The Worshipful Master.

Messrs . Carthew and Raggett were discreet men , ancl knew that if there were no contested election sundry moneys would not go into their pockets . They did not see the necessity , therefore , for throwing up the sponge . Dr . Penhaligon was at the ball , which was held in the council-chamber of the Town Halloa modern building of Palladian architecture , expensively built , and much admired by the public generally—especially by those who were not

ratepayers , aud did not bear the burden of this and other costly works which the go-ahead , public-spirited people of Gippinswick had erected and charged on the local rates . There are some very fine portraits in this chamber of Charles II . and George II ., and a splendid copy of Winterhalter ' s celebrated painting of Her Majesty .

Dr . Penhaligon had now many inends m Gippmgswick , ancl one lady oi fashion in those parts , living at a place called the Golden Rood , had invited his cousin , Asellya , to come and see them , having heard so much about her from the Doctor , who had found a sympathetic friend in Mrs . De Hamel ' s youngest daughter , Gertrude . So Asellya came with her friends to the ball , and , if the truth must be toldhad a faint hope she might meet Lord Esme there .

, Sir Knighton Verryn had given a friendly nod to Dr . Penhaligon as he passed him with Asellya on his arm . They had just been dancing—she waltzed divinely—ancl he was taking her back to the friendly chaperonage of Mrs . De Kainel , when Sir Knighton , who noticed her great beauty , and who ,, it must be admitted , was a great admirer of the ladies , presently found himself near Mrs . De Hamelwhom he knew very welland begged to be

intro-, , duced . They were strolling through the ball-room together , the gallant old Baronet having taken Asellya into supper , and they were remarking on the saturnine features of the Merry Monarch , whose portrait they were standing near , when Sir Knighton said something disparaging about the Stuarts which displeased Asellya .

" You must please say nothing against them in my presence , Sir Knighton . I can ' t bear it . My ancestors fought for Charles I ., and in many of our Cornish churches you will still see King Charles' letter from his court at Sudeley Castle , ancl dated 1643 , thanking his loyal Cornish people for fighting for his cause . " " Ah ! " said Sir Knighton , laughing , " and my ancestors won their

baronetcy for fighting at the Battle of the Boyne on tho other side . " As they were talking , Dr . Penhaligon came up and said , " Have you seen Mr . Carthew , Sir Kni ghton ? Some fellow below wants to see him particularly ; I think , Lord Riversdale ' s butler . " " No , I have not seen him , " said the Baronet , carelessly . " Lorcl Eiversdale ' s butler ' sirwants to see Mr . Carthew particular" said

, , , one of the waiters to old Dr . Oldham , as he passed down to his carnage with his eldest daughter on his arm . " He can't find him nowhere , sir , and he ' s a most important letter , he says ; but he is to give it into Mr . Carthew ' s own hand . "

" Well , " said Dr . Oldham , testily , " I don't think Mr . Carthew has been at the ball , and I don't know where he is . " The message was brief , it was as follows : " We throw up the sponge ; too late to bring my nephew forward now to secure success . —RIYEBSDALE . " But Mr . Carthew never got the message , and was , no doubt , out of the way on purpose . Lord Esme was nominated the next clay bthat gentlemanwho was

y , in some sort a county man himself , ancl lived at the Priory , in the little town of Woodhampton , hard by ; and , much to his own astonishment and that of the county , ho was elected member for Wessex , with a majority of- four hundred over his opponent .