eagerly on the lunch. The two days before the convention Mr. Crewe was to spend at Leith; having continual conferences, of course, receiving delegations, and discussing with prominent citizens cer

cided that it should have two qualit

candidate had consented to have a lunch given in his honour, naming the day and the hour; and Mrs. Pomfret, believing that a prospective governor should possess some of the perquisites of royalty, in a rash moment submitted for hi

omfret that he had scarcely seen Victoria all summer, and that he wanted particularly to see her. Mrs. Pomfret declared that she had only left out Victoria because her presen

as large enough to pay the dues of the clubs the lists of which he thought worthy to include his name; large enough to pay hotel bills in London and Paris and at the baths, and to free the servants at country houses; large enough to clothe his wife and himself, and to teach Alice the three essentials of music, French, and d

e as to be fit-for only the daintiest and most discriminating feminine occupation. The house was small, and its metamorphosis from a plain wooden farm-house had been an achievement that excited general admiration. Porches had been added, and a coat of spotless white relieved by an orange striping so original that many envied, but none dared to copy it. The striping went around the white chimneys, along the cornice, under the windows and on the railings of the porch: there were window boxes gay with geraniums and abundant awnings striped white and red, to match the flower

out American politics, and talked to the lady of social prominence on his right not at all; nor to Mrs. Pomfret'-who excused him. Being a lady of discerning qualities, however, the hostess remarked that Mr. Crewe's eyes wandered more than once to the far end of the oval table, where Victoria sat, and even Mrs. Pomfret could not deny the attraction. Victoria wore a fil

ot so the Austrian, who was on the other side of Alice, and who could not see Victoria. Mr. Crewe, by his manner and appearance, had impressed him as a person of importance, and he wanted to kn

what they call r

question that o

," answered Mr. Crewe, shortly;

progressive" by the Aus

ar from bein

me they play many detest

many recent ones being fresh in his mind; "I

Ah, I have seen a picture of it, in some Engli

aid Mr. Crewe.

his temples. "It is a funny picture, I know. I cannot rec

sisting an almost uncontrollable desire to laugh

whom were not Mr. Crewe and Mrs. Pomfret) gave way to an extr

e in Wonderland.'" Here the puzzled expression retu

serious things are impa

oked at

d, "they are

the signal fo

xclaimed the baron. "It

excuse

eigner, he had been the object of laughter,

andidates shall be. A caucus is a primary. There is a very loose primary law in this State, purposely kept loose by the poli

ewe's right, and some other guests, gave startled glances at Vic

e they know I'll get the delegates. Nearly everywhere I speak to the people, I get the delegates. The railroad politicians send word to the town rings to hold snap caucuses' when they hear I'm coming into a town to speak, and

d no idea who Victoria was, and a very slim

fourteen delegates, the editor of a weekly newspaper printed false ballots with two of my men at the top and one at the bo

ell me!" sai

ice-holder has been distributing

so," and the baron struck out at an imaginary enemy. "It is the American language. I hav

viously useless to cont

the baron, "he is the

man, remarked to Victoria, "this

ed to it,"

u have in England, Mr. Rangely, -gentlemen in politics. Our country gentlemen, like Mr. Crewe, are now going to assume their proper duties and responsibilities." She laid her n

e questions of Mr. Chillingham and the others. To tell the truth, Mr. Crewe was bringing to bear all of his extraordinary concentration of mind upon a problem with which he had been occupied for some years past. He was not a man, as we know, to take the important steps of life in a hurry, although; like the truly great, he was capable of making up his mind in a very

it was evident that Victoria found Miss Chillingham's remarks amusing. These were the only two in the party who did not observe Mr. Crewe's approach. Mrs.

's go around to the other side o

ll sparkling in her eyes. It was, perhaps, as well for Mr. Crewe that he h

u can spare the

at his watch-pr

leave the smoking ro

ered-aren't

r fear of doing her an injustice, it must be added that she was not at all bad-looking; quite the contrary All that can be noted in this brief space

ble with a glance in which Victoria read many meanings. Mr.

talk to you

least," answered Victoria. "Why

bserved, I suppose," he said. "Let's

marked?" asked Victoria, surveying

I've got to take my chances when I get 'em. For some reason, you haven't been

said. "And then, of course, I hesitated to intrude upon

s shall have. But I appreciate your delicacy. That sort

aid Victoria, "for ex

ade a miniature Italian garden when the Electric dividends had increased, and from which there was a vista of the shallows of the Blue. Here was a stone garden-seat which Mrs. Pomfret had

likes to have his judgment justified. He likes to be vindicated, especially in the eyes of-people whom he cares about. Personally, I never had any doubt that I should be the next governor, because I knew in the beginning that I had estimated public sentimen

added, "to choose his li

always declared, Victoria, that you

teady glance, "that Hamilton Tooting is one of the shrewdest politic

for myself. As for Tooting, he's well enough in his way; he understands the tricks of the politicians-he's played 'em, I guess. He's uneducated; he's mer

