questions at issue. He had thrown himself with
tremendous ardour into the fight, and had spared himself in no way in
order to win the election, and yet she was not satisfied. There seemed
something at the back of everything which she could not understand.
She had seen the circular referred to in the last chapter, and, in
spite of the explanations which had been made, could not help feeling
that the sending out of this same circular was unfair and even base.
Everyone at Howden Clough professed ignorance concerning it, and there
were many surmises as to who was responsible for it. The printer's
name did not appear, and it was sent from London. That of itself
looked to her very suspicious. But more than this, she could not
understand Ned Wilson's behaviour. She had discussed with him who had
been guilty of it, and while he, like the rest, professed to know
nothing, he did not appear to be at all at ease.

"But is Mr. Stepaside on the brink of ruin, as is suggested here? And
will he not be able to pay his debts?" she asked.

"Oh, I daresay it's true," cried Ned. "You see, the fellow is a
bounder. He started manufacturing on practically nothing, not knowing
very much about it. That's why he's got into this hole. You see, he's
no conscience, and his ambition oversteps everything. You should have
heard him last Sunday morning haranguing his followers, as I was coming
home from church. You would realise, then, what kind of a fellow he
is--just a blank, blatant atheist, and, as your father has always
maintained, a man who has given up faith in religion is very doubtful
as to his morals."

"Then, you mean he'll become a bankrupt?"

"Most likely," replied Ned. "And serve him right, too. He's only
himself to blame. But what worries me is not that he will most likely
be a bankrupt, but the sufferings of the people to whom he owes money."

Mary was naturally impressed by this conversation. While she regarded
Paul Stepaside with a certain amount of admiration because of his
strong personality and the position he had, in spite of difficulties,
obtained in Brunford, she had a certain horror of his irreligion and
his apparent vindictiveness. She recalled the words he had spoken to
her on the two occasions on which they had met, words which revealed
the passionate nature of the man. She was sorry she had spoken to him
at all. She ought to have treated him with the scorn and contempt he
deserved. After all, what h