side of the hall
still stood there talking in low tones with the sense of intimacy which
belongs to a family party.

Jean had slipped her arm in her uncle's, and was smiling at Stonor--

'He says he believes I'll be able to make a real difference to his
chances,' she said, half aside. 'Isn't it angelic of him?'

'Angelic?' laughed the great man. 'Macchiavellian. I pin all my hopes on
your being able to counteract the pernicious influence of my opponent's
glib wife.'

'You want me to have a real share in it all, don't you, Geoffrey?'

'Of course I do.' He smiled into her eyes.

That moth Farnborough, whirling in the political effulgence, was again
hovering on the outskirts. He even made conversation to Mrs. Heriot, as
an excuse to remain inside the window.

'But you don't mean seriously,' Lord John asked his guest, 'you don't
mean, do you, that there's any possible complication about _your_ seat?'

'Oh, I dare say it's all right'--Stonor drew a Sunday paper out of his
pocket. 'There's this agitation about the Woman Question. Oddly enough,
it seems as if it might--there's just the off-chance--it _might_ affect
the issue.'

'Affect it? How? God bless my soul!' Lord John's transparent skin
flushed up to his white hair. 'Don't tell me any responsible person is
going even to consider the lunacy of tampering with the British
Constitution----'

'We _have_ heard that suggested, though for better reasons,' Stonor
laughed, but not Lord John.

'Turn over the destinies of the Empire,' he said hotly, 'to a lot of
ignorant women just because a few of 'em have odious manners and violent
tongues!' The sight of Stonor's cool impassivity calmed him somewhat. He
went on more temperately. 'Every sane person sees that the only trouble
with England to-day is that too many ignorant people have votes
already.'

'The penalty we pay for being more republican than the Republics.'

Lord John had picked up the Sunday paper and glanced down a column.

'If the worst came to the worst, you can do what the other four hundred
have done.'

'Easily! But the mere fact that four hundred and twenty members have
been worried into promising support--and then, once in the House, have
let the matter severely alone----'

'Let it alone?' Lord John burst out again. 'I should think so indeed!'

'Yes,' laughed Stonor, 'only it's a device that's somewhat worn.'

'Still,' Lord John put on a Macchiavellian air that sat rather
incongruously on his h