viton."

"What letter?"

"The letter which led me to tell you that two men are coming here to
dinner to-night."

"Oh, I had almost forgotten. Yes, I must tell Mrs. Bray. Half-past
seven, I suppose."

"Yes; by the way, what makes your letter so interesting?"

"Well, Bridget's letters are always interesting. As you know, she writes
well, and she has quite a gift in summing up people. You remember her
letter about that French Count?"

"Very well. Yes, yes, it was very clever. Has some one else of note been
staying at the Grange?"

"In a way, yes. At least she thinks he will be of note. Indeed she
describes a very striking man."

"Who is he?"

"He is the candidate which her father has persuaded to fight Sir Charles
Trefry at the next election."

John Castlemaine opened his eyes rather widely for a moment, then a
rather amused look came upon his face.

"Tell me what she thinks about him," he said quietly.

Olive Castlemaine took up the letter she had placed on the table and
began to search for the part which gave the description to which she
had referred.

"There's a lot about the girls we met in Germany," went on Olive;
"you'll not be interested in them. Oh, here it is. Listen: 'A very
interesting guest has just left us. I am not sure whether I like him or
no. Sometimes I think I do, and at others I am just as sure that I
don't. He is the candidate who has been elected to fight Sir Charles
Trefry, and father feels sure that he's bound to win. He came here to
dinner last night, after which he addressed a meeting at the Taviton
Public Hall, and then came back here again for the night. Of course
father knows him very well, but, as I have always been away when he has
been here before, this is the first time I have seen him. He arrived
about six in the evening, and, owing to the meeting, we had to have an
early dinner. The thing which was most remarkable about him before the
meeting was his silence. He scarcely spoke a word. And yet I am sure
that nothing escaped him. He has large grey eyes, which have a strange
look in them. His face is very pale, and he looks all the more striking
because he is cleanly shaven. As I said, he was very silent, and yet I
felt interested in him. He impressed me as one of those strong,
masterful men who compel people to do things against their wills. Of
course father asked two or three people of local importance to meet him,
and the quiet way in which he snubbed them without being