or two of the shrewder tongued that a manservant in livery opened the door,
a monstrous thing if true. Worse than this was the talk which began to spread
among the Hoxton and Islington Unionists of a certain young woman in a poor
position to whom Mutimer had in former days engaged himself, and whom he did not
now find it convenient to marry. A few staunch friends Richard had, who made it
their business stoutly to contradict the calumnies which came within their
hearing, Daniel Dabbs the first of them. But even Daniel found himself before
long preferring silence to speech on the subject of Emma Vine. He grew
uncomfortable about it, and did not know what to think.
    The first of Richard's visitors at the Manor were Mr. and Mrs. Westlake.
They came down from London one day, and stayed over till the next. Other
prominent members of the Union followed, and before the end of the autumn
Richard entertained some dozen of the rank and file, all together, paying their
railway fares and housing them from Saturday to Monday. These men, be it noted
in passing, distinguished themselves from that day onwards by unsparing
detraction whenever the name of Mutimer came up in private talk, though, of
course, they were the loudest in applause when platform reference to their
leader demanded it. Besides the expressly invited, there was naturally no lack
of visitors who presented themselves voluntarily. Among the earliest of these
was Mr. Keene, the journalist. He sent in his name one Sunday morning requesting
an interview on a matter of business, and on being admitted, produced a copy of
the Belwick Chronicle, which contained a highly eulogistic semi-biographic
notice of Mutimer.
    »I feel I ought to apologise to you for this liberty,« said Keene, in his
flowing way, »and that is why I have brought the paper myself. You will observe
that it is one of a series - notable men of the day. I supply the Chronicle with
a London letter, and give them one of these little sketches fortnightly. I knew
your modesty would stand in the way if I consulted you in advance, so I can only
beg pardon post delictum, as we say.«
    There stood the heading in bold type, MEN OF THE DAY, and beneath it XI. Mr.
Richard Mutimer. Mr. Keene had likewise brought in his pocket the placard of the
newspaper, whereon Richard saw his name prominently displayed. The journalist
stayed for luncheon.
    Alfred Waltham was frequently at the Manor. Mutimer now seldom went up to
town for Sunday; if necessity took him thither,