e within the next few hours. Those were his words.'

As Stonor resumed his walk he raised his head and caught sight of Jean's
face. He stopped short directly in front of her.

'You are very tired,' he said.

'No, no.' She turned again to the window.

'I'm obliged to you for troubling about this,' he said, offering
Farnborough his hand with the air of civilly dismissing him. 'I'll see
what can be done.'

Farnborough caught up the reply-paid form from the table. 'If you'd like
to wire I'll take it.'

Faintly amused at this summary view of large complexities, 'You don't
understand, my young friend,' he said, not unkindly. 'Moves of this sort
are not rushed at by responsible politicians. I must have time for
consideration.'

Farnborough's face fell. 'Oh. Well, I only hope some one else won't jump
into the breach before you.' With his watch in one hand, he held out the
other to Miss Dunbarton. 'Good-bye. I'll just go and find out what time
the newspapers go to press on Sunday. I'll be at the Club,' he threw
over his shoulder, 'just in case I can be of any use.'

'No; don't do that. If I should have anything new to say----'

'B-b-but with our party, as your brother said, "heading straight for a
vast electoral disaster," and the Liberals----'

'If I decide on a counter-blast, I shall simply telegraph to
headquarters. Good-bye.'

'Oh! A--a--good-bye.'

With a gesture of 'the country's going to the dogs,' Farnborough opened
the doors and closed them behind him.

Jean had rung the bell. She came back with her eyes on the ground, and
paused near the table where the crumpled envelope made a dash of
yellow-brown on the polished satinwood. Stonor stood studying the
carpet, more concern in his face now that there was only Jean to see it.

'"Political dynamite," eh?' he repeated, walking a few paces away. He
returned with, 'After all, women are much more Conservative _naturally_
than men, aren't they?'

Jean's lowered eyes showed no spark of interest in the issue. Her only
motion, an occasional locking and unlocking of her fingers. But no words
came. He glanced at her, as if for the first time conscious of her
silence.

'You see now'--he threw himself into a chair--'one reason why I've
encouraged you to take an interest in public questions. Because people
like us don't go screaming about it, is no sign we don't--some of
us--see what's on the way. However little they may want to, women of our
class will have to come