of
congratulation broke loose.'

'Oh, _that's_ all right,' he said soothingly. 'I always hear things
before other people.'

'Well, I must ask you to be good enough to be very circumspect.' Lady
John spoke gravely. 'I wouldn't have my niece or Mr. Stonor think that
any of us----'

'Oh, of course not.'

'She'll suspect something if you so much as mention Stonor; and you
can't help mentioning Stonor!'

'Yes, I can. Besides I shan't see her!'

'But you will'--Lady John glanced at the clock. 'She'll be here in an
hour.'

He jumped up delighted. 'What? To-day. The future Mrs. Stonor!'

'Yes,' said his hostess, with a harassed air. 'Unfortunately we had one
or two people already asked for the week and----'

'And I go and invite myself to luncheon! Lady John.' He pushed back the
armchair like one who clears the field for action. He stood before her
with his legs wide apart, and a look of enterprise on his face. 'You can
buy me off! I'll promise to remove myself in five minutes if you'll put
in a word for me.'

'Ah!' Lady John shook her head. 'Mr. Stonor inspires a similar
enthusiasm in so many young----'

'They haven't studied the situation as I have.' He sat down to explain
his own excellence. 'They don't know what's at stake. They don't go to
that hole Dutfield, as I did, just to hear his Friday speech.'

'But you were rewarded. My niece, Jean, wrote me it was "glorious."'

'Well, you know, I was disappointed,' he said judicially. 'Stonor's too
content just to criticize, just to make his delicate pungent fun of the
men who are grappling--very inadequately of course--still _grappling_
with the big questions. There's a carrying power'--he jumped to his feet
again and faced an imaginary audience--'some of Stonor's friends ought
to point it out--there's a driving power in the poorest constructive
policy that makes the most brilliant criticism look barren.'

She regarded the budding politician with good-humoured malice.

'Who told you that?'

'You think there's nothing in it because _I_ say it. But now that he's
coming into the family, Lord John or somebody really ought to point
out--Stonor's overdoing his role of magnificent security.'

The lady sat very straight. 'I don't see even Lord John offering to
instruct Mr. Stonor,' she said, with dignity.

'Believe me, that's just Stonor's danger! Nobody saying a word,
everybody hoping he's on the point of adopting some definite line,
something strong and origina