must admit that he did not do it badly.

After dinner Sir Thomas sat longer over his wine than is at present
usual, believing, perhaps, that the young ladies would not want to
see much more of Ralph on the present occasion. The conversation was
almost entirely devoted to the affairs of the late election, as to
which Ralph was much interested and very indignant. "They cannot do
you any harm, sir, by the investigation," he said.

"No; I don't think they can hurt me."

"And you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have been the
means of exposing corruption, and of helping to turn such a man as
Griffenbottom out of the House. Upon my word, I think it has been
worth while."

"I am not sure that I would do it again at the same cost, and with
the same object," said Sir Thomas.

Ralph did have a cup of tea given to him in the drawing-room, and
then left the villa before Clarissa's fly had returned.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

MR. MOGGS WALKS TOWARDS EDGEWARE.

The judge's decision in Percycross as to the late election was no
sooner known than fresh overtures were made to Ontario Moggs by the
Young Men's Association. A letter of triumph was addressed to him at
the Cheshire Cheese, in which he was informed that Intimidation and
Corruption had been trodden under foot in the infamous person of Mr.
Griffenbottom, and that Purity and the Rights of Labour were still
the watchwords of that wholesome party in the borough which was
determined to send Mr. Moggs to Parliament. Did not Mr. Moggs think
it best that he should come down at once to the borough and look
after his interests? Now Mr. Moggs junior, when he received this
letter, had left the borough no more than three or four days since,
having been summoned there as a witness during the trial of the
petition;--and such continued attendance to the political interests
of a small and otherwise uninteresting town, without the advantage of
a seat in Parliament, was felt by Mr. Moggs senior to be a nuisance.
The expense in all these matters fell of course upon the shoulders
of the father. "I don't believe in them humbugs no longer," said Mr.
Moggs senior. Moggs junior, who had felt the enthusiasm of the young
men of Percycross, and who had more to get and less to lose than his
father, did believe. Although he had been so lately at Percycross,
he went down again, and again made speeches to the young men at the
Mechanics' Institute. Nothing could be more triumphant than h