"May I take you down to the supper-room?" he asked presently.

The chaperon and Miss Bride were engaged in conversation with a man who
stood behind them.

"Yes, let us go," said May, rising. "I'm thirsty."

She spoke a word to the lady responsible for her, and swept off with
Lashmar.

"How delightful it is,". Dyce exclaimed, "to gather such a lot of
interesting people!"

"Isn't it!" May responded. "One feels really alive here. You would
hardly believe--" she gave him a confidential look--"that this is my
first season in London."

"Indeed it isn't easy to believe," said Dyce, in the tone of compliment.

"I always thought of a London season," pursued May, "as mere frivolity.
Of course there is a great deal of that. But here one sees only
cultured and serious people; it makes one feel how much hope there is
for the world, in spite of everything. The common Socialists talk
dreadful nonsense about Society; of course it's mere ignorance."

"To be sure," Lashmar assented, with inward mirth. "Their views are
inevitably so narrow.--How long do you stay in town?"

"I'm afraid my aunt's health will oblige me to return to Rivenoak very
soon. She has been seeing doctors. I don't know what they tell her, but
I notice that she isn't quite herself this last day or two."

"Wonderful old lady, isn't she?" Dyce exclaimed.

"Oh, wonderful! You have known her for a long time, haven't you?"

"No, not very long. But we have talked so much, and agree so well in
our views, that I think of her as quite an old friend.--What can I get
you? Do you like iced coffee?"

Dyce seated her, and tended upon her as though no such thing as a
"method" with women had ever entered his mind. His demeanour was
lamentably old-fashioned. What it lacked in natural grace, Miss Tomalin
was not critical enough to perceive.

"How nice it will be," she suddenly remarked, "when you are in
Parliament! Of course you will invite us to tea on the terrace, and all
that kind of thing."

"I'm sure I hope I shall have the chance. My election is by no means a
certainty, you know. The Tories are very strong at Hollingford."

"Oh, but we're all going to work for you. When we get back to Rivenoak,
I shall begin a serious campaign. I could never live without some
serious work of the social kind, and I look upon it as a great
opportunity for civilising people. They must be taught that it is
morally wrong to vote for such a man as Robb, and an absolute duty of
citi