think you can depend on Beaumaris," said Waldershare, much
interested.

"I depend upon you," said Mr. Tadpole, with a glance of affectionate
credulity. "The party already owes you much. This will be a crowning
service."

"Beaumaris is rather a queer man to deal with," said Waldershare; "he
requires gentle handling."

"All the world says he consults you on everything."

"All the world, as usual, is wrong," said Waldershare. "Lord Beaumaris
consults no one except Lady Beaumaris."

"Well then we shall do," rejoined Mr. Tadpole triumphantly. "Our man
that I want him to return is a connection of Lady Beaumaris, a Mr.
Rodney, very anxious to get into parliament, and rich. I do not know who
he is exactly, but it is a good name; say a cousin of Lord Rodney until
the election is over, and then they may settle it as they like."

"A Mr. Rodney," said Waldershare musingly; "well, if I hear anything I
will let you know. I suppose you are in pretty good spirits?"

"I should like a little sunshine. A cold spring, and now a wet summer,
and the certainty of a shocking harvest combined with manufacturing
distress spreading daily, is not pleasant, but the English are a
discriminating people. They will hardly persuade them that Sir Robert
has occasioned the bad harvests."

"The present men are clearly responsible for all that," said
Waldershare.

There was a reception at Lady Roehampton's this evening. Very few Tories
attended it, but Lady Beaumaris was there. She never lost an opportunity
of showing by her presence how grateful she was to Myra for the kindness
which had greeted Imogene when she first entered society. Endymion,
as was his custom when the opportunity offered, rather hung about
Lady Beaumaris. She always welcomed him with unaffected cordiality and
evident pleasure. He talked to her, and then gave way to others, and
then came and talked to her again, and then he proposed to take her to
have a cup of tea, and she assented to the proposal with a brightening
eye and a bewitching smile.

"I suppose your friends are very triumphant, Lady Beaumaris?" said
Endymion.

"Yes; they naturally are very excited. I confess I am not myself."

"But you ought to be," said Endymion. "You will have an immense
position. I should think Lord Beaumaris would have any office he chose,
and yours will be the chief house of the party."

"I do not know that Lord Beaumaris would care to have office, and I
hardly think any office would su