se suffrages he solicited met Brent on every side, and
especially on the day of the election. He had gone in for nothing of
this sort himself: his original election address, it seemed to him,
contained everything that he had to say, and beyond posting it all over
the town in great placards and distributing it in the form of handbills
to the electors of the Castle Ward he had issued nothing in the shape
of literature. But he had stumped his desired constituency thoroughly,
making speeches at every street corner and at every public
meeting-place, and he had a personal conviction from his usual reception
on these occasions that the people were with him. He was still sure of
victory when, at noon on the polling-day, he chanced to meet Tansley.

"Going strong, as far as I can make out," he answered, in response to
the solicitor's inquiry. "I've been about all the morning, and from what
I've seen and what my Committee tell me, I'm in!"

Tansley shook his head.

"Look here, my lad," he said, drawing Brent aside as they stood together
in the market-place, "don't you build too high! They're working against
you to-day, the Crood gang, as they never worked in their lives! They're
bringing every influence they can get hold of against you. And--you
haven't been over wise."

"What have I done now?" demanded Brent.

"Those articles that are appearing in the _Monitor_," replied Tansley.
"Everybody knows they're yours. Do you think there's a soul in
Hathelsborough who believes that Peppermore could write them? Now,
they're a mistake! They may be true----"

"They are true!" growled Brent.

"Granted! But, however true they are, they're an attack on
Hathelsborough," said Tansley. "Now, of whatever political colour they
are, Hathelsborough folk are Hathelsborough folk, and they're prouder of
this old town than you know. Look round you, my lad; there isn't a stone
that you can see that wasn't just where it is now hundreds of years
before you were born. Do you think these people like to hear you, a
stranger, criticizing their old customs, old privileges, as you are
doing in those articles? Not a bit of it! They're asking who you are to
come judging them. You'd have done a lot better, Brent, if you'd been a
bit diplomatic. You should have left all politics and reforms out of it,
and tried to win the seat simply on your relationship to Wallingford.
You could have shown your cards when you'd got in--you've shown 'em too
soon!"

"That b