d triumph. Nevertheless
he was judiciously reticent about Quisante, generously eulogistic of May.
Sir Winterton looked forward to making the acquaintance of both, but
thought that the occasion had better be postponed till they had ceased to
be opponents.

"But I hope you and your wife'll go over as often as you like," he said
to the Dean very cordially. But the Dean and Mrs. Baxter did not go,
perhaps preferring not to divide their sympathies, perhaps fearing that
they might seem like spies and be suspected of carrying back information
to the rival camp. "I dare say you're wise," said Sir Winterton, rather
relieved; he had made the suggestion because it was the handsome thing to
do, but was not eager that it should be accepted. To do the handsome
thing and to meet with pleasant looks were the two requisites most
essential to Sir Winterton's happiness; given these he was at his best
and his best was a fine specimen of the class to which he belonged. There
was, however, a weak side to these two desires of his, as the history of
the Sinnett affair to some extent indicated.

The first shock to Sir Winterton's good temper had been the matter of No.
77; until then he had been lavish of the usual polite compliments to his
opponent's personal character. After No 77's prodigal reappearance and
Quisante's rhetorical effort in defence of it these assurances were no
more on his lips, and for a time he bore himself with strict reserve when
Quisante was mentioned. He had been right in the dispute, and he had been
beaten; silence was the utmost that could be expected of his tolerance or
his self-control; his refusal to speak on the subject showed his opinion
well enough, and he must not be blamed too severely if he listened without
protest and perhaps with pleasure to Mrs. Baxter's pungent criticisms. Of
course she had been reminded of something--of the strictures which a
certain Provincial Editor had passed on the household arrangements of a
certain Minor Canon; a libel action had ensued, and the jury had been
beguiled into finding for the defendant on a bare literal construction of
words which to anybody acquainted with local circumstances bore another
and much blacker meaning. This Mrs. Baxter called a pettifogging trick,
and she pursued her parallel till the same terms were obviously indicated
as appropriate to Quisante's conduct.

"My dear!" said the Dean in mild protest; but Sir Winterton laughed as
though he had enjoyed the s