imes sweep over its consciousness, when it
feels called upon to exalt the banner of progress; to play the old Roman
part of lifting up the humble and casting down the proud; of showing a
paternal interest in all manner of schemes for the redress of wrong and
suffering everywhere. Somehow or other it had got it into its head that
Ericson was a man after its own heart; that he was a kind of new Gordon;
that his gallant determination to make the people of Gloria happy in
spite of themselves was a proof of the application of Tory methods. Sir
Rupert encouraged this idea. As a rule, his party were a little afraid
of his advanced ideas; but on this occasion they were willing to accept
them, and they manifested the friendliest interest in the Dictator's
defeated schemes. Indeed, so friendly were they that many of the
Radicals began to take alarm, and think that something must be wrong
with a man who met with so cordial a reception from the ruling party.

Ericson himself met these overtures contentedly enough. If it was for
the good of Gloria that he should return some day to carry out his
dreams, then anything that helped him to return was for the good of
Gloria too, and undoubtedly the friendliness of the Ministerialists was
a very important factor in the problem he was engaged upon. He did not
know at first how much Tory feeling was influenced by Sir Rupert; he did
not know until later how much Sir Rupert was influenced by his daughter.

Helena had aroused in her father something of her own enthusiasm for the
exiled Dictator. Sir Rupert had looked into the whole business more
carefully, had recognised that it certainly would be very much better
for the interests of British subjects under the green and yellow banner
that Gloria should be ruled by an Englishman like Ericson than by the
wild and reckless Junta, who at present upheld uncertain authority by
martial law. England had recognised the Junta, of course; it was the _de
facto_ Government, and there was nothing else to be done. But it was not
managing its affairs well; the credit of the country was shaken; its
trade was gravely impaired; the very considerable English colony was
loud in its protests against the defects of the new _regime_. Under
these conditions Sir Rupert saw no reason for not extending the hand of
friendship to the Dictator.

He did extend the hand of friendship. He met the Dictator at a
dinner-party given in his honour by Mr. Wynter, M. P.: Mr. Wynter,