BROADHURST, in the van, sprang forward. Had made a fair start when HENRY JAMES, watchful in aerie on corner bench below gangway, leaped to feet and proposed to discuss the legality of situation. Objection founded on abstruse mathematical problem. Two writs had been moved to fill vacancies in the representation of Leicester. There had been only one election. There should, HENRY JAMES argued, have been two. Consequently, election invalid; the two new Members for Leicester not Members at all, only strangers, intruders across the bar, liable to be whipped off in custody of Sergeant-at-Arms. Here was a pretty prospect for opening of Session to which SQUIRE OF MALWOOD had come with his pocket full of Bills! Sergeant-at-Arms glanced uneasily at BROADHURST retreating before interruption. What if repetition of the old process were imminent? Were there to be more carpet-dances on floor of House through summer afternoons, as was the wont of Captain GOSSET pirouetting to and from the Mace, House not quite sure whether he was clutching BRADLAUGH or BRADLAUGH him? Then the merry scenes in the outer hall, BRADLAUGH fighting at long odds, finally thrust down the staircase, breathless, his coat torn, his stylographic pen broken. BROADHURST a stone or two lighter than BRADLAUGH. But was he equally nimble-footed? Certainly he had not yet acquired the practice which in the second Session of the controversy enabled BRADLAUGH and the Sergeant-at-Arms to advance, retire, _chasser_, and clasp hands across the middle, in perfect time. But a great deal has happened in the fifteen years that have sped since, from a corner seat on the side of the House facing HENRY JAMES, DRUMMOND WOLFF rose, and with emphatic gesture barred BRADLAUGH'S progress to the table. By striking coincidence that strange chapter in Parliamentary history, opening by chance accident and leading to stirring consequences, was finally closed this very night, when AKERS-DOUGLAS moved writ to fill vacancy created in South Paddington by death of "Right Hon. RANDOLPH HENRY SPENCER CHURCHILL, commonly called Lord RANDOLPH CHURCHILL." HENRY JAMES had not concluded his sentence when SPEAKER interposed with ruling that there must be no interference with Members desiring to take their seats. So incident closed. Members for Leicester sworn in. BROADHURST, in exuberance of moment, made as though he would publicly shake the hand the clerk held out to take writ of return. But REGINALD FRANCIS DOUCE PALGRAVE not made K.C.B. for nothing. "The writ, the writ!" he hoarsely murmured, waving back the friendly hand. BROADHURST hastily produced document from breast-pocket, and thus fresh scandal was averted. _Business done._--Address moved. ***