Luke Andersen shook hands with the Christian Candidate. “How goes the campaign, the great campaign?” he said. “I wonder you haven’t talked to James about it. James is a hopeless idealist. James is an admirable listener. You really ought to talk to James. I wish you _would_ talk to him; and put a little of your shrewd common-sense into him! He takes the populace seriously--a thing you and I would never be such fools as to do, eh, Mr. Wone?” “I am afraid we disturbed you,” remarked the Nonconformist, “Miss Seldom and I--I think you had someone with you. Miss Seldom was quite interested. We heard sounds, and she stopped.” “Oh, only Annie”--returned the young man lightly, “only little Annie. We are old friends you know. Don’t worry about Annie!” “It is a beautiful night, is it not?” remarked the Methodist, peering down the lane. Luke Andersen laughed. “Are you by any chance, Mr. Wone, interested in astronomy? If so, perhaps you can tell me the name of that star, over there, between Perseus and Andromeda? No, no; that one--that greenish-coloured one! Do you know what that is?” “I haven’t the least idea,” confessed the representative of the People. “But I am a great admirer of Nature. My admiration for Nature is one of the chief motives of my life.” “I believe you,” said Luke. “It is one of my own, too. I admire everything in it, without any exception.” “I hope,” said Mr. Wone, reverting to the purpose that, with Nature, shared just now his dominant interest, “I hope you are also with us in our struggle against oppression? Mr. Taxater and Miss Seldom are certainly on our side. I sometimes feel as though Nature herself, were on our side, especially on a lovely night like this, full of such balmy odours.” “I am delighted to see the struggle going on,” returned the young man, emphatically. “And I am thoroughly glad to see a person like yourself at the head of it.” “Then you, too, will take a part,” cried the candidate, joyfully. “This, indeed, has been a successful evening! I feel sure now that in Nevilton, at any rate, the tide will flow strongly in my favour. Next week, I have to begin a tour of the whole district. I may not be able to return for quite a long time. How happy I shall be to know that I leave the cause in such good hands! The strike is the important thing, Andersen. You and your brother must work hard to bring about the strike. It is coming. I know it is coming. But I want it soon. I want it immediately.” The stone-carver nodded and hummed a tune. He seemed to intimate with the whole air of his elegant quiescence that the moment had arrived for Mr. Wone’s departure. The Nonconformist felt the telepathic pressure of this polite dismissal. He waved his arm. “Good night, then; good night! I am afraid I must postpone my talk with Mr. Clavering till another occasion. Remember the strike, Andersen! That is what I leave in your hands. Remember the strike!”