e account before they went to press. They make no
imputation on the lady--simply state the facts. Quite enough," he added
with impersonal grimness; "I think he's done for himself, sir."

The man with the refined face added nervously:

"We couldn't help it, Mr. Courtier; I really don't know what we can do.
I don't like it a bit."

"Has your candidate seen this?" Courtier asked.

"Can't have," struck in the third Committee-man; "we hadn't seen it
ourselves until an hour ago."

"I should never have permitted it," said the man with the refined face;
"I blame the editor greatly."

"Come to that----" said the little-eyed man, "it's a plain piece of news.
If it makes a stir, that's not our fault. The paper imputes nothing, it
states. Position of the lady happens to do the rest. Can't help it, and
moreover, sir, speaking for self, don't want to. We'll have no loose
morals in public life down here, please God!" There was real feeling in
his words; then, catching sight of Courtier's face, he added: "Do you
know this lady?"

"Ever since she was a child. Anyone who speaks evil of her, has to
reckon with me."

The man with the refined face said earnestly:

"Believe me, Mr. Courtier, I entirely sympathize. We had nothing to do
with the paragraph. It's one of those incidents where one benefits
against one's will. Most unfortunate that she came out on to the green
with Lord Miltoun; you know what people are."

"It's the head-line that does it;" said the third Committee-man; "they've
put what will attract the public."

"I don't know, I don't know," said the little-eyed man stubbornly; "if
Lord Miltoun will spend his evenings with lonely ladies, he can't blame
anybody but himself."

Courtier looked from face to face.

"This closes my connection with the campaign," he said: "What's the
address of this paper?" And without waiting for an answer, he took up
the journal and hobbled from the room. He stood a minute outside finding
the address, then made his way down the street.

CHAPTER VIII

By the side of little Ann, Barbara sat leaning back amongst the cushions
of the car. In spite of being already launched into high-caste life
which brings with it an early knowledge of the world, she had still some
of the eagerness in her face which makes children lovable. Yet she
looked negligently enough at the citizens of Bucklandbury, being already
a little conscious of the strange mixture of sentiment peculiar to h