different; I don't belong to the political arena; I have nothing to do with the political elevation of my fellow-man. If he is to be elevated, I am content; if not, I am content also."

"I don't know how any man can be content to stand here in a balcony talking to two girls," said Minola, "while there is so much excitement down there. I could not if I were a man."

"I will go down there if you wish," he replied with deprecating grace, although I don't know that I could be of much use; but I don't suppose there is any real danger."

"I did not speak of danger," Minola said, rather contemptuously. "I only meant that there seemed to be some manly excitement there. There is no danger. It is not a battle, Mr. Blanchet."

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"There was some talk of a row," he answered; your friend St. Paul seems to have set the people wild somehow. But I should not think it would come to anything. Anyhow, Miss Grey, if you think I ought to be there, or that I could do any good, you have only to send me there."

"No, no, Mr. Blanchet "-Minola was recovering her goodhumour-"I don't want you to go. But Miss Money was a little uneasy about her father, and perhaps we were both disappointed that you did not come bringing us some news from the seat of war. You see, they won't allow us to go to the front any more."

Meanwhile the noise grew louder and louder; it came nearer and nearer too. There was a fury in the sound as clearly to be distinguished from the shouting to which they were well accustomed as the obstreperous clamour of boys at play is from the cry of pain or passion.

"Something bad is going on, I know," Lucy said, turning pale and looking at Minola.

Minola and Blanchet both leaned from the balcony, and could see a straggling group of women, and boys, and a few men making, as in a sort of stampede, for the neighbourhood of the hotel. They all kept looking eagerly behind them, as if something were coming that way which they feared, and yet were curious, to see. These fugitives, if they were to be called so, seemed to increase in numbers even as the watchers in the balcony looked out.

Mr. Blanchet went languidly downstairs to ask what the commotion was about, but could hear nothing more precise in the hotel than the rumour that a riot of some kind had broken out in the town, and that there were not police enough to put it down. He came back to the balcony again. For his own part, he felt no manner of curiosity. He had always supposed that there were riots at elections, and he

assumed that some persons of the lower classes generally got their heads broken. There was nothing in that to interest him. It might happen even that the candidates or their friends sometimes came in for rough treatment; Mr. Blanchet would not have been very much disturbed by that in the present case. If Mr. Heron had got hurt he would have thought that on the whole it served him right.

Minola watched eagerly from the balcony. Some affrighted people were now running past under the windows of the hotel, for the most part women dragging their children after them. Minola called out to some, and asked what was happening; but they only answered in some inarticulate attempt at explanation, and kept on their way. Some men passed almost in as much haste, and Blanchet called to them grandly to ask what was "up." One shouted out that there was a terrible row going on in the town, got up by the "St. Paul's men," and that the military were sent for. Two of Money's servants, one his own man, were seen going out of the hotel in the direction of the increasing clamour. Lucy cried to them, and asked where they were going, and what had happened; but they only returned a respectful reassurance, something to the effect that it was nothing of any consequence, and then ran on towards the scene of the supposed disturbance, looking as if they thought it of much greater consequence than they said. The waiters and other servants of the hotel were presently seen to make preparations for closing the doors and windows.

"Things are beginning to look serious," said Blanchet, beginning to look very serious himself.

"They must not close these windows," Minola said. “I mean to stay here and see what happens. If they do close the windows, I will stay here in the balcony all the same."

"And so will I, Nola," Lucy exclaimed, looking pale, but showing no want of pluck. "Something may have happened to papa."

I don't know that it would not be better for you ladies to go in," Blanchet gravely urged. "I think, Miss Grey, you can hardly do much good here, and you would be quite safe indoors. Suppose you go in, and let them close these windows?"

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"You don't seem to understand women's curiosity, Mr. Blanchet, if you fancy that Lucy and I could be content to be shut up while you men were in the midst of some exciting adventure, and perhaps in most poetic danger." Minola spoke with a contempt she cared to make no effort to conceal. She thought Mr. Blanchet was selfish, and had no interest in the safety of other people. She had not yet formed the suspicion which later was forced into her mind.

Some of the servants of the hotel came to say that they believed there was a rather serious riot going on in the town, and that it would be prudent to close the windows and have the shutters put up, as it was quite possible that stones might be thrown, and might do mischief. Both the girls steadily refused to leave the balcony. Mr. Blanchet added his remonstrances, but without any effect. Minola suggested that the windows might be closed behind them as they stood on the balcony, and that Mr. Blanchet might, if he pleased, withdraw into the hotel; but she declared that Lucy and she would remain in the balcony.

"I don't believe there is a bit of real danger to us or to anyone," she declared.

"But, my dear young lady," Mr. Blanchet urged, "what possible good can you do in any case by remaining in this balcony? I don't see how you could help Mr. Money and Mr. Heron, supposing them to be in any danger, by staying out there when these people evidently want us to come in."

"For a poet, Mr. Blanchet," Minola said coldly, "you do not seem to have much of the dramatic instinct that helps people to understand the feelings of other people. Do you think Lucy Money could be content to hide herself in a cellar, and wait until some one kindly remembered to come and tell her how things were going with her father and-her friends?"

