coming down to that! Of
course he'll be quite powerless, compared to what he was. I wonder if
he'll stay in politics. Captain Heseltine said some people thought that
he'd throw the whole thing up and retire into private life."

"Yes, I'm sorry too," said Alicia, who lay all this while with her face
away from Eleanor and towards the wall.

"And then his daughter's going to be married, and, of course, can never
be such a companion to him as she has been; he'll be very much alone.
Upon my word, Alicia, I'm getting quite sentimental about the man, and
it's all his own fault, really. Why does he make it impossible for
respectable people to follow him?" After a short pause, Miss Scaife
suddenly laughed. "Do you know," she asked, "what that shameless Dick
says? He says I ought to marry Mr. Medland, because we're both
'emancipated.' Really I'm not quite so 'emancipated' as Mr. Medland
seems to be."

Alicia smiled faintly.

"What an idea!" she said, at last turning her face to her friend.

"He was only joking, of course. Assuming Mr. Medland asked me, and I'm
sure nothing could be further from his thoughts, I'm afraid I should
have to decline the honour. Wasn't it impertinent of Dick? It's lucky
Mary didn't hear him. But, my dear, you must get up. All sorts of
things are going on. It's most exciting."

"I thought all the excitement was over," said Alicia languidly.

"Oh, no. There was a riot in the streets last night, and they arrested
some popular favourite and took him to prison. The mob's furious, and
the police are afraid of a disturbance when he's brought before the
magistrate this morning. Then Mr. Medland is to arrive at twelve
o'clock, and they're afraid of another riot then. Sir Robert was here at
half-past eight, and at his request the Governor authorised calling out
the Mounted Volunteers to keep order. Lord Eynesford says he'll go with
them. Do get up," and Eleanor went off, eager to hear the latest news.
The present situation was justifying her tenacious opinion that new
communities were interesting.

In spite of her many inquiries, her intelligence was not quite the
latest. The police had stolen a march on the crowd, and Big Todd had
been quietly brought before the seat of justice at nine o'clock,
remanded for a week, and carried off to the prison, which was situated
outside the town, about half-a-mile beyond Government House. The van
containing the captive had rolled unsuspected through the streets, and