'ad 'is portmanteau in 'is 'and----"

"Nonsense," Miss Gallup said crossly; "what would he be doing with a
portmanteau?"

"That I can't say, mum, but 'e 'ad it, and when 'e'd gone I took the
lamp in to the poor young gentleman wot was lyin' all 'uddled up on the
sofa--'e said 'thank you' in a muffled voice that mournful, and I made
up the fire and waited a minute but 'e didn't say no more, so I come
away, an' in a few minutes the 'ouse seemed chock-full o' people.
Where they come from passes me----"

"Well, get tea now, as quick as you can. I can't think where Mr Gallup
can have got to."

Miss Gallup lit a candle and went straight upstairs to her nephew's
room. His clothes were still in the drawers as she, herself, had
arranged them--but the suit-case, the smart new leather suit-case, with
E. A. G. in large black letters upon its lid, was gone.

Miss Gallup sank heavily on a chair. What could it mean?

She immediately connected the advent of the strange young lady and the
disappearance of her nephew's suit-case.

She took off her bonnet and cloak and did not put them away, but left
them lying on her bed; a sure sign of perturbation with Miss Gallup,
who was the tidiest of mortals.

She sought Em'ly-Alice in the bright little kitchen. "What was the
young lady like?" she asked.

"Oh a superior young person, Miss, all in black."

"Young, was she?" Miss Gallup remarked suspiciously.

"Yes, Miss, quite young, I should say--about my own age; I couldn't see
'er face very well, but she did talk like the gentry, very soft and
distinct."

"Did Mr Gallup seem pleased to see her?"

"That I couldn't say, Miss, I'm sure. I left 'em together and come out
and shut the door."

Miss Gallup went back to the parlour shaking her head.

"There's a lot of them will be after him now 'e's stood for
Parliament," she reflected grimly; "but I did _not_ think they'd have
the face to track him to his aunt's house. She's hanging about the
lanes for him now I'll warrant. Miss Buttermish indeed!"

CHAPTER XIV

THE ELECTION

Eloquent had taken a small furnished house in Marlehouse, and was
installed there with a housekeeper and manservant for the fortnight
preceding the election. The Moonstone, chief, and in fact only, hotel
in the town, was "blue," and although the proprietor would have been
glad enough to secure Eloquent's custom, it was felt better "for all
parties" that he should make his headquarters elsewhere.