f your good health, Mr. Sheppard."

While he made his little formal speeches Mr. Sheppard continued to
glance sidelong at Victor Heron. Mr. Heron now left his place at the
chimney-piece and came forward to take his leave.

"Must you go?" Minola asked, with as easy a manner as she could assume.
She dreaded a _tete-a-tete_ with Sheppard, and she also dreaded to let
it be seen that she dreaded it. If Mary Blanchet would only come!

An expedient occurred to her for putting off the dreaded conversation
yet a moment, and giving Mary Blanchet another chance.

"I should like my friends to know each other," Minola said, with a
gayety of manner which was hardly in keeping with her natural ways.
"People are not introduced to each other now, I believe, when they meet
by chance in London, but we are none of us Londoners. Mr. Sheppard comes
from Keeton, Mr. Heron, and is one of the oldest friends of my family."

Mr. Heron held out his hand with eyes of beaming friendliness.

"Mr. Heron?" Sheppard asked slowly. "Mr. Victor Heron?"

"Victor Heron, indeed!"

"Mr. Victor Heron, formerly of the St. Xavier's Settlements?"

Heron only nodded this time, finding Mr. Sheppard's manner not
agreeable. Minola wondered what her townsman was thinking of, and how he
came to know Heron's name and history.

"Then my name must surely be known to you, Mr. Heron. The name of
Augustus Sheppard, of Duke's-Keeton?"

"No, sir," Heron replied. "I am sorry to say that I don't remember to
have heard the name before."

"Indeed," Mr. Sheppard said with a formal smile, intended to be
incredulous and yet not to seem too plainly so. "Yet we are rivals, Mr.
Heron."

Minola started and colored.

"At least we are to be," Mr. Sheppard went on--"if rumor in
Duke's-Keeton speaks the truth. I am not wrong in assuming that I have
the honor of addressing the future Radical--I mean Liberal--candidate
for that borough?"

"Oh, that's it," Heron said carelessly. "Yes, yes: I didn't know that
rumor had yet troubled herself about the matter so much as to speak of
it truly or falsely. But of course, since you have heard it, Mr.
Sheppard, it's no secret. I have some ideas that way, Miss Grey. I
intend to try whether I can impress your townspeople. This gentleman, I
suppose, is on the other side."

"I am the other side," Mr. Sheppard said gravely. "I am to be the
Conservative candidate--I was accepted by the party as the Conservative
candidate, no matter who the R