came upon him a feeling that this was not a
time convenient for political fervour. "But, I'll tell you something,
Polly," he said, interrupting himself.

"Well;--tell me something, Mr. Moggs."

"I'd sooner have a kiss from you than be Prime Minister."

"Kisses mean so much, Mr. Moggs," said Polly.

"I mean them to mean much," said Ontario Moggs. Whereupon Polly,
declining further converse on that delicate subject, and certainly
not intending to grant the request made on the occasion, changed the
subject.

"But you will get in still;--won't you, Mr. Moggs? They tell me that
those other gentlemen ain't to be members any longer, because what
they did was unfair. Oughtn't that to make you member?"

"I think it ought, if the law was right;--but it doesn't."

"Doesn't it now? But you'll try again;--won't you? Never give a thing
up, Mr. Moggs, if you want it really." As the words left her lips she
understood their meaning,--the meaning in which he must necess