ent with their Whip, and
were awaiting a telegram which did not come; but, whatever the reason,
here they were, lazy and contented.

There was our old friend, Sir John Pynsent; and Charles Milton, Q.C.,
certain to be a law officer or a judge, as soon as the Conservatives had
their chance; and Lord Ambermere; and the Honorable Tom Willoughby, who
had been trained at Harrow, Oxford, and Lord's Cricket Ground, and who
was once assured by his Balliol tutor that his wit would never make him
a friend, nor his face an enemy. The last of the circle was Brooke
Dalton, of whom this narrative has already had something to record.

"So Tourmaline has thrown up the sponge, Pynsent?" Charles Milton began,
after a short pause in the conversation. "Had enough of the Radical crew
by this time!"

"Yes. Of course, he has been out of sympathy with them for a long while.
So have twenty or thirty more, if the truth were known."

"As you know it!" Dalton interjected.

"Well, I know some things. The line of cleavage in the Liberal party is
tolerably well marked, if you have eyes to see."

"Why does Tourmaline leave the House? I hear he would stand an excellent
chance if he went to Vanebury and started as an Independent."

"No doubt he would; but in a weak moment he pledged himself down there
not to do it."

"What hard lines!" said Tom Willoughby. "Just one pledge too many!"

"And so," continued Pynsent, without noticing the interruption, "we have
had to look out for another candidate. I settled the matter this
afternoon, and I am glad to say that Campion has promised to go down."

"Just the man for the job," said Milton, who looked upon Sydney as sure
to be a formidable rival in Parliament, and more likely than any other
young Conservative to cut him out of the Solicitorship. "He has tongue,
and he has tact--and he has something else, Sir John, which is worth the
two put together--good friends!"

"We think very highly of Campion," said Sir John Pynsent, "and I am very
glad you confirm our opinion."

"I certainly think he will make his mark," said Dalton. "He comes of a
very able family."

Dalton found himself recalling the appearance and words of Miss Lettice
Campion, whom he had met so often of late at the house of his cousin,
Mrs. Hartley, and who had made a deeper impression than ever on his
mind. Impressions were somewhat fugitive, as a rule, on Brooke Dalton's
mind; but he had come to admire Lettice with a fervor unusual wit