nning away. Nonsense, Agatha--(I always call everybody by
their Christian names)--Nonsense! He's only shaking hands with his
brother-in-law, both looking as pleased as ever they can look."

The next moment Harrie and Agatha came up with the two gentlemen at
the door of Mr. Dugdale's house. They were talking politically and
earnestly, as men will do--Nathanael having apparently forgotten the
bitter cloud of a few minutes since, which yet lay heavy on his wife's
heart. At least it seemed so, and his indifference made her angry.

Neither spoke to their wives--being busy laying their heads together
over a newspaper--until Harrie very unceremoniously began to pull at her
husband's coat, which he bore for a time in perfect obliviousness. At
last he turned and patted her with his great hand, just as some sage,
mild Newfoundland dog would coax into peace the attacks of a wild young
kitten.

"Nay, now, Missus--don't'ee, love; I'm busy.--And you see, Nathanael,
as your brother is sure not to canvass or try for the town, and as Mr.
Trenchard is such a fine fellow, your father's friend too, don't you
think we could coax him round? By conviction, of course: Trenchard
wouldn't take any man's votes except upon conviction."

"Wouldn't he?" said Nathanael, smiling at the simple-minded politician,
who believed that everybody's politics were as honest as his own. At
which unpropitious moment a number of half-drunken men, with "Vote
for Trenchard!" stuck round their broken hats, came round the corner
shouting:

"Hurrah for Free-trade! Duke Dugdale for ever! Bravo!--and give us a
shilling! Amen!"

"You see now what comes of your politics," cried his wife, trying to
pull him into the hall. But the good man still stood, bareheaded, a
perplexed expression troubling his face.

"It's very odd, now: I made Trenchard promise not to give them a penny
for drink. Poor fellows! if they only knew better! But I'll tell'ee what
it is, Nathanael," and he used the slight Dorset accent, which always
broadened when he was very earnest, "those lads drink because they are
starving--drink drowns care. If they had Free-trade they wouldn't be
starving: if they were not starving they wouldn't drink. Therefore,
hurrah for Free-trade, and, my poor fellows, here's your shilling!
Only don't'ee let it go for more drink'; and, hark'ee, remember it's no
bribery money o' Mr. Trenchard's, its _mine_.

"Thank'ee, zir, thank'ee; hurrah for Duke Dugdale and Free-trad