tor knew that too. These things meant that
Brent's fighting spirit was roused and that his temper became ugly.
Tansley laughed.

"You're the sort of chap for a scrap, Brent," he continued, "and a
go-ahead customer too! But--you don't know this lot, nor their
resources. Whatever anybody may say, and whatever men like your late
cousin, and Epplewhite, and any of the so-called Progressives--I'm not
one, myself; it pays me to belong to neither party!--whatever these
folks may think or say, Simon Crood and his lot are top-dogs in this
little old town! Vested interests, my boy!--ancient tree, with roots
firmly fixed in the piled-up soil, strata upon strata, of a thousand
years! You're not going to pull up these roots, my lad!"

"How'll Simon Crood smash me?" demanded Brent quietly.

"As to the exact how," answered Tansley, "can't say! Mole work--but
he'll set the majority of the electors in that Castle Ward against you."

"I've enough promises of support now to give me a majority," retorted
Brent.

"That for promises!" exclaimed Tansley, snapping his fingers. "You don't
know Hathelsborough people! They'll promise you their support to your
face--just to get rid of your presence on their door-steps--and vote
against you when they reach the ballot-box. I'll lay anything most of
the folk you've been to see have promised their support to both
candidates."

"Why should these people support Crood and his crew?" demanded Brent.

"Because Crood and his crew represent the only god they worship!" said
Tansley, with a cynical laugh. "Brass!--as they call it. All that a
Hathelsborough man thinks about is brass--money. Get money where you
can--never mind how, as long as you get it, and keep just within the
law. Simon Crood represents the Hathelsborough principle of graft, and
whatever you may think, he's the paramount influence in the town
to-day."

"He and his lot have only got the barest majority on the Council,"
remarked Brent.

"Maybe; but they've got all the really influential men behind 'em, the
moneyed men," said Tansley. "And they've distributed all the various
official posts, sinecures most of 'em, amongst their friends. That Town
Trustee business is the nut to crack here, Brent, and a nut that's been
hardening for centuries isn't going to be cracked with an ordinary
implement. Come now, are you an extraordinary one?"

"I'll make a try at things anyway," replied Brent. "And I don't believe
I shall lose that election,