iver. She remembered the close of that wintry afternoon in Mr. Crewe's house at the capital, and she was q

on the great political questions this summer. I have no idea how much you know about them, but one would naturally have expected you, on account of your father, to be prejudiced. Sometime, when

kind, Humphr

to be himself), Mr. Crewe did not observe that her lips wer

hat he has been in the-wrong, and that railroad domination must cease-he has already made several concessions, as you know. I wish you would tell him from me that when I am governor, I shall make it a point to discus

im, Humphrey,"

a quarter of an hour before I have to leave to keep an appointment, I am going to take up another subject. And I a

iously-and yet the creases

Humphrey," she answere

have learned the

ours, perhaps

A man cannot dally through life, and your kind of woman has no use

tention," sa

eoise; she should be able to conduct an establishment with the neatness and despatch and economy of a well-run hotel. She should be able to seat a table instantly and accurately, giving to the prominent guests the prestige they

suggested

in public life. But he must choose for his wife a woman who is equal to all these things,-to my mind her highest achievement,-who makes the most of the position he gives her, presides at his table and e

with her eyes on the riv

identally, he thought

the qualifications personality and a sense of humour. I am quite sur

aid Victoria, "to get a woman with the qualificati

, with more ardour than he had yet shown.

happy. You have a perpetual source

r a man to like to hear the points of his

added, laughing a little, "the qualities you have mentioned-with the exception of the sense of humour-are not those of a wife, but of a business partner

evertheless, he was a litt

entimental,

nly are not

a good deal of life, and I know myself pretty well. It is necessary to treat matrimony from a practical as well as a sentimental point of view. There wouldn't be half the unhappiness and divorces if peopl

est in a new aspect of Mr. Crewe's char

g thought, you can get the kind

lied; "does that st

he added gently, "suppose that the kind

e laughe

But upon my word, Victoria, you have a delicious way of putting things. In your presence I quite forget the problems and

able," she said, "and it's the only qualit

aluation," s

t your own affairs, i

in a serious mood. I've told you what I want, and now that I've got to go in a few minutes, I'll come to the point. I don't sup

outright, but grew s

the day he met her. That

Crewe, impatiently

with fools. By the way, Humphrey, it has just occurred to me that there's one

t's

said V

he agreed; "I too

u did," said V

ome to the point

by glancing at the watch

r?" he asked, wit

e announced. "I cannot take the

zing as another attract

f all responsibi

y this time her glances seemed to have gained a visibly disturbing effect. He moved a little nearer to her, took off his hat (which he had hitherto negle

tical man, and I try to look at this, which is one

hings," she repeated,

said, "c

e sure of the weight

ying. Long ago I suspected that

ed, with her eyes dancing. "But-do y

it that way because no woman is pe

rd to live with," she reflected. "But-dreadfu

for in

ot put it first. It was I who mentione

nd sensible thing. You mentioned a partnership, a word that singularly fits into my notio

ing him with a curious look t

ou haven't exaggerate

r felt this way in my life before. What I meant to say

surprise me,"

w where to run t

ter. One place is as good as another. Some go to Niagara, and some to Coney Isl

ence!" he

y in Central Par

we, "you will never be call

ppear to notice this. He fell back into the rounded hollow of the bench, and it occurred to him

she said, "that we

der that there might be no misunderstanding. In short, I have never seen another woman with personal characteristics so well suited for my life,

er head slowly,

ill the posit

ing back at her, "perhaps I

asked slowly, "that I w

practical certain

s man, you would want, to live up to the letter of your specifications,-even then I could not do it. I should make life a

atiently, "is sheer nonsense. I

which Mr. Crewe did not see, bec

could live in two rooms and eat at an Italian restaurant-with the right man. And I am afraid the wrong one would wake up one day and discover that I had gone. I am sorry to disillusionize you, but I don't care a fig for balls and

that essentia

hought, by perseverance, by pertinacity, by the outwitting of your fellow-men, by the stacking of coins. And I want-the unattainable, the divine gift which is b

and you," he sai

o make myself any clearer, and you'll have to keep your appointment. I hesitate to contradict you, but I am no

love with any one

I'll admit," she answered. "But if I

There was incredulity in his voice, and a certain am

Victoria,

il desperandum had been a good working motto, but something told him it

iew-but that settles it. I must say, too, that your refusal is something

t it, Humphrey, and that person is-yourself. You

g her words, "when I have an affair on my hands of such magnitude, which require

a. "I remember that you felt something like this when Mr. Rutter wouldn't sell you his land. The lad

ound the house to the group on the lawn, where he bade his hostess

omfret. "And oh, I quite forgot-Humphrey!

before he reached his

would be ten in the party-but I didn't have a chance." Here Mrs. Pomfret glanced at Vic

made a m

the tickets-but I don't se