been such as to
find the child enough, she would certainly never have become Alexander
Quisante's wife. Always when she was most strongly repelled by him, there
was in the back of her mind the feeling that it was something to be his
wife. Only--he mustn't be found out. The worst terror of all, at which
her half-jesting words to Marchmont had hinted, came back as she
murmured, "I wish we had more money." For money was necessary, as votes
had been, and--her eyes strayed to old Foster's portrait on the
mantelpiece. The election had cost a lot; no salary was to be looked for
now; both by policy and by instinct Quisante was lavish; she herself had
no aptitude for small economies. Money was wanted very much indeed in
Grosvenor Road.

It was on the way, though. This was the news that Quisante, in the
interval between his return from electioneering and the meeting of
Parliament, brought back day by day from his excursions to the City and
his conversations with Mandeville. He was careful to explain to his wife
that he was no "guinea-pig," that he did not approve of the animal, and
would never use his position to pick up gain in that way. But he had
leisure--at least he could make time--and some of it he proposed to
devote to starting a really legitimate and highly lucrative undertaking.
The Alethea Printing Press was to revolutionise a great many things
besides the condition of Quisante's finances; it was not an ordinary
speculative company. Marchmont's phrase came in here, and May used it
neatly and graciously. Quisante, much encouraged, plunged into an account
of the great invention; if only it worked as it was certain to work,
there was not one fortune but many fortunes in it. "And it will work?"
she asked. "If we can get the capital," he answered with a confident air.
"I shall try to interest all my friends in it," he went on. "You can help
me there." May looked doubtful, and Quisante grew more eloquent. At last
he held up a sheaf of papers, saying triumphantly,

"Here are favourable reports from all the leading experts. We shall have
an array of them in the prospectus. Of course they're absolutely
impartial, and they really leave no room for doubt." He held them out to
her, but she leant back with her hands in her lap.

"I shouldn't understand them," she protested. "But they all agree, do
they?"

"Yes, all," he said emphatically. "Well, all except one." His brow
wrinkled a little. "Mandeville insisted on having an opini