o
with it. I am as fond of a fight as any man, and under certain
circumstances I would even fight a man of your calibre, but there is no
necessity for it now!"

Paul's face was pale to the lips. He hated a scene, hated the thought
that his private affairs were being discussed in such a place. He
could not help feeling that there was something vulgar about it all,
and he in a moment of forgetfulness had yielded to what, had he been
calmer, he would have resisted to the utmost. Still, his anger was
aroused, and he saw that those who stood around were enjoying the
situation.

"That's a matter of opinion," he replied. "At any rate, my name has
never been associated with sending out a lying circular. And I have
never been ashamed to put my name to any document I wrote! I never
hired a barrister to tell lies about anyone, and I never stabbed a man
in the back!"

"What do you mean?" asked Wilson. "Why should I stab a man in the
back?"

"Because you're afraid to meet him face to face!"

"By God! you shall pay for that," said Wilson, and his voice quivered
with rage.

It was the first time Paul had spoken to Wilson for many a long day.
As we have said, he had, ever since the election especially, refrained
from having any intercourse with him, and he would have given anything
to have recalled the words he had uttered. He had fought with the
weapons of a clown. He had bandied words with a man who was openly his
enemy, and he felt ashamed of himself. Still, nothing could be done
now, and, on the whole, he did not think he had had the worst of the
encounter. All the same, he knew that if Wilson had hated him before,
he hated him more now. And he was sure that if he were able to harm
him in any way, he would stop at nothing to carry out his purposes. As
to Paul's financial position, he did not so much fear. He was on safer
ground now, and was able to meet any ordinary difficulty; but there
were other things. He wondered whether Wilson ever guessed the secret
of his heart, wondered whether he knew that he was a would-be rival.
That Wilson was enamoured of Mary Bolitho was universally believed, but
whether she in any way returned his affection no one was able to guess.

A fortnight later that which had been rumoured concerning Mr. Bolitho's
resignation actually took place. He had been made a judge, and, as a
consequence, could no longer remain Member for Brunford. The result of
it was that the deputation who