daughter's first public appearance,
and he and Sir Robert Perry had interchanged some friendly remarks on
the existing crisis.

"I suppose I mustn't ask who you're going to give us instead of your
deserters," said Sir Robert jokingly.

"Oh," answered Medland, "I'm going to fill up with Labour men. I
haven't quite fixed on the men yet."

"Then you'll be all one colour--all red? But I must congratulate you on
your daughter's _debut_. She and Miss Derosne are the _belles_ of the
evening."

Then Sir Robert, in his pretty way, must needs be led up to Daisy
Medland and dance a quadrille with her, apologising politely to Dick
Derosne, who had arranged to sit out the said quadrille with the same
lady, and became a violent anti-Perryite on the spot.

Alicia passed on Mr. Coxon's arm, and stopped for a moment to condole.

"I didn't know Premiers danced," she said, and perhaps her glance
conveyed a shy invitation to Medland.

"If I ask you now, I shall have another secession," he replied, smiling
at Coxon. "Besides, I can't dance."

"You must sit out with me then," she said, growing bolder. "You don't
mind, do you, Mr. Coxon?"

Coxon and Dick were left to console one another, and Alicia sat down
with Medland. At first he was silent, watching his daughter. When the
quadrille ended, he rose and said,

"Come into the garden."

"But my partner for the next won't be able to find me."

"Well, supposing he can't?" said the Premier.

"It makes one very conceited to be a Premier," thought Alicia, but she
went into the garden.

Then began what she declared to herself was the most interesting
conversation to which she had ever listened. From silence, the Premier
passed to a remark here and there, thence to a conversation, thence, as
the evening went on and they strolled further and further away from the
house, into a monologue on his life and aims and hopes. Young man after
young man sought her in vain, or, finding the pair, feared to intrude
and retired in discontent, while Medland strove to draw the picture of
that far-off society whose bringing-near was his goal in public life.
She wondered if he talked to other women like that: and she found
herself hoping that he did not. His gaunt form seemed to fill and his
sunk eyes to spring out to meet the light, as he painted for her the
time when his dreams should have clothed themselves with the reality
which his persuasive imagination almost gave them now.

Then he suddenly