two of his old mates to take dinner with
him. It sometimes happened that one of them would invite him home of
an evening, to drink a cup of tea, or to see some curiosity that the
other thought would interest him, and on these occasions--if there were
any children in the house to which they were going--Barrington usually
made a point of going into a shop on their way, and buying a bag of
cakes or fruit for them.

All sorts of theories were put forward to account for his apparent
affluence. Some said he was a toff in disguise; others that he had
rich relations who were ashamed of him because he was a Socialist, and
who allowed him so much a week so long as he kept away from them and
did not use his real name. Some of the Liberals said that he was in
the pay of the Tories, who were seeking by underhand methods to split
up the Progressive Liberal Party. Just about that time several
burglaries took place in the town, the thieves getting clear away with
the plunder, and this circumstance led to a dark rumour that Barrington
was the culprit, and that it was these ill-gotten gains that he was
spending so freely.

About the middle of October an event happened that drew the town into a
state of wild excitement, and such comparatively unimportant subjects
as unemployment and starvation were almost forgotten.

Sir Graball D'Encloseland had been promoted to yet a higher post in the
service of the country that he owned such a large part of; he was not
only to have a higher and more honourable position, but also--as was
nothing but right--a higher salary. His pay was to be increased to
seven thousand five hundred a year or one hundred and fifty pounds per
week, and in consequence of this promotion it was necessary for him to
resign his seat and seek re-election.

The ragged-trousered Tory workmen as they loitered about the streets,
their stomachs empty, said to each other that it was a great honour for
Mugsborough that their Member should be promoted in this way. They
boasted about it and assumed as much swagger in their gait as their
broken boots permitted.

They stuck election cards bearing Sir Graball's photograph in their
windows and tied bits of blue and yellow ribbon--Sir Graball's
colours--on their underfed children.

The Liberals were furious. They said that an election had been sprung
on them--they had been taken a mean advantage of--they had no candidate
ready.

They had no complaint to make about the salary,