DWARD WATKIN, the then Chairman of the
South-Eastern Railway Company. He approached him.

"He won't be long," he said, intuitively guessing the object of his
visit, and addressing him kindly. "Ha! hark! Here he comes!" He had
scarcely spoken, when a roaring cheer, borne on the sweet evening air,
broke the comparative silence of the street outside, and in another
minute a surging and struggling mob, who were shouting themselves
hoarse, had deposited safely from their shoulders, on the door-step of
the Club, their great hero and idol, whom they had thus, as was their
wont, nightly carried in triumph from the House.

The ex-Premier, for indeed the buoyant bearing, the high shirt-collar,
and the contagious enthusiasm of the new arrival proclaimed his identity
at once, dashed up the steps three at a time, and, waving a radiant
farewell of thanks to the crowd, bounded into the Hall, where, seeing
the stranger, he instantly seized him by the arm, and hurriedly led him
to a recess.

"This is very good and genial of you, my dear Sir EDWARD," he commenced.

The other eyed him cautiously. "You wanted to see me?" he rejoined,
sulkily.

"Yes, indeed!" was the brisk reply. "I wished to tell you that, as you
had been wicked enough,--ha! ha!--to conceive the idea of uniting
England and France by a Tunnel, I had been wicked enough also to
determine to help you to do it. Ha! ha!" He laughed long and loud. His
interlocutor stared at him for a few moments aghast. Then he clutched
him.

"You mean this?" he asked, growing pale with excitement as he spoke.
"You mean that you will vote for the Bill?"

"Not only vote for the Bill, but make it a Government measure." As he
spoke he was interrupted by a commotion in Pall Mall. Some Junior
Members of the Carlton were by way of a practical joke, common enough at
this season, dropping a Unionist Liberal out of the first-floor windows
into the area, and their merriment over the exploit resounded loudly
down the street. The ex-Premier heard it and a wonderful smile played
upon his almost beautiful features. "You see, they are going to pieces
next door," he added exultingly, "I shall be in in a few weeks, nothing
can stop me; and then, I give you my word, you shall have your Tunnel."

The other approached him. There was a curious look in his eye. "You have
your price?" he asked. "Name it," he added under his breath, glancing
around him furtively to see they were not overheard.

The great Stat