ten."

Paul laid by his paper and laughed. "Yes," he said, "and when I get
into Parliament--if ever--I will do my utmost to make some of our
wealthy citizens disgorge a part of their wealth to put places such as
this within the reach of everybody. I confess there are
difficulties----"

"What?" inquired Sally, with childish impatience.

"Our beastly climate, to begin with," Paul answered with a little
laugh. "Want of space, and want of trees when you get the space. Then
look at our population in our big cities. Brussels is just a
pocket-town, if you come to compare it with London. Of course the
recreation of the masses is only one of the many vexed questions
concerning them that Government eventually must take in hand. If you
want people to be moral, you must give them a chance of enjoying
themselves in an innocent fashion."

"Of course, you could do a lot if you once got into Parliament!" cried
Sally, with the enthusiasm of her twenty years. "When shall you get
in? and where shall you stand for? and may I help in the election?"

Paul laughed louder than before. "There's a deal to be done before I
can even think of standing for any place. First, I must accumulate
enough capital to bring me in a small independent income. You know we
have not much now."

"You can have anything and everything that belongs to me; I mean to
earn my living somehow," declared Sally, sturdily.

"Thank you. I don't mean to start that way; and money comes in slowly
to a barrister, although I am getting on fairly well. Then I will
stand for any place that will return me, after learning my honestly
expressed political opinions. Each man has his pet hobby, and I feel
that mine is the bettering of the condition of the masses."

"That will make you popular," said Sally.

"And I don't care a fig for popularity. I want to help to leave the
average condition of the people better than it is at present. The
contrast between the very rich and the very poor of our land is
something too awful to contemplate."

His talk, which he had begun half in play, had ended in deadly earnest;
and Sally laid her hand mischievously over his eyes.

"Then don't contemplate it--at any rate just now, when I am so merry
and happy. You've not answered my last question. May I help in your
election? It would be such fun."

"I think not, Sally," Paul said smiling again.

"Oh, what a mass of inconsistency!--when you were saying only to-day
that you