f the People's Campaign at the Opera House, at
8 P.M., July 10th. The Hon. Humphrey Crewe, of Leith, will tell the
citizens of Ripton how their State is governed."

"Father," said Victoria, as she read this announcement (three columns
wide, in the Ripton Record) as they sat at breakfast together, "do you
mind my going? I can get Hastings Weare to take me."

"Not at all," said Mr. Flint, who had returned from New York in a better
frame of mind. "I should like a trustworthy account of that meeting.
Only," he added, "I should advise you to go early, Victoria, in order to
get a seat."

"You don't object to my listening to criticism of you?"

"Not by Humphrey Crewe," laughed Mr. Flint.

Early suppers instead of dinners were the rule at Leith on the evening
of the historic day, and the candidate himself, in his red Leviathan,
was not inconsiderably annoyed, on the way to Ripton, by innumerable
carryalls and traps filled with brightly gowned recruits of that
organization of Mrs. Pomfret's which Beatrice Chillingham had nicknamed
"The Ladies' Auxiliary.". In vain Mr. Crewe tooted his horn: the sound
of it was drowned by the gay talk and laughter in the carryalls, and
shrieks ensued when the Leviathan cut by with only six inches to spare,
and the candidate turned and addressed the drivers in language more
forceful than polite, and told the ladies they acted as if they were
going to a Punch-and-Judy show.

"Poor dear Humphrey!" said, Mrs. Pomfret, "is so much in earnest. I
wouldn't give a snap for a man without a temper."

"Poor dear Humphrey" said Beatrice Chillingham, in an undertone to her
neighbour, "is exceedingly rude and ungrateful. That's what I think."

The occupants of one vehicle heard the horn, and sought the top of
a grassy mound to let the Leviathan go by. And the Leviathan, with
characteristic contrariness, stopped.

"Hello," said Mr. Crewe, with a pull at his cap. "I intended to be on
the lookout for you."

"That is very thoughtful, Humphrey, considering how many things you have
to be on the lookout for this evening," Victoria replied.

"That's all right," was Mr. Crewe's gracious reply. "I knew you'd be
sufficiently broad-minded to come, and I hope you won't take offence at
certain remarks I think it my duty to make."

"Don't let my presence affect you," she answered, smiling; "I have come
prepared for anything."

"I'll tell Tooting to give you a good seat," he called back, as he
started onward.