"Buttermish, Buttermish," Miss Gallup repeated; "where did she come from?" "That I can't tell you, Miss; I was in the kitchen polishing the teapot for your tea when there comes a knock at the door, and when I opens it, there stood the young lady. 'Can I see Mr Gallup?' she says, and knowing he was in the parlour I as't her in. She didn't stop long and no sooner was she gone than I hears Mr Gallup runnin' upstairs an' in and out, and presently 'e called out, 'Master Ffolliot's broken 'is arm,' and went off in ever such an 'urry. I see 'im run down the garden, and 'e 'ad 'is portmanteau in 'is 'and----" "Nonsense," Miss Gallup said crossly; "what would he be doing with a portmanteau?" "That I can't say, mum, but 'e 'ad it, and when 'e'd gone I took the lamp in to the poor young gentleman wot was lyin' all 'uddled up on the sofa--'e said 'thank you' in a muffled voice that mournful, and I made up the fire and waited a minute but 'e didn't say no more, so I come away, an' in a few minutes the 'ouse seemed chock-full o' people. Where they come from passes me----" "Well, get tea now, as quick as you can. I can't think where Mr Gallup can have got to." Miss Gallup lit a candle and went straight upstairs to her nephew's room. His clothes were still in the drawers as she, herself, had arranged them--but the suit-case, the smart new leather suit-case, with E. A. G. in large black letters upon its lid, was gone. Miss Gallup sank heavily on a chair. What could it mean? She immediately connected the advent of the strange young lady and the disappearance of her nephew's suit-case. She took off her bonnet and cloak and did not put them away, but left them lying on her bed; a sure sign of perturbation with Miss Gallup, who was the tidiest of mortals. She sought Em'ly-Alice in the bright little kitchen. "What was the young lady like?" she asked. "Oh a superior young person, Miss, all in black." "Young, was she?" Miss Gallup remarked suspiciously. "Yes, Miss, quite young, I should say--about my own age; I couldn't see 'er face very well, but she did talk like the gentry, very soft and distinct." "Did Mr Gallup seem pleased to see her?" "That I couldn't say, Miss, I'm sure. I left 'em together and come out and shut the door." Miss Gallup went back to the parlour shaking her head. "There's a lot of them will be after him now 'e's stood for Parliament," she reflected grimly; "but I did _not_ think they'd have the face to track him to his aunt's house. She's hanging about the lanes for him now I'll warrant. Miss Buttermish indeed!" CHAPTER XIV THE ELECTION