Margaret Maliphant

								

dodges as your father himself," he said, curtly.
"Oh, it's not that," cried I, anxious to mend matters. "Father doesn't
need to have everybody agree with him for him to be friends with them."
"No, I quite understand," answered the squire, beginning again on the
unlucky basket. And after a pause he added, as though with an effort,
"Frank is a very delightful companion, I know, and when he brings his
enthusiasm to bear upon subjects that are after one's own heart, it is
naturally very pleasant."
"Yes," I agreed. "That's just it, he is so very enthusiastic. He would
make such a splendid speaker, such a splendid leader of some great
Democratic movement."
The squire left my work-basket in the muddle in which he had finally
put it, and stuck his hands into his pockets.
"Do you think so?" he said.
"Oh yes, I'm sure of it," continued I, blindly. "And I am sure father
thinks so too."
"Indeed!" answered the squire, I thought a little scornfully. "And,
pray, how is my nephew going to be a great Democratic leader? Is he
going into Parliament? Is he going to contest the county at the next
election?"
"Why, how can you think he would do such a thing, Mr. Broderick,"
exclaimed I, "when he knows that you are supporting the opposite side?"
"Oh, that would be no objection," said the squire, still in the same
tone of voice. "The objection would be that a Radical stands such a
small chance of getting in."
"Besides," added I, collecting myself, "I am sure he has no wish to go
into Parliament. Father and he both agree that a man can do a great
deal more good out of Parliament than in it. They say that the finest
leaders that there have been in all nations have been those who have
got at the people straight--without any humbug between them."
"Pooh!" said the squire. Then controlling himself, he added, "Well, and
does Frank think that he is going to get at the people that way? Does
he suppose it will cost him nothing?"
"Oh no; I suppose it will cost money," assented I.
"Ah!" said the squire, in the tone of a man who has got to the bottom
of the question at last. "Well, then, I think it's only fair that your
father should know that there is very little chance of Frank's being
of any use to him. If he is pinning his faith on Frank as a possible
representative of his convictions, he is making a mistake, and it is
only right that he should be warned. Frank has no money of his own,
no money at all. He has nothing but his captain's pay, and that isn't
enough for him to keep himself upon."
The squire spoke bitterly. Even I, girl as I was, could see that
something had annoyed him to the point of making him lose control over
himself.
"I don't think father has pinned his faith on Captain Forrester," said
I, half vexed. "I don't think there has been any question between them
such as you fancy. I think they are merely fond of discussing matters
upon which they agree. At all events, I am sure it has never entered