nxieties knocked only
too freely at her heart.

One evening Lydia, returning from making a purchase for Mrs. Grail, met
Ackroyd. It was at the Kennington Road end of Walnut Tree Walk. He
seemed to be waiting. He raised his hat; Lydia bent her head and walked
past; but a quick step sounded behind her.

'Miss Trent! Will you stop a minute?'

She turned. Luke held out his hand.

'It's a long time since we spoke a word,' he said, with friendliness.
'But we're not always going to pass each other like that, are we?'

Lydia smiled; it was all she could do. She did not know for certain
that he had yet heard the news.

'I want you,' he continued 'to give your sister my good wishes. Will
you?'

'Yes, I will, Mr. Ackroyd.'

'Grail came and told me all about it. It wasn't pleasant to hear, but
he's a good fellow and I'm not surprised at his luck. I haven't felt I
wanted to quarrel with him, and I think better of myself for that. And
yet it means a good deal to me--more than you think, I dare say.'

'You'll soon forget it, Mr. Ackroyd,' Lydia said, in a clear, steady
voice.

'Well, you 'll see if I do. I'm one of the unlucky fellows that can
never show what they feel. It all comes out in the wrong way. It
doesn't matter much now.'

Lydia had a feeling that this was not wholly sincere. He seemed to take
a pleasure in representing himself as luckless. Combined with what she
had heard, it helped her to say:

'A man doesn't suffer much from these things. You'll soon be cheerful
again. Good-bye, Mr. Ackroyd.'

She did not wait for anything more from him.

CHAPTER XI

A MAN WITH A FUTURE

Mr. Dalmaine first turned his attention to politics at the time when
the question of popular education was to the front in British politics.
It was an excellent opportunity for would-be legislators conscious of
rhetorical gifts and only waiting for some safe, simple subject whereon
to exercise them. Both safe and simple was the topic which all and
sundry were then called upon to discuss; it was impossible not to have
views on education (have we not all been educated?), and delightfully
easy to support them by prophecy. Never had the vaticinating style of
oratory a greater vogue. Never was a richer occasion for the utterance
of wisdom such as recommends itself to the British public.

Mr. Dalmaine understood the tastes and habits of that public as well as
most men of his standing. After one abortive attempt to enter
Parliame