g-up. To my mind it's the capitalist who's going to
score by it."

"The capitalist manufacturer," Brooks answered. "But after all you
can't under our present conditions dissociate capital and labour. The
benefit of one will be the benefit of the other. No food stuffs are
taxed, you know."

His neighbour grunted.

"Pity Cobden's ghost can't come and listen to the rot those fellows are
talking," he remarked. "We shall see in a dozen years how the thing
works."

The dinner ended with a firework of speeches, and an ovation to their
popular townsman and member, which left Mr. Bullsom very red in the
face and a little watery about the eyes. Brooks and he drove off
together afterwards, and Mr. Bullsom occupied the first five minutes or
so of the journey with a vigorous mopping of his cheeks and forehead.

"A great night, Brooks," he exclaimed, faintly. "A night to remember.
Don't mind admitting that I'm more than a bit exhausted though. Phew!"

Brooks laughed, and leaning forward looked out of the windows of the
carriage.

"Are we going in the right direction?" he asked. "This isn't the way to
'Homelands.'"

Mr. Bullsom smiled.

"Little surprise for you, Brooks!" he remarked. "We found the sort of
place the girls were hankering after, to let furnished, and we've took
it for a year. We moved in a fortnight ago."

"Do I know the house?" Brooks asked. "It's Woton Hall," Mr. Bullsom
remarked, impressively. "Nice old place. Dare say you remember it."

"Remember it! Of course I do," Brooks answered. "How do the young
ladies like it?"

Mr. Bullsom laid hold of the strap of the carriage. The road was
rough, the horses were fresh, and Mr. Bullsom's head had felt steadier.

"Well," Mr. Bullsom said, "you'd think to hear em we'd stepped
straight into heaven. We're close to the barracks, you know, and I'm
blest if half the officers haven't called already. They drop in to
luncheon, or dinner, or whatever's going on, in the most friendly way,
just as they used to, you know, when Sir Henry lived there, him as took
wine with me, you remember. Lord, you should hear Selina on the
military. Can't say I take to 'em much myself. I'll bet there'll be
one or two of them hanging about the place to-night. Phew!"

Mr. Bullsom mopped his forehead again. The carriage had turned in at
the drive, and he glanced towards Brooks a little uneasily.

"Do I look-as though I'd been going it a bit?" he asked. "Since
Selina's got these band-box