ad given Marks an address in Bristol, that of a shop at which
letters were received. Possibly some communication awaited him there.
He hastened to Paddington and took the first westward train.

On inquiry next morning, he found he had had his journey for nothing.
As he might have anticipated, Marks was too cautious a man to have
recourse to writing.

There were still two days before the poll at Polterham. Thither he must
return, that was certain; for if the election passed without startling
events, he would again be in a position to catch Quarrier by the throat.

To be sure, there was the promise of assistance in a commercial career,
but his indulgence of the last day or two had inclined him to prefer
sums of ready money. Once elected, Quarrier would not submit to social
disgrace for the sake of a thousand pounds--nor for two
thousand--possibly not for five. Cupidity had taken hold upon Northway.
With a few thousands in his pocket, he might aim at something more to
his taste than a life of trading. Five thousand it should be, not a
penny less! This time he was not to be fobbed off with bluster and
posturing.

He spent the day in Bristol, and at nightfall journeyed towards
Polterham.

No; even yet nothing had happened. Conversation at an inn to which he
betook himself assured him that things were going their orderly way.
Had Marks himself been _bought off_?

The next day--that before the election--he wandered about the town and
its vicinity, undetermined how to act, thinking on the whole that he
had better do nothing till after the morrow. Twice, morning and
afternoon, did he view Mrs. Wade's cottage from a distance. Just after
sunset he was once more in that neighbourhood, and this time with a
purpose.

At that hour Mrs. Wade and her guest were together in the sitting-room.
The lamp had just been lighted, the red blind drawn down. Lilian
reclined on a couch; she looked worse in health than when she had taken
leave of Denzil; her eyes told of fever, and her limbs were relaxed.
Last night she had not enjoyed an hour of sleep; the strange room and
the recollection of Northway's visit to this house (Quarrier, in his
faith that Mrs. Wade's companionship was best for Lilian, had taken no
account of the disagreeable association) kept her nerves in torment,
and with the morning she had begun to suffer from a racking headache.

Mrs. Wade was talking, seated by the table, on which her arms rested.
She, too, had a look o