side of him and a president on the other, it seemed as though his
feet almost disdained to touch the mud. These were two happy hours,
during which he did not allow himself to doubt of his triumph. When
the presidents and the chairmen spoke to him, he could hardly answer
them, so rapt was he in contemplation of his coming greatness. His
very soul was full of his seat in Parliament! But when Griffenbottom
approached him on the lists, and then passed him, there came a shadow
upon his brow. He still felt sure of his election, but he would
lose that grand place at the top of the poll to which he had taught
himself to look so proudly. Soon after noon a cruel speech was made
to him. "We've about pumped our side dry," said a secretary of a
Young Men's Association.

"Do you mean we've polled all our friends?" asked Moggs.

"Pretty nearly, Mr. Moggs. You see our men have nothing to wait for,
and they came up early." Then Ontario's heart sank within him, and he
began to think of the shop in Bond Street.

The work of that afternoon in Percycross proved how correct Mr.
Griffenbottom had been in his judgment. He kept his place at the top
of the poll. It was soon evident that that could not be shaken. Then
Westmacott passed by Moggs, and in the next half-hour Sir Thomas
did so also. This was at two, when Ontario betook himself to the
privacy of his bedroom at the Cordwainers' Arms. His pluck left him
altogether, and he found himself unable to face the town as a losing
candidate. Then for two hours there was a terrible struggle between
Westmacott and Underwood, during which things were done in the
desperation of the moment, as to which it might be so difficult to
give an account, should any subsequent account be required. We all
know how hard it is to sacrifice the power of winning, when during
the heat of the contest the power of winning is within our reach. At
four o'clock the state of the poll was as follows:--

Griffenbottom 1402
Underwood 1007
Westmacott 984
Moggs 821

When the chairmen and presidents waited upon Moggs, telling him of
the final result, and informing him that he must come to the hustings
and make a speech, they endeavoured to console him by an assurance
that he, and he alone, had fought the fight fairly. "They'll both be
unseated, you know, as sure as eggs," said the president. "It can't
be otherwise. They've been busy up in a little room in Petticoat
Court all the after