Mr. Warren Gasgoyne came.

"You are expected to lunch or something to-morrow, Belward, you remember?
Devil of a speech that! But, if you will 'allow me to speak, me noble
lord,' you are the rankest Conservative of us all."

"Don't you know that the easiest constitutional step is from a republic
to an autocracy, and vice versa?"

"I don't know it, and I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Make them think as you do."

He waved his hand to the departing crowd.

"I don't. I try to think as they do. I am always in touch with the
primitive mind."

"You ought to do great things here, Belward," said the other seriously.
"You have the trick; and we need wisdom at Westminster."

"Don't be mistaken; I am only adaptable. There's frank confession."

At this point Mr. Babbs came up and said good-night in a large, self-
conscious way. Gaston hoped that his campaign would not be wasted, and
the fluffy gentleman retired. When he got out of earshot in the shadows,
he turned and shook his fist towards Gaston, saying: "Half-breed
upstart!" Then he refreshed his spirits by swearing at his coachman.