‘She thinks of being married soon, then?’ ‘I expect so,’ said Myles. ‘Ah,’ said Harry; and then, without any embarrassment, changed the subject. ‘We may expect changes soon, Myles, I reckon.’ ‘What changes?’ asked Myles, who had come close to Harry, while the latter had placed his chair beside Edmund’s sofa. ‘The master’s coming back--so I hear.’ ‘Oh, him!’ said Myles, again trying to turn up his nose, and again failing to do so. Harry laughed, and Mary remarked, ‘Eh, but I could like to seen yon chap. He mun be some and clever.’ ‘Molly thinks he must be clever,’ said Myles to Harry, who nodded. ‘I don’t see why he shouldn’t be, choose how. I think you’re a bit hard on him, Myles. We know no harm on him.’ ‘Yes, we do. We know he’s neglected his business and his property. He’s six-and-twenty if he’s a day, and he’s never looked in upon us since he came into possession. He’s a gawmless chap--he must be.’ ‘Well, we’st see that when he comes. Have you heard as Mr. Lippincott, his health’s failin’, and he’s ordered abroad? They say he can’t live.’ Mr. Lippincott was the sitting member for Thanshope. ‘Nay, I heard nothing of that,’ said Myles, reflectively. ‘Then, suppose he dies, we shall have a fresh election.’ ‘Ay; and I have heard,’ pursued Harry, not without a twinkle of humour in his eyes, ‘as it’s possible Mr. Mallory may stand, if Mr. Lippincott resigns or dies.’ ‘What!’ ejaculated Myles. ‘And who is to oppose him?’ ‘Spenceley--Bargaining Jack.’ ‘Why, Myles, thou’d be hard set to know who to vote for,’ said Mary, innocently. Myles suddenly recovered his presence of mind, and shouted to Harry, ‘You’ve heard wrong, lad. Mallorys are all Tories, and always have been--it’s bred in the bone; and Bargaining Jack reckons to be a Conservative too, so far as he’s anything. Conservatives manage better than us. They would never run two candidates in Thanshope--in fact, they only run one for the look of the thing. They can’t get the wedge in here.’ ‘Well, I have heard too,’ continued Harry, ‘as how Mallory is a Radical--a Liberal, choose how.’ ‘That I’ll never believe till I hear him say it himself,’ said Myles, decidedly. ‘And from all I’ve heard, I think you’ve been misinformed, Harry.’ ‘Well, perhaps I have,’ said Harry, peaceably. ‘It doesn’t matter to me which way it is.’ Nor did the others appear to take much interest in the subject, for it dropped, and Mary began to get supper ready. At that meal the conversation was carried on almost entirely between Harry and Myles. Harry was a spinner, in receipt of a large wage. He was, as has been said, a pleasant, comely-looking young man, and if not very robust, did not look unhealthy. Many of his friends wondered why he did not marry; for he was turned twenty-five. He and Myles and Mary Heywood were beginning to be looked upon as drifting into the old maid and bachelor ranks.