say no more
to you now."

"Say it now, I advise you, if you mean to say it," said he, shortly; but
she laughed at his serious face, and turned away without speaking.

"Is n't the cabinet council sitting late?" asked Augustus of Marion.
"They have been nigh two hours in conference."

"I take it it must be something of importance," replied she.

"Isn't Cutbill in it?" asked Augustus, mockingly.

"I saw Mr. Cutbill go down the avenue, with his cigar in his mouth, just
after we came into the drawing-room."

"I 'll go and try to pump him," said Jack. "One might do a grand thing
on the Stock Exchange if he could get at State secrets like these." And
as Jack went out a silence fell over the party, only broken by the heavy
breathing of Colonel Bramleigh as he slept behind his newspaper. At last
the door opened gently, and Temple moved quietly across the room, and
tapping his father on the shoulder,' whispered something in his ear.
"What--eh?" cried Colonel Bramleigh, waking up. "Did you say 'out'?"

Another whisper ensued, and the Colonel arose and left the room,
followed by Temple.

"Isn't Temple supremely diplomatic to-night?" said Nelly.

"I 'm certain he is behaving with every becoming reserve and decorum,"
said Marion, in a tone of severe rebuke.

When Colonel Bramleigh entered the library, Temple closed and locked the
door, and in a voice of some emotion said, "Poor Lord Culduff; it's a
dreadful blow. I don't know how he'll bear up against it."

"I don't understand it," said Bramleigh, peevishly. "What's this about a
change of Ministry and a dissolution? Did you tell me the Parliament was
dissolved?"

"No, sir. I said that a dissolution was probable. The Ministry have been
sorely pressed in the Lords about Culduff's appointment, and a motion to
address the Crown to cancel it has only been met by a majority of three.
So small a victory amounts to a defeat, and the Premier writes to beg
Lord Culdufif will at once send in his resignation, as the only means to
save the party."

"Well, if it's the only thing to do, why not do it?"

"Culdufif takes a quite different view of it. He says that to retire is
to abdicate his position in public life; that it was Lord Rigglesworth's
duty to stand by a colleague to the last; that every Minister makes it a
point of honor to defend a subordinate; and that--"

"I only half follow you. What was the ground of the attack? Had he
fallen into any blunder,--made any serious mis