descendants of Cromwell's soldiers!
That's what they are, and the best of them, too! That's the best drop
of blood they've got!" Dick shouted, veering in the wind of his own
words like a rudderless ship in a storm. "That's what gives them
tenacity and bigotry! Look at the old places that they're squeezing
the old families out of! It's the Protestant farmers and the Religious
Orders that are getting them, swarming into them like rats! Don't tell
me that I and my family aren't a better asset to any country than a
lot of fat, lazy Monks and Nuns!"

"But, Papa, they're not all fat!" said Judith, beginning to laugh.

"Deuce a many of them's thin for want of plenty to eat!" returned
Dick, with the confidence of a man whose faith in his theories has
never been interfered with by investigation. He was recovering his
temper, having enjoyed the delivery of his diatribe; and the fact that
he had not only silenced Judith but had tickled her to a laugh,
restored his sense of domination.

Poor old King Canute, with the tide by this time well above the tops
of his hunting-boots, and all the familiar landmarks becoming
submerged, one after the other! It may be easy to deride him, but it
is hard not to pity him.

This was on Monday, and Christian returned from her week-end visit
that evening. Judith stayed, and went with Christian to her room.

"Well, my dear," she began, eagerly, as the door closed, "when are you
going to announce it?"

Christian sat down on her bed. She was looking very tired.

"Never, I think!"

Without paying attention to Judith's exclamation she took a newspaper
out of the pocket of her top-coat, and handed it to her sister.

"This is this evening's paper. I got it at the Junction. Read that."
She pointed to a paragraph.

Judith read it; then she dropped the paper, and gazed at Christian
with dramatic consternation.

"The idiot!" she said, at length. "Couldn't you stop him?"

"He had promised years ago. I didn't try. He couldn't break his word."

"Oh, rot!" said Judith, briefly.

"You know he couldn't, Judy."

"Well, you know, this will finish him with Papa," said Judith,
gloomily. "He's bad enough as it is about the sales to the tenants,
and I was prepared for rows over the religious business, of course,
but this! Can't you"

"I can't do anything," interrupted Christian, getting up. "I heard
from him this morning, fearfully keen about it, but he didn't know
then if the Party were going to adop