he next
Wednesday. Now it must be understood that Rowan during this period
of the election had become, in a public way, very intimate with
Cornbury. They were both young men, the new Member of Parliament
not being over thirty, and for the time they were together employed
on the same matter. Luke Rowan was one with whom such a man as
Mr. Cornbury could not zealously co-operate without reaching a
considerable extent of personal intimacy. He was pleasant-mannered,
free in speech, with a bold eye, assuming though not asserting his
equality with the best of those with whom he might be brought in
contact. Had Cornbury chosen to consider himself by reason of his
social station too high for Rowan's fellowship, he might of course
have avoided him; but he could not have put himself into close
contact with the man, without submitting himself to that temporary
equality which Rowan assumed, and to that temporary familiarity which
sprung from it. Butler Cornbury had thought little about it. He had
found Rowan to be a pleasant associate and an able assistant, and had
fallen into that mode of fellowship which the other man's ways and
words had made natural to him. When his wife begged him to ask Rowan
up to the Grange, he had been startled for a moment, but had at once
assented.

"Well," said he; "he's an uncommon pleasant fellow. I don't see why
he shouldn't come."

"I've a particular reason," said Mrs. Butler.

"All right," said the husband. "Do you explain it to my father." And
so the invitation had been given.

But Rowan was a man more thoughtful than Cornbury, and was specially
thoughtful as to his own position. He was a radical at heart if
ever there was a radical. But in saying this I must beg my reader
to understand that a radical is not necessarily a revolutionist
or even a republican. He does not, by reason of his social or
political radicalism, desire the ruin of thrones, the degradation
of nobles, the spoliation of the rich, or even the downfall of the
bench of bishops. Many a young man is frightened away from the just
conclusions of his mind and the strong convictions of his heart by
dread of being classed with those who are jealous of the favoured
ones of fortune. A radical may be as ready as any aristocrat to
support the crown with his blood, and the church with his faith. It
is in this that he is a radical; that he desires, expects, works for,
and believes in, the gradual progress of the people. No doctrine of
eq