Minola spoke in immense scorn.

The argument was cut short. The flying crowd nad been increasing every moment, and now the space before the windows of the hotel was thickly studded with people, who, having run thus far, appeared inclined to make a stand there, and see what was next to happen. The shadows were falling deeply, and it was beginning to be difficult to discem features clearly among the crowd under the windows. The clamour, the screaming, the noise of every kind had been increasing with each moment, until those in the balcony might almost have fancied that a battle of the old-fashioned kind, before the use of gunpowder, was being fought at a little distance.

In another moment a small group of persons came hurrying up to the door of the hotel in a direction opposite to that from which the clamour of strife was heard. Minola could see the uniforms of policemen among this hurrying and seemingly breathless group, and she thought she recognised one face in their midst.

The group consisted of a few policemen, wild with the haste and the excitement of their movements, and some civilians mixed up with them; and Minola soon saw that her first conjecture was right, and

that they were forming a body-guard to protect Mr. Augustus Sheppard. She could now see Sheppard's face distinctly. It was pale, and full of surprise and wrath; but there did not seem much of fear about it. On the contrary, Mr. Sheppard seemed to be a sort of prisoner among his protectors and guardians. Apparently they were forcing him away from a scene where they believed there was danger for him, and he was endeavouring to argue against them, and almost to resist their friendly pressure. All this Minola, having tolerably quick powers of observation, took in, or believed she took in, at a glance.

The policemen and some of the civilians with them were knocking at the door of the hotel, and apparently expostulating with some of the people within. At first Minola could not understand the meaning of this. Mr. Blanchet was quicker. He guessed what was going on, and by leaning as far as his long form allowed him over the balcony he was able to hear some of the words of parley.

"I say," he said, drawing back his head, "this is rather too good. This fellow-what's-his-name? Sheppard-is the unpopular candidate now, and the mob is after him, and these policemen are asking the people to take him in here, and bring all the row on us. I do hope they won't do that. What do we care about the fellow? Why should we run any risks if the police themselves can't protect him?” Mr. Blanchet was very pale.

"For shame, Mr. Blanchet!" Minola said indignantly. "Would you leave him to be killed?"

"Oh, they won't kill him! you may be sure--"

"These people

"No, not if we can save him," Minola said. shall take him in! Lucy, these rooms belong to your father now— run to them and insist on their letting him in. I'll go down myself and open the doors, and bring him in.”

"They shall let him in," Lucy exclaimed, and ran downstairs. Minola was about to follow her.

"This is very generous," said Blanchet, with a sickly effort at composure, "but it is very unwise, Miss Grey. I don't know that in the absence of Mr. Money I ought to allow you to expose yourselves to such risks."

"Try if you can hinder us, Mr. Blanchet! For shame! Yes, I am ashamed of you. Oh, no, don't talk to me! I am sorry to find that you are a coward."

With this hard word she left him and ran downstairs. Just at this moment he heard the doors opened, in compliance with the insistance of Lucy. He heard her say with a certain firm dignity,

which he had hardly expected to find in the little maid, that if any harm were done to the hotel because of Mr. Sheppard being taken in her father would make it good to the owner. Then, in a moment, the two girls returned, doing the honours as hostesses to Mr. Sheppard.

CHAPTER XXIV.

ALL THE RIVALS AT ONCE.

MR. SHEPPARD made what he must have felt to be a sort of triumphal entrance. Perhaps he might have said with perfect truth, in the language appropriate to election contests, that that was the proudest moment of his life. He was almost dragged into the room by the two breathless girls, who, in the generous delight of having saved him from danger, seemed as if they could not make too much of him. He felt Minola's hand on his, as she forced him into the room. She would not let him go until she had fairly brought him into the room and closed the door behind him. For Mr. Sheppard had really resisted with some earnestness the attempt to make him prisoner for his own safety. The genial constraint of Minola's hand was a delight. There was, less perceptibly to himself, another sensation of delight in his heart also. He had for the first time in his life been in serious danger, and he knew that he had not been afraid. It is no wonder if he felt a little like a hero now.

He came in a good deal flushed, and even, if we may say so, rumpled; but he made a gallant effort to keep up his composure. The first sight he met in the room was the pale, pitiful, angry, and scowling face of the insulted Blanchet. "Are they going to embrace the fellow ?" the embittered poet asked of his indignant soul, as he saw the unpopular candidate thus led forward by the eager girls.

Blanchet fell back into a corner, not deigning to say a word of welcome to the rescued Sheppard. Mr. Sheppard, however, hardly noticed him.

"I am sorry to disturb you, ladies," he said; "and I am obliged beyond measure for your kindness. I am not afraid myself of any danger in Keeton, but the police thought some disturbance might happen, and they insisted on my going out of the streets; but I shall be able to relieve you of this intrusion in a few minutes, I feel quite certain."

"You shan't stir from this place, Mr. Sheppard, until everything is perfectly safe and quiet," Minola said. "If necessary, Lucy-Miss