s; because some of the women are
frightened."

Well, they gave me a leg up, and somebody above gave me a hand, and
there I was, none the worse, on the platform.

Farrell had collapsed in his seat by the Chairman's table and sat
with his face in his hands. The Chairman was paralytic. So I did
the only thing that seemed possible: started to propose a vote of
thanks. Pretty fair rubbish I must have started with, too: but by
and by I slipped into my own election speech and after that it was
pretty plain sailing. You see, when a man runs for candidate, he
begins by preparing half a dozen speeches; but by the time he's half
through he has them pretty well boiled down into one, and he can
speak that one in his sleep. After ten minutes or so I forgot that I
was moving a vote of thanks to somebody and moved a vote of
confidence instead--confidence in Mr. Farrell.

Nobody minded. Two or three speakers followed me and moved and
seconded all sorts of things at random. We were all in a hopeless
muddle, and all quite good-humoured about it; and we wound up by
singing "God Save the King!"

NIGHT THE THIRD.

THE GRAND RESEARCH.

The little Chairman followed me into the lobby and thanked me
effusively, while a couple of stewards helped me into my great-coat.
He threw a meaning glance over his shoulder at Farrell, who stood in
a corner nervously winding and unwinding a long silk comforter about
his neck and throat. He seemed to be muttering, saying something
over to himself. His face twitched--it was still red and congested--
and he kept his eyes on the floor. He had not spoken to either of us
since the meeting dissolved. Very likely he did not see us.

"A bit rattled," I suggested quietly.

"You may bet on that, Sir Roderick." The steward, who was turning up
my coat collar, said this almost in my ear. "You don't think, now--"

He did not finish the sentence, and I faced about on him for the rest
of it. He tapped his forehead gently.

"Oh, nonsense!" said I. "He's not broken to public life and he
doesn't ruffle well, that's all; and, after all, it isn't every man
who enjoys being called a liar to his face and before some hundreds
of people."

"His face, sir," the steward persisted. "That's it; you've given me
the word. Did you see his face? No, of course you didn't, for you
were sitting sideways to him--and so was you, Mr. Chairman, sir.
But I was standing by the main door when it happened, and had