uldn't have known it--I've been
so busy."

"Is the Legislature still in session?" Victoria soberly inquired.

"You are a little behind the times--ain't you?" said Mr. Crewe, in
surprise. "How long have you been home? Hasn't anybody told you what's
going on?"

"I only came up ten days ago," she answered, "and I'm afraid I've been
something of a recluse. What is going on?"

"Well," he declared, "I should have thought you'd heard it, anyway. I'll
send you up a few newspapers when I get back. I'm a candidate for the
governorship."

Victoria bit her lip, and leaned over to brush a fly from the neck of
her horse.

"You are getting on rapidly, Humphrey," she said. "Do you think you've
got--any chance?"

"Any chance!" he repeated, with some pardonable force. "I'm sure to be
nominated. There's an overwhelming sentiment among the voters of this
State for decent politics. It didn't take me long to find that out. The
only wonder is that somebody hasn't seen it before."

"Perhaps," she answered, giving him a steady look, "perhaps somebody
has."

One of Mr. Crewe's greatest elements of strength was his imperviousness
to this kind of a remark.

"If anybody's seen it," he replied, "they haven't the courage of their
convictions." Such were the workings of Mr. Crewe's mind that he had
already forgotten that first talk with Mr. Hamilton Tooting. "Not that
I want to take too much credit on myself," he added, with becoming
modesty, "I have had some experience in the world, and it was natural
that I should get a fresh view. Are you coming down to Leith in a few
days?"

"I may," said Victoria.

"Telephone me," said Mr. Crewe, "and if I can get off, I will. I'd like
to talk to you. You have more sense than most women I know."

"You overwhelm me, Humphrey. Compliments sound strangely on your lips."

"When I say a thing, I mean it," Mr. Crewe declared. "I don't pay
compliments. I'd make it a point to take a little time off to talk to
you. You see, so many men are interested in this thing from various
parts of the State, and we are so busy organizing, that it absorbs most
of my day."

"I couldn't think of encroaching," Victoria protested.

"That's all right--you can be a great help. I've got confidence in your
judgment. By the way," he asked suddenly, "you haven't seen your friend
Austen Vane since you got back, have you?"

"Why do you call him my friend?" said Victoria. Mr. Crew perceived that
the exercise had heightened