est to Matthew
Hales. But, sir, we has changed our minds; and please, would 'ee give
back the money to them as owns it?"

"Still, my honest friend--"

"Thank 'ee, Sir Ralph, that's it: we be honest; we couldn't look the
master in the face else. Twelve year ago, come Michaelmas, he kept
some on us from starving--may be worse. We bean't going to turn
rascals on's hands now. Now I'll vote, sir,--and it won't be for
Vermilye."

A smothered murmur of applause greeted old Jacob, as he marched back
down the aisle, where on the stone benches of the porch was seated a
rural jury, who discussed not over-favourably the merits of Lord
Luxmore's candidate.

"He owes a power o' money in Norton Bury--he do."

"Why doesn't he show his face at the 'lection, like a decent gen'leman?"

"Fear'd o' bailiffs!" suggested the one constable, old and rheumatic,
who guarded the peace of Kingswell. "He's the biggest swindler in all
England."

"Curse him!" muttered an old woman. "She was a bonny lass--my Sally!
Curse him!"

All this while, Lord Luxmore sat in lazy dignity in the
communion-chair, apparently satisfied that as things always had been so
they would continue to be; that despite the unheard-of absurdity of a
contested election, his pocket-borough was quite secure. It must have
been, to say the least, a great surprise to his lordship, when, the
poll being closed, its result was found thus: Out of the fifteen
votes, six were for Mr. Vermilye, nine for his opponent. Mr. Herbert
Oldtower was therefore duly elected as member for the borough of
Kingswell.

The earl received the announcement with dignified, incredulous silence;
but Mr. Brithwood never spared language.

"It's a cheat--an infamous conspiracy! I will unseat him--by my soul I
will!"

"You may find it difficult," said John Halifax, counting out the
guineas deposited by Jacob Baines, and laying them in a heap before Mr.
Brown, the steward. "Small as the number is, I believe any Committee
of the House of Commons will decide that nine honester votes were never
polled. But I regret, my lord--I regret deeply, Mr. Brithwood,"--and
there was a kind of pity in his eye--"that in this matter I have been
forced, as it were, to become your opponent. Some day, perhaps, you
may both do me the justice that I now can only look for from my own
conscience."

"Very possibly," replied the earl, with a satirical bow. "I believe,
gentlemen, our business is ended for to-day