friends (the latter in
evening-dress), whom he presented to the President. The ceremonious
costume impressed the President himself, for at this period of ancient
history Felons dined in frock-coats or cutaways; it proved that the
wearers were so accustomed to wearing evening-dress of a night that they
put it on by sheer habit and inadvertence even for electioneering. The
candidate only desired to shake hands with a few supporters and to
assure the President that nothing but hard necessity had kept him away
from the dinner. Amid inspiriting bravos and hurrahs he fled, followed
by his friends, and it became known that one of these was a baronet.

After this the vote of thanks to the President scarcely escaped being an
anticlimax. And several men left, including Albert Benbow, who had once
or twice glanced at his watch. "She won't let you be out after
half-past ten, eh, Benbow?" said jocularly a neighbour. And Albert,
laughing at the joke, nevertheless looked awkward. And the neighbour
perceived that he had been perhaps a trifle clumsy. Edwin, since the
mysterious influence in the background was his own sister, had to share
Albert's confusion. He too would have departed. But Osmond Orgreave
absolutely declined to let him go, and to prevent him from going used
the force which good wine gives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOUR.

The company divided itself into intimate groups, leaving empty white
spaces at the disordered tables. The attendants now served whisky, and
more liqueurs and coffee. Those guests who knew no qualm lighted fresh
cigars; a few produced beloved pipes; the others were content with
cigarettes. Some one ordered a window to be opened, and then, when the
fresh night air began to disturb the curtains and scatter the fumes of
the banquet, some one else crept aside and furtively closed it again.

Edwin found himself with Jos Curtenty and Osmond Orgreave and a few
others. He felt gay and enheartened; he felt that there was a great
deal of pleasure to be had on earth with very little trouble. Politics
had been broached, and he made a mild joke about the Tory candidate.
And amid the silence that followed it he mistily perceived that the
remainder of the group, instead of becoming more jolly, had grown grave.
For them the political situation was serious. They did not trouble to
argue against the Labour candidate. All their reasoning was based on
th