Not only Carnac was stirred by the question, for Barouche, who had
listened to his foe's speech with admiring anxiety, was startled.

"Where's your woman?" was not a phrase to be asked anyhow, or anywhere.
Barouche was glad of the incident. Ready as he was to meet challenge, he
presently realized that his son had a readiness equally potent. He was
even pleased to see the glint of a smile at the lips of the slim young
politician, in whom there was more than his own commingling of
temperament, wisdom, wantonness and raillery.

After a moment, Carnac said: "Isn't that a leading question to an
unmarried man?"

Barouche laughed inwardly. Surely it was the reply he himself would have
made. Carnac had showed himself a born politician. The audience
cheered, but the questioner remained standing. He meant to ask another
question.

"Sit down--sit down, jackass!" shouted some of the more raucous of the
crowd, but the man was stubborn. He stretched out an arm towards Carnac.

"Bien, look here, my son, you take my advice. Pursue the primrose path
into the meadows of matrimony."

Again Carnac shrank, but his mind rallied courageously, and he said:
"There are other people who want to ask questions, perhaps." He turned
to Barode Barouche. "I don't suggest my opponent has planned this
heckling, but he can see it does no good. I'm not to be floored by
catch-penny tricks. I'm going to win. I run straight. I haven't been
long enough in politics to learn how to deceive. Let the accomplished