rty; I should
go dead against your husband if we only had a chance."

"Come, you need not be so aggressive," laughed Lady Tyrrell; "you
haven't a vote yet. You are frightening Mrs. Poynsett." It was
true. Even Cecil Charnock was born too late to be one of the young
ladies who, in the first decades of the reformed Parliament, used to
look on a Liberal as a lusus naturae, whom they hardly believed to
be a gentleman. But a lady who would openly accost the Member's
bride with a protest against his politics, was a being beyond her
experience, and the contemplation fairly distracted her from her
husband's oratory.

She would have taken Miss Slater for the strong-minded female far
rather than this small slim person, with the complexion going with
the yellower species of red hair and chignon, not unlike a gold-
pheasant's, while the thin aquiline nose made Cecil think of Queen
Elizabeth. The dress was a tight-fitting black silk, with a
gorgeous many-coloured gold-embroidered oriental mantle thrown
loosely over it, and a Tyrolean hat, about as large as the
pheasant's comb, tipped over her forehead, with cords and tassels of
gold; and she made little restless movements and whispered remarks
during the speeches.

There was to be a rate to renew the town-hall. The rebuilding of
the paper-mills and dwelling-houses was fairly covered by the
insurance; but the Vicar, in his diffident apologetic voice, stated
that the church had been insufficiently insured, and moreover, that
many more sittings were needed than the former building had
contained. He then read the list of subscriptions already promised,
expressed hopes of more coming in, invited ladies to take collecting
cards, and added that he was happy to announce that the ladies of
the congregation had come forward with all the beneficence of their
sex, and raised a sum to supply a new set of robes.

Here the chairman glanced at his wife, but she was absorbed in
watching Mrs. Duncombe's restless hands; and the look was
intercepted by Lady Tyrrell's eyes, which flashed back sympathetic
amusement, with just such a glance as used to pass between them in
old times; but the effect was to make the Member's face grave and
impassive, and his eyes fix on the papers before him.

The next moment Cecil was ardently gazing at Mr. Fuller as he
proceeded to his hopes of the bazaar to be held under the most
distinguished patronage, and of which he spoke as if it were the
subject of an