m at the threshold herself.

CHAPTER XXXIII

"I understand how you must feel in the matter, Murchison, said Henry
Cruickshank. "It's the most natural thing in the world that you should
want to clear yourself definitely, especially as you say, since the
charges have been given such wide publicity. On the other hand, I think
it quite possible that you exaggerate the inference that will be drawn
from our consenting to saw off with the other side on the two principal
counts."

"The inference will be," said Lorne "that there's not a pin to choose
between Winter's political honesty and my own. I'm no Pharisee, but
I don't think I can sit down under that. I can't impair my possible
usefulness by accepting a slur upon my reputation at the very
beginning."

"Politics are very impersonal. It wouldn't be remembered a year."

"Winter of course," said young Murchison moodily, "doesn't want to take
any chances. He knows he's done for if we go on. Seven years for him
would put him pretty well out of politics. And it would suit him down to
the ground to fight it over again. There's nothing he would like better
to see than another writ for South Fox."

"That's all right," the lawyer responded, "but Moneida doesn't look
altogether pleasant, you know. We may have good grounds for supposing
that the court will find you clear of that business; but Ormiston, so
far as I can make out, was playing the fool down there for a week before
polling-day, and there are three or four Yellow Dogs and Red Feathers
only too anxious to pay back a grudge on him. We'll have to fight again,
there's no doubt about that. The only question is whether we'll ruin
Ormiston first or not. Have you seen Bingham?"

"I know what Bingham thinks," said Lorne, impatiently. "The Squire's
position is a different consideration. I don't see how I can--However,
I'll go across to the committee room now and talk it over."

It is doubtful whether young Murchison knew all that Bingham thought;
Bingham so seldom told it all. There were matters in the back of
Bingham's mind that prompted him to urge the course that Cruickshank had
been empowered by the opposing counsel to suggest--party considerations
that it would serve no useful purpose to talk over with Murchison.
Bingham put it darkly when he said he had quite as much hay on his
fork as he cared to tackle already, implying that the defence
of indiscretions in Moneida was quite an unnecessary addition.
Contingencie