anship or
patriotism. He would tell Englishmen, he said, that he was seeking a
seat in Parliament as a way of getting redress for a great wrong done
to him, and through him to some of the principles most dear to the
country. When he had fought his battle in Parliament and won or lost,
he promised that he would then place himself in the hands of his
constituents and resign the seat if they desired. The whole address was
frank, odd, original, and perhaps seemed a little self-conceited. The
author's absorption in his subject was mistaken by many people, as will
happen sometimes, for self-conceit.

Mr. Sheppard's address, on the contrary, talked only of the good old
Conservative principles which had made England the envy and admiration
of all surrounding States; of the local interests of Keeton and the
candidate's acquaintance therewith; and of the many splendid things
done for the town by the noble family who had done it the honor to have
a park there.

"I don't think Heron's address reads half badly," Mr. Money said, one
evening in the absence of Heron, to his two companions; "on the whole,
I shouldn't wonder if it took some people, the women particularly.
Anything personal, anything in the nature of a grievance, is likely to
have a good effect on many people, especially where the injured
personage is young, and good-looking, and plucky. I wish the women had
the votes here just for this once, for I think we should stand to win
if they had."

"Then, papa, do you think we shan't win now?" Lucy asked.

Minola looked up eagerly for his answer.

"Well, Lucelet, I don't like to say; I am not quite charmed with the
look of things. I find there are a good many very strong Radicals grown
up in this place since there was a contest here before; and Heron's
not wild enough for them by half. They are a little of the red-hot
social-revolution sort of thing--the _proletaire_ business, with a dash
of the brabbling atheist--the fellows who think one is not fit to live
if he even admits the possibility of another world. I am afraid these
fellows will hold aloof from us altogether, or even take some whim of
voting against us, and they may be strong enough to turn the scale."

Minola hoped that if her friend Mr. St. Paul had really any charm by
which to extort victory for Heron as he had promised, he would not
forget to use it in good time. But she began to have less faith, and
less, in the possibility of any such feat. She was a litt