t his nerves tingling.

"It's because I've not touched it for so long," he said. "A few months
ago I should not have known I had tasted a drop like this."

He drained the glass to the bottom, and poured out more. For two hours
he remained there, drinking, and brooding, and trying to forget.

Presently he arose, and went down to the smoking-room. He walked
steadily, but he never remembered whisky to affect him as it was
affecting him now. He wanted companionship; the whisky had destroyed all
desire for privacy. On entering the room, he saw that the men who had
gathered there were greatly excited. He had expected that some one would
pretend to commiserate with him on the postponement of his marriage, but
to his surprise no one seemed to heed him.

"Ah, MacGregor," he said, to a young Scotchman, whom he knew slightly,
"the devil hasn't claimed you yet, then. But trust a Scotchman to outwit
even the devil."

"Leicester, is that you?" said the Scotchman. "I heard you were off for
your honeymoon; but I suppose even happy bridegrooms have to submit to
General Elections."

"General Elections--what do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Don't you know?"

"Know what?"

The Scotchman laughed.

"Why, where have you been during the day?"

"I've been busy in my room," he replied warily.

"But haven't you heard?"

"I've heard nothing."

"What, not that there has been a dissolution of Parliament?"

"What?"

"Just that. We'll all have to hurry off to our constituencies now--that
is, those of us who have been fools enough to meddle with politics. I'm
off in two hours."

"Well, you will be all right. You'll get returned again, I suppose?"

"Yes, thanks to my wife, I believe I shall. She's far more popular in
the constituency than I, and people will vote for me for her sake. I
suppose you'll be off to Taviton to-night?"

"Not I."

"But, man, it'll be----"

"It's not worth the candle," said Leicester; "what's the odds which
party is in? Liberal or Conservative, it's only a question of which set
of maggots shall eat the cheese." The words which MacGregor had spoken
about his wife had stung him.

"But that's all nonsense. It's true you've lately got married, but you
must go down and fight. It'll be all beer and skittles with you. A good
speaker like you, and just married to a charming and rich wife, can do
anything. An electioneering honeymoon! My word, that will be a new thing
in wedded life. Quite a subject for a roma