out, but shall be back
very soon. You understand that?"

Then she set forth, and hurried along the dark road.

CHAPTER XXV

Only one vehicle passed her before she came within sight of the
streets; it was a carriage and pair, and she recognised the coachman of
a family who lived towards Rickstead. Quarrier was doubtless still in
the town, but to find him might be difficult. Perhaps she had better go
to his house and despatch a servant in search of him. But that was away
on the other side of Polterham, and in the meantime he might be
starting for Pear-tree Cottage. The polling was long since over; would
he linger with his friends at the committee room?

Yet she must go to the house first of all; there was a reason for it
which only now occurred to her.

The main thoroughfares, usually silent and forsaken at this hour, were
alive with streams of pedestrians, with groups of argumentative
electors, with noisy troops of lads and girls who occasionally amused
themselves with throwing mud at some unpopular person, or even breaking
a window and rushing off with yells into the darkness of byways.
Public-houses were doing a brisk trade, not without pugilism for the
entertainment of such as lounged about the doors. For these sights and
sounds Mrs. Wade had no attention, but frequently her ear was smitten
with the name "Quarrier," spoken or roared by partisan or adversary.
Her way led her through the open place where stood the Town Hall; here
had gathered some hundreds of people, waiting for the result of the
poll. As she hurried along the ragged edge of the crowd, a voice from
somewhere close at hand checked her.

"If you imagine that Quarrier will do more for the people than any
other politician, you will find yourselves mistaken. Party politics are
no good--no good at all. You working men ought to have the sense to
form a party of your own."

It was Northway, addressing a cluster of mill-hands, and evidently
posing as one of a superior class who deigned to give them
disinterested advice. She listened for a minute longer, but heard
nothing that could excite her alarm.

When she reached the house it was a quarter to ten. This part of the
town lay in obscurity and quietness; not a shout sounded in her hearing.

Mr. Quarrier had not been at home since early in the afternoon.

"He must be found at once," said Mrs. Wade, adding quickly, "I suppose
Mrs. Quarrier hasn't come?"

The servant gave a surprised negative.