shel.

"Better not, perhaps," said Linton, appearing to reflect; "his income,
which is a right good one, is professional. This, of course, he 'd
forfeit by accepting a seat in the House. Besides, really, the poor
man would make no way. No, we must think of some one else. Do you like
White?"

"Leicester White? I detest the man, and the wife too."

"Well, there's Frobisher, a fellow of good name and family. I 'd not go
bail for his preferring your interests to his own, but as times go, you
might chance upon worse. Will you have Frobisher?"

"I have no objection," said Cashel, carelessly; "would he like it
himself?"

"Would he like anything that might help him to a step in the regiment,
or place him in a position to sell himself, you, and the borough
constituency, to the highest bidder?" said Linton, irritated at Cashel's
half assent.

"Well, if these be his principles," cried Cashel, laughing, "I think
we 'd better put him aside."

"You 're right; he 'd never do," said Linton, recovering all his
self-possession; "what you want is a man sufficiently unconnected with
ties of family or party, to see in you his patron and his object, and
who, with cleverness enough to enunciate the views you desire to see
prevail, has also the strong bond of personal regard to make him always
even more the friend than the follower."

"I only know of one man who realizes all this combination," said Cashel,
smiling, "and _he_ would n't answer."

"Who is he,--and why?" asked Linton, in vain endeavoring to look easy
and unconcerned.

"Tom Linton is the man, and his invincible laziness the 'why.' Isn't
that true?"

"By George, Cashel, if you 're content with the first part of the
assertion, I 'll pledge myself to remedy the latter. I own, frankly, it
is a career for which I have no predilection; if I had, I should have
been 'in' many years ago. I have all my life held very cheap your great
political leaders, both as regards capacity and character, and I have
ever fancied that I should have had some success in the lists; but I
have always loved ease, and that best of ease, independence. If you
think, however, that I can worthily represent you in Parliament, and
that you could safely trust to my discretion the knotty question of
political war, say the word, my boy, and I 'll fling my 'far niente'
habits to the wind, and you shall have all the merit of developing the
promising member for--what's the name of it?"

"Derraheeny."

"Ex