to be left unbarred that he might admit himself with a
latch-key.

But for a policeman here and there, the streets were desolate. Wherever
the lamplight fell upon a wall or hoarding, it illumined election
placards, with the names of the candidates in staring letters, and all
the familiar vulgarities of party advertising. "Welwyn-Baker and the
Honour of Old England!"--"Vote for Quarrier, the Friend of the Working
Man!"--"No Jingoism!" "The Constitution in Danger! Polterham to the
Rescue!" These trumpetings to the battle restored Glazzard's
self-satisfaction; he smiled once more, and walked on with lighter step.

Just outside the town, in a dark narrow road, he was startled by the
sudden rising of a man's figure. A voice exclaimed, in thick, ebrious
tones: "Who are you for? What's you're colour?"

"Who are _you_ for?" called out Glazzard, in return, as he walked past.

The politician--who had seemingly been asleep in the ditch--raised
himself to his full height and waved his arms about.

"I'm a Radical!--Quarrier for ever!--Come on, one and all of you--I'm
ready: fist or argument, it's all one to me!--You and your
Welwyn-Baker--gurr! What's _he_ ever done for the people?--that's what
_I_ want to know!--Ya-oo-oo-oo! Quarrier for ever!--Down with the
aristocrats as wants to make war at the expense of the working man!
What's England coming to?--tell me that! You've no principles, you
haven't, you Tory skunks; you've not half a principle among you.--I'm a
man of principle, I am, and I vote for national morality, I do!--You're
running away, are you?--Ya-oo-oo!--stop and fight it out, if you're a
man!--Down with 'em, boys! Down with 'em!--Quarrier for ever!"

The shouts of hiccoughy enthusiasm came suddenly to an end, and
Glazzard, looking back, saw that, in an attempt to run, the orator had
measured his length in the mud.

By three o'clock he was seated in his bedroom, very tired but not much
disposed to turn into bed. He had put a match to the fire, for his feet
were numbed with cold, in spite of a long walk. Travelling-bags and
trunks in readiness for removal told of his journey on the morrow. All
his arrangements were made; the marriage ceremony was to take place at
ten o'clock, and shortly after eleven he and his wife would leave for
London on their way to the Continent.

Too soon, of course, to hear the result of Northway's visit to the
Court-house. There would be the pleasure of imagining all that he left
behin