Captain Rames obeyed the summons with alacrity and walked round the table. "I see that you are going on to Buckingham Palace," said Mr. Benoliel. "So I thought that I would interrupt your conversation with Sir James Burrell. For I want to introduce you to Mr. Smale." Mr. Smale held out his hand. At a sign from Benoliel, the butler brought up a chair and placed it between Smale and his host. "Sit down," said Benoliel, and Captain Rames obeyed. "Benoliel tells me," said Smale, "that you are thinking of Parliament." Captain Rames was startled. He could not remember that in his one brief conversation with his host he had even mentioned his ambition. "I inferred it from a casual word or two you let drop," said Benoliel with a smile. "Well, it's true," said Rames. "I should like to stand on your side very much, Mr. Smale, if I could find a seat to contest." Henry Smale nodded. "That, no doubt, could be arranged. You would be a strong candidate. You bring a reputation and some breath of romance to favor you. But--" and he pursed up his lips as if in doubt and looked at Captain Rames with a searching eye. Rames was disconcerted. He had been back in England for some six months, and during those six months he had been much sought after. At this period of his life, doubts of him had been rarely expressed behind his back, and never to his face. Young ladies whom he did not know had clamored for his autograph, young ladies whom he did know had approached him with a winning humility; established beauty had smiled at him; established fame had welcomed him as an equal. The calm scrutiny of Henry Smale was a displeasing splash of cold water. "Of course," he said, with a diffidence which he did not feel, "I might be a failure." And Henry Smale replied promptly: "That's just it. You might be a failure. Meanwhile you are a great success, and have the chance of standing quite alone in your career. For what you set out to do is not yet done. You leave the laurel for another to snatch." "That is quite true, Mr. Smale," Harry Rames replied. "But I have considered it. I am not yielding to an impulse. I have counted the risk!" He spoke with a nice adjustment of firmness and modesty. Henry Smale rose from his chair. "Very well," he said. "Will you come down to the House at four o'clock to-morrow afternoon? I will introduce you to Hanley, the chief whip." Captain Rames flushed with pleasure. "Thank you, I shall be delighted," he cried, rising in his turn; and as the two men shook hands, Mr. Benoliel said gently: "I was thinking of Ludsey. It has no candidate on your side, Smale." CHAPTER XI A MAN ON THE MAKE