E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 16945-h.htm or 16945-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/0/6/16945/16945-h/16945-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/0/6/16945/16945-h.zip) A LOST LEADER by E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM Author of "A Maker of History," "Mysterious Mr. Sabin," "The Master Mummer," "Anna the Adventuress," Etc. Illustrated by Fred Pegram Boston Little, Brown & Company 1907 CONTENTS BOOK I Chapter I Reconstruction II The Woman with an Alias III Wanted--A Politician IV The Duchess Asks a Question V The Hesitation of Mr. Mannering VI Sacrifice VII The Duchess's "At Home" VIII The Mannering Mystery IX The Pumping of Mrs. Phillimore X The Man with a Motive XI Mannering's Alternative BOOK II I Borrowdean makes a Bargain II "Cherchez la Femme" III One of the "Sufferers" IV Debts of Honour V Love _versus_ Politics VI The Conscience of a Statesman VII A Blow for Borrowdean VIII A Page from the Past IX The Faltering of Mannering X The End of a Dream XI Borrowdean shows his "Hand" XII Sir Leslie Borrowdean incurs a Heavy Debt XIII The Woman and--the Other Woman BOOK III I Matrimony and an Awkward Meeting II The Snub for Borrowdean III Clouds--and a Call to Arms IV Disaster V The Journalist Intervenes VI Treachery and a Telegram VII Mr. Mannering, M.P. VIII Playing the Game IX The Tragedy of a Key X Blanche finds a Way Out BOOK IV I The Persistency of Borrowdean II Hester Thinks it "A Great Pity" III Summoned to Windsor IV Checkmate to Borrowdean V A Brazen Proceeding A LOST LEADER BOOK I CHAPTER I RECONSTRUCTION The two men stood upon the top of a bank bordering the rough road which led to the sea. They were listening to the lark, which had risen fluttering from their feet a moment or so ago, and was circling now above their heads. Mannering, with a quiet smile, pointed upwards. "There, my friend!" he exclaimed. "You can listen now to arguments more eloquent than any which I could ever frame. That little creature is singing the true, uncorrupted song of life. He sings of the sunshine, the buoyant air; the pure and simple joy of existence is beating in his little heart. The things which lie behind the hills will never sadden him. His kingdom is here, and he is content." Borrowdean's smile was a little cynical. He was essentially of that order of men who are dwellers in cities, and even the sting of the salt breeze blowing across the marshes--marshes riven everywhere with long arms of the sea--could bring no colour to his pale cheeks.