ur of the unknown and just a dash of the mystery-man about him.

The Quisante-ites had undoubtedly something to say for themselves and
something to show for their faith. Handicapped as he was by his
sensational success at the Imperial League dinner, with its theatrical
and faintly suspicious climax, Quisante had begun well in the House. He
broke away from his mentor's advice; Dick had been for more sensation,
for storming the House; Quisante rejected the idea and made a quiet,
almost hesitating, entry on the scene. He displayed here a peculiarity
which soon came to be remarked in him; on public occasions and in regard
to public audiences he possessed a tact and a power of understanding the
feelings of his company which entirely and even conspicuously failed him
in private life. The House did not like being stormed, especially on the
strength of an outside reputation; he addressed it modestly, bringing
into play, however, resources with which he had not been credited--a
touch of humour and a pretty turn of sarcasm. He knew his facts too, and
disposed of contradictions with a Blue-book and a smile. The
hypercritical were not silenced; Marchmont still found the smile oily,
and his friends traced the humour to districts which they supposed to lie
somewhere east of the London Hospital; but they were bound to admit
sorrowfully that, although all this was true, it might not, under
democratic institutions, prove fatal to a career.

Dick Benyon was enthusiastic; he told his friend that he had scored
absolutely off his own bat and that there was and could be no more
question of help or obligation. He was rather surprised by a display of
feeling on Quisante's part which seemed to indicate almost an excess of
gratitude; but Quisante felt his foot on the ladder, and the wells of
emotion were full to overflowing. Dick escaped in considerable
embarrassment, telling himself that remarkable men could not be expected
to behave just like other men, like his sort of man, but wishing they
would. None the less he praised what he hardly liked, and the reputation
of being a good friend was added to Quisante's credentials. Lastly, but
far from least in importance, a story went the rounds that a very great
veteran, who had taken a keen interest in Weston Marchmont, and
designated him for high place in a future not remote, had recently warned
him, in apparent jest indeed but with unmistakable significance, that it
would not do to take things too