"That's it," said Foster, still looking stolidly at his chief. "But I know Sir Winterton; he'd only say what he did before." Quisante turned, flung the end of his cigar into the grate, and turned back to Foster, saying, "Mr. Williams must do as he thinks right; but of course I can't have any hand in a matter of that kind." "Just so, just so," murmured Foster as hurriedly but even more vaguely than usual. His chief was puzzling him still. "I can't have anything at all to do with it," Quisante repeated emphatically. Foster did not quite know whence he gathered the impression, but he was left with the feeling that, if he should chance ever to be asked what had passed between them on the subject, he must remember this sentence at least, whatever else of the conversation he recollected or forgot. "Of course you can't, sir. I only mentioned it in passing," said he. "And you'd better tell Japhet Williams so, if he mentions the matter." The slightest pause followed. "Or," added Quisante, grinding his heel into the hearth rug as though in absence of mind, "if it happens to crop up in talk between you." Whether the matter did crop up as suggested or not is one of those points of secret history which it seems useless to try to discover. But an incident which occurred the next evening showed that Japhet Williams' mind and conscience had, either of their own motion or under some outside direction, been concerning themselves with the question of Tom Sinnett and his daughter Susy. There was a full and enthusiastic meeting of Sir Winterton's supporters. In spite of Quisante's victory over No. 77, they were in good heart and fine fighting fettle; Sir Winterton was good-tempered and sanguine; there was enough opposition to give the affair go, not enough to make itself troublesome. But at the end, after a few of the usual questions and the usual verbal triumphs of the candidate, a small man rose from the middle of the hall. He was greeted by hoots, with a few cheers mingling. The Chairman begged silence for their worthy fellow-townsman, Councillor Japhet Williams.