dmitted into the King's Arms club, and ornamented that assembly by his
presence and discourse, "Don't you think the Colonel would make a good
William Tell to combat against that Gessler?" Ha! Proposal received with
acclamation--eagerly adopted by Charles Tucker, Esq., Attorney-at-Law,
who would not have the slightest objection to conduct Colonel Newcome's,
or any other gentleman's electioneering business in Newcome or
elsewhere.

Like those three gentlemen in the plays and pictures of William Tell,
who conspire under the moon, calling upon liberty and resolving to elect
Tell as their especial champion--like Arnold, Melchthal, and Werner--Tom
Potts, Fred Bayham, and Charles Tucker, Esqs., conspired round a
punch-bowl, and determined that Thomas Newcome should be requested to
free his country. A deputation from the electors of Newcome, that is
to say, these very gentlemen waited on the Colonel in his apartment the
very next morning, and set before him the state of the borough; Barnes
Newcome's tyranny, under which it groaned; and the yearning of all
honest men to be free from that usurpation. Thomas Newcome received the
deputation with great solemnity and politeness, crossed his legs, folded
his arms, smoked his cheroot, and listened moat decorously, as now
Potts, now Tucker, expounded to him; Bayham giving the benefit of his
emphatic "hear, hear," to their statements, and explaining dubious
phrases to the Colonel in the most affable manner.

Whatever the conspirators had to say against Barnes, Colonel Newcome was
only too ready to believe. He had made up his mind that that criminal
ought to be punished and exposed. The lawyer's covert innuendoes, who
was ready to insinuate any amount of evil against Barnes which could
safely be uttered, were by no means strong enough for Thomas Newcome.
"'Sharp practice! exceedingly alive to his own interests--reported
violence of temper and tenacity of money'--say swindling at once,
sir--say falsehood and rapacity--say cruelty and avarice," cries the
Colonel. "I believe, upon my honour and conscience, that unfortunate
young man to be guilty of every one of those crimes."

Mr. Bayham remarks to Mr. Potts that our friend the Colonel, when he
does utter an opinion, takes care that there shall be no mistake about
it.

"And I took care there should be no mistake before I uttered it at all,
Bayham!" cries F. B.'s patron. "As long as I was in any doubt about this
young man, I gave the crim