didn't he?"

"I heard that his conduct did him great honor," Minola said warmly.

"Yes, yes--of course, yes; if you look at it in that sort of way. But
these black fellows, you know--it really isn't worth a man's while
bothering about them. They're just as well off in slavery as not--deuced
deal better, I think; I dare say some of their kings and chiefs think
they have a right to sell them if they like. I told Heron at the time I
wouldn't bother if I was he. Where's the use, you know?"

"Were you there at the time?" Minola asked, with some curiosity.

"Yes, I was there. I'd been in the Oregon country, and I met with an
accident, and got a fever, and all that; and I wanted a little rest and
a mild climate, you know; and I made for San Francisco, and some fellows
there told me to go to these Settlements of ours in the Pacific, and I
went. I saw a good deal of Heron--he was very hospitable and that, and
then this row came on. He behaved like a deuced young fool, and that's a
fact."

"He was not understood," said Minola, "and he has been treated very
badly by the Government."

"Of course he has. I told him they would treat him badly. They wouldn't
understand all his concern about black fellows--how could they
understand it? Why didn't he let it alone? The fellow who's out there
now--you won't find him bothering about such things, you bet--as we say
out West, if you will excuse such a rough expression, Miss Grey. But of
course Heron has been treated very badly, and we are going to run him
for Duke's-Keeton."

Several visitors had now come in, and Mr. Heron contrived to change his
position and cross over to the part of the room where Minola was.

"Look here, Heron," Mr. St. Paul said; "you have got a staunch ally here
already. Miss Grey means to wear your colors, I dare say--do they wear
colors at elections now in England?--I don't know--and you had better
canvass for her influence in Keeton. If I were an elector of Keeton, I'd
vote for the Pope or the Sultan if Miss Grey asked me."

Meanwhile Lady Limpenny was pleading her cause with Mr. Money. It may be
said that Lady Limpenny was the wife of a physician who had been
knighted, and who had no children. Her husband was wholly absorbed in
his professional occupations, and never even thought of going anywhere
with his wife, or concerning himself about what she did. He knew the
Money women professionally, and except professionally, he could not be
said to know anybody