Mr. Liversedge isn't finally
adopted as our candidate--some one who, in my opinion, would suit us
very well indeed. I am thinking of young Mr. Quarrier, Liversedge's
brother-in-law, Mr. Sam Quarrier's nephew."

"I can't say I know much for or against him," said the draper.

"A barrister, I believe?" questioned Murgatroyd.

"Yes, but not practising his profession. I happened to meet him in the
train yesterday; he was coming to spend a few days with his relatives.
It occurs to me that he's the man to give us a lecture to-morrow
evening."

The others lent ear, and Mr. Wykes talked at some length of Mr. Denzil
Quarrier, with whom he had a slight personal acquaintance dating from a
year or two ago. He represented that the young man was of late become
wealthy, that he was closely connected with people in high local
esteem, that his views were those of a highly cultured Radical. Mr.
Chown, distrustful regarding any proposition that did not originate
with himself, meditated with some intensity. Mr. Vawdrey's face
indicated nothing whatever. It was the dentist who put the first
question.

"I should like to know," he said, in his usual voice of studied
inoffensiveness, "whether Mr. Quarrier is disposed to support the
Female Suffrage movement?"

"If he is," growled Mr. Vawdrey, with sudden emphasis, "he mustn't
expect _my_ vote and interest. We've seen enough in Polterham lately of
the Female question."

"Let it wait! Let it wait!" came from the draper. "The man," he glared
at little Murgatroyd, "who divides his party on matters of detail,
beyond the range of practical politics, is an enemy of popular
progress. What _I_ should desire to know is, whether Mr. Quarrier will
go in heartily for Church Disestablishment? If not--well, I for my
humble self must Decline to consider him a Radical at all."

"That, it seems to me," began the dentist, "is distinctly beyond"----

But politic Mr. Wykes interrupted the discussion.

"I shall go at once," he said, "and try to see Mr. Quarrier. A lecture
to-morrow we must have, and I think he can be persuaded to help us. If
so, we shall have an opportunity of seeing what figure he makes on the
platform."

Mr. Vawdrey looked at his watch and hurried away without a word. The
draper and the dentist were each reminded of the calls of business. In
a minute or two the youth dozing over an illustrated paper had the room
to himself.

CHAPTER V

For a characteristic scene of English