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." "Oh, as far as that goes, I quite agree with you, Miss Grey; I shouldn't care twopence myself about a seat in Parliament--a confounded bore, I think. But if you go in for playing a game, why, you ought to play it, you know." "But are there not rules in every game? Are there not such things as fair and unfair?" "Of course, yes; but I fancy the strong players generally make the rules to suit their own ideas in the end. Anyhow, I never heard of any one playing at electioneering who would have hesitated for a moment about accepting the hand I offered to our quixotic young friend." "I am glad he is quixotic," Minola said eagerly. "I like to think of a man who ventures to be a Quixote." "Very sorry to hear it, Miss Grey, for I am afraid you won't like much to think about me. Yet, do you know, I came here to make a sort of quixotic offer about this very election." "I am glad to hear it; the more quixotic it is the more I shall like it. To whom is the offer to be made? To Mr. Heron?" "Oh, no, by Jove!--excuse me, Miss Grey--nothing of the sort. The offer is to be made to you." "To me?" Minola was a little surprised, but she did not color or show any surprise. She knew very well that it was not an offer of himself Mr. St. Paul was about to make, but it amused her to think of the interpretation Mary Blanchet, if she could have been present, would at once have put on his words. "Yes, indeed, Miss Grey, to you. I have it in my power to make you returning officer for Keeton. Do you understand what that means?" "I know in a sort of way what a returning officer is; but I don't at all understand how I can do his office." "I'll show you. You shall have the fate of Keeton as much in your hands as if you owned the whole concern--a deuced deal more, in fact, than if you owned the whole concern, in days of ballot like these. I believe you do own a good many of the houses there now, don't you?" "I hardly know; but I know that if I do, I wish I didn't." "Very well; just you try what you can get out of your influence over your tenants--that's all." "Then how am I to become returning officer for Keeton?" "That's quite another thing. That depends on me." "On you, Mr. St. Paul?" "On me. Just listen." St. Paul had been seated in his favorite attitude of careless indolence in a very low chair, so low that his long legs seemed as if they stretched half way across the room. His position, joined with an expres
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