Chippinge Borough BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN Author of “The Long Night,” Etc. NEW YORK McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. MCMVI _Copyright_, 1906, _by_ McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. Copyright, 1905, 1905, by Stanley J. Weyman. CHAPTER I. The Dissolution. CHAPTER II. The Spirit of the Storm. CHAPTER III. Two Letters. CHAPTER IV. Tantivy! Tantivy! Tantivy! CHAPTER V. Rosy-fingered Dawn. CHAPTER VI. The Patron of Chippinge. CHAPTER VII. The Winds of Autumn. CHAPTER VIII. A Sad Misadventure. CHAPTER IX. The Bill for Giving Everybody Everything. CHAPTER X. The Queen's Square Academy for Young Ladies. CHAPTER XI. Don Giovanni Flixton. CHAPTER XII. A Rotten Borough. CHAPTER XIII. The Vermuyden Dinner. CHAPTER XIV. Miss Sibson's Mistake. CHAPTER XV. Mr. Pybus's Offer. CHAPTER XVI. Less than a Hero. CHAPTER XVII. The Chippinge Election. CHAPTER XVIII. The Chippinge Election (_Continued_). CHAPTER XIX. The Fruits of Victory. CHAPTER XX. A Plot Unmasked. CHAPTER XXI. A Meeting of Old Friends. CHAPTER XXII. Women's Hearts. CHAPTER XXIII. In the House. CHAPTER XXIV. A Right and Left. CHAPTER XXV. At Stapylton. CHAPTER XXVI. The Scene in the Hall. CHAPTER XXVII. Wicked Shifts. CHAPTER XXVIII. Once More, Tantivy! CHAPTER XXIX. Autumn Leaves. CHAPTER XXX. The Mayor's Reception in Queen's Square. CHAPTER XXXI. Sunday in Bristol. CHAPTER XXXII. The Affray at the Palace. CHAPTER XXXIII. Fire. CHAPTER XXXIV. Hours of Darkness. CHAPTER XXXV. The Morning of Monday. CHAPTER XXXVI. Forgiveness. CHAPTER XXXVII. In the Mourning Coach. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Threads and Patches. CHIPPINGE BOROUGH I THE DISSOLUTION Boom! It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd’s plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts. To the experienced, his outward man, neat and modestly prosperous, denoted a young barrister of promise or a Treasury clerk. His figure was good, he was above the middle height, and he carried himself with an easy independence. He seemed to be one who both held a fair opinion of himself and knew how to impress that opinion on his fellows; yet was not incapable of deference where deference was plainly due. He was neither ugly nor handsome, neither slovenly nor a _petit-maître_; indeed, it was doubtful if he had ever seen the inside of Almack’s. But his features were strong and intellectual, and the keen grey eyes which looked so boldly on the world could express both humour and good humour. In a word, this young man was one upon whom women, even great ladies, were likely to look with pleasure, and one woman—but he had not yet met her—with tenderness. Boom!