et. The
idea is Money's, not mine; he has found out that there is going to be a
vacancy in a certain borough," and Victor smiled and looked at her,
"before long; and his idea is that I should become a candidate, and tell
the people my whole story right out, and ask them to give me a chance of
defending myself in the House. But the thing is not yet in shape enough
to talk much about it. Only I thought you would be glad to know that I
haven't thrown up the sponge all at once."

Minola did not very clearly follow all that he had been saying; partly
because she was beginning to be afraid that to put herself into the
position of adviser and confidante to this young man was a scarcely
becoming performance on her part. Her mind was a little perturbed, and
she was not a very good listener then. Some people say that women seldom
are good listeners; that while they are playing the part of audience
they are still thinking how they look as performers. Anyhow, Minola was
now growing anxious to escape from her position.

"I am so glad," she said vaguely, "that you are doing something, and
that you don't mean to allow yourself to be beaten."

"I don't mean to be, I assure you," he said, a little surprised at her
sudden coolness. "I shouldn't like to be. That isn't my way, I hope."

"I hope not too, and I think not; I wish I had such a purpose. Life
seems to me such a pitiful thing--and in a man especially--when there is
no great clear purpose in it."

"But is a man's trying to get himself a new appointment a great clear
purpose?" he asked with a smile. He was now trying to draw her out again
on the subject, having been much pleased with the interest she seemed to
take in him, and a little amused by the gravity with which she tendered
her advice.

"No, but yours is not merely trying to get an appointment. You are
trying to have justice done to your past career and to get an
opportunity of being useful again in the same sort of way. You don't
want to lead an idle life lounging about London. Mr. Blanchet has his
poems; Mr. Money has--well, he has his business, whatever it is, and he
is in Parliament."

At this moment the servant entered and handed a card to Minola. A
gentleman, she said, particularly wished to see Miss Grey, but he would
call any time she pleased to name if she could not see him at present.
Minola's cheek grew red as she glanced at the card, for it bore the name
of Mr. Augustus Sheppard, and it had the words penc