had fed his anger warm, and was determined
that he would not be done. "Well, Traffick, how are you?" he said,
encountering his son-in-law in the hall, and leading him into the
dining-room. "I haven't seen you since you've been back."

"I've been in the House morning, noon, and night, pretty near."

"I dare say. I hope you found yourself comfortable at Merle Park."

"A charming house,--quite charming. I don't know whether I shouldn't
build the stables a little further from--"

"Very likely. Nothing is so easy as knocking other people's houses
about. I hope you'll soon have one to knock about of your own."

"All in good time," said Mr. Traffick, smiling.

Sir Thomas was one of those men who during the course of a successful
life have contrived to repress their original roughnesses, and who
make a not ineffectual attempt to live after the fashion of those
with whom their wealth and successes have thrown them. But among such
will occasionally be found one whose roughness does not altogether
desert him, and who can on an occasion use it with a purpose. Such
a one will occasionally surprise his latter-day associates by the
sudden ferocity of his brow, by the hardness of his voice, and by an
apparently unaccustomed use of violent words. The man feels that he
must fight, and, not having learned the practice of finer weapons,
fights in this way. Unskilled with foils or rapier he falls back
upon the bludgeon with which his hand has not lost all its old
familiarity. Such a one was Sir Thomas Tringle, and a time for such
exercise had seemed to him to have come now. There are other men who
by the possession of imperturbable serenity seem to be armed equally
against rapier and bludgeon, whom there is no wounding with any
weapon. Such a one was Mr. Traffick. When he was told of knocking
about a house of his own, he quite took the meaning of Sir Thomas's
words, and was immediately prepared for the sort of conversation
which would follow. "I wish I might;--a Merle Park of my own for
instance. If I had gone into the city instead of to Westminster it
might have come in my way."

"It seems to me that a good deal has come in your way without very
much trouble on your part."

"A seat in the House is a nice thing,--but I work harder I take it
than you do, Sir Thomas."

"I never have had a shilling but what I earned. When you leave this
where are you and Augusta going to live?"

This was a home question, which would have disconcer