who never rest until they get
it; men with great purposes, great ambitions. And he's a man who will
surely be heard of. Nothing can stop him. I hear he's becoming a rich
man, but that will not content him. He's ambitious to take a great
place in life. I should not be at all surprised if some day he won a
national reputation!"

"Nonsense!" cried Ned. "National reputation, indeed! He might have a
national reputation for some great crime, but for nothing else. He has
the instincts of his class, Miss Bolitho, and I am sorry you were seen
walking with him. If I were to tell your father, he'd be angry, too."

Ned knew he was doing himself harm by saying these things, but at that
moment his hatred of Paul was increased. He had never dreamt that Mary
Bolitho could think of him in such a way. He believed she was
interested in him, and that somehow Paul had fascinated her by his
presence. Jealousy of him, therefore, was added to the old grudge.

"I am afraid you do not understand, Mr. Wilson. Oh, here's a tram,
which will take me a long way towards the house." And without taking
any further notice of him, she walked towards the conveyance.

Three weeks later Brunford was again on the tiptoe of excitement.
Again a great crowd had gathered around the town hall, again there was
the excitement of counting votes, and this time Paul, to his great
delight, found himself Member for Brunford by a big majority. That he
was gratified goes without saying. He felt, somehow, that the day
brought him nearer the things he longed for. All things seemed
possible to him now, and his heart beat high with joy. It is true, Ned
Wilson bad done his best to defeat him, but this time he had been
powerless. He was unable to use the methods he had used on the
previous occasion, and while he had resurrected the old stories
concerning Paul's parentage, they had apparently done the young man no
harm. Paul was delighted, too, with the conduct of his opponent. The
Honourable Stephen Boston had been true to his word. He had fought the
battle fairly and with a sportsman's spirit, and when the results were
announced no man in Brunford was more cordial towards the new Member
than the defeated candidate.

"I did my best to lick you, Stepaside," he said, when all the noise and
excitement was over. "But you were too strong for me. All the same, I
congratulate you. You have fought a good fight, and you'll be heard
about in the country yet.