h he had unadvisedly entered. Denzil's arrival at this
juncture seemed to him providential--impossible to find a better man
for their purpose. At eight o'clock an informal meeting was held at the
office of the _Polterham Examiner_, with the result that Mr. Hammond,
the editor, subsequently penned that significant paragraph which next
morning attracted all eyes.

On returning to supper, Mr. Liversedge found his wife and Denzil in
conversation with Eustace Glazzard. With the latter he had a bare
acquaintance; from Denzil's report, he was disposed to think of him as
a rather effeminate old-young man of metropolitan type.

"Well," he exclaimed, when greetings were over, "I don't think you will
want for an audience to-morrow, Denzil. We are summoning Polterham
indiscriminately."

Glazzard had of course heard of the coming lecture. He wore a smile,
but was taciturn.

"Pray heaven I don't make an exhibition of myself!" cried Denzil, with
an air of sufficient confidence.

"Shall I send coffee to your bedroom, to-night?" asked his sister, with
merry eyes.

"Too late for writing it out. It must be inspiration I know what I want
to say, and I don't think the sea of Polterham faces will disturb me."

He turned sharply to his brother-in-law.

"Are you still in the same mind on that matter we spoke of this
afternoon?"

"Decidedly!"

"Glazzard, what should you say if I came forward as Radical candidate
for Polterham?"

There was silence. Glazzard fixed his eyes on the opposite wall; his
smile was unchanged.

"I see no objection," he at length replied. The tones were rather
thick, and ended in a slight cough. Feeling that all eyes were fixed
upon him, Glazzard made an uneasy movement, and rose from his chair.

"It doesn't astonish you?" said Quarrier, with a broad grin.

"Not overpoweringly."

"Then let us regard the thing as settled. Mr. Liversedge has no stomach
for the fight, and makes room for me. In a week's time I shall be a man
of distinction."

In the midst of his self-banter he found Glazzard's gaze turned upon
him with steady concentration. Their eyes met, and Denzil's expression
became graver.

"You will take up your abode here?" Glazzard asked.

"Shortly," was the reply, given with more emphasis than seemed
necessary, and accompanied with an earnest look.

Again there was silence, and before the conversation could be renewed
there came a summons to supper.

A vivacious political dialogue between