“Oh, yes, certainly; but tenants generally find it for their advantage to vote with their landlord,” said the agent.

“I will give my tenants distinctly to understand that they must vote from conviction, and that that will please me.  That is my view of being a Liberal,” said Francis.

“And if all the other county proprietors had the same view the Honourable James would walk the course; but we must oppose all the stratagems of war of an enemy who takes every advantage, and strains to the utmost the influence of property and patronage.”

“I want to go in with perfectly clean hands,” said Francis.

“Bless you, so does everybody,” said the parliamentary agent; “but somehow there is a lot of queer work must be done to get fairly seated on the benches.”

“I not only wish it, but I mean to do it,” said Mr. Hogarth.

“Well, well—­I hope you will be able to manage it.  I must introduce you to the earl.  I think he will say, as I say, that he will give you cordial support; so that the sooner you get your address out the better—­as soon in the field as possible, and don’t fall asleep over it.  The other party are like weasels—­they are not to be caught napping; and will undermine what you fancy secure ground, if you only give them a chance.”

The result of Francis’ interview with the earl was as satisfactory as that with the agent.  Party for once was inclined to waive its high prerogative, and to allow a person to slip into Parliament without any pledge as to future action.  His manner prepossessed the earl; he received an invitation to dinner to meet a few political friends, and to talk over the canvass for the county, which was one on which all their strength was to be expended.  Harriett Phillips was all the more interested in Mr. Hogarth when he had been invited to dinner with a peer of the realm, and stood a good chance of adding M.P. (though only for a Scotch group of burghs) to his name.  Even Mrs. Phillips felt a little excited at the idea of a British member of Parliament, and seemed to view both Jane and Elsie with more favour than she had done before; while Mr. Phillips, anxious to do away with the impression of his first interview with Mr. Hogarth, was quietly and cordially hospitable, and hoped that the Swinton burghs would return him, that they might have the pleasure of his society in London for the coming sessions.  Francis spent a week or more in London, and promised Miss Phillips to pay a visit to her father in Derbyshire by and by.  Mr. Brandon was completely at a discount, and as fairly out of the circle of Harriett’s probable future life at Ashfield as if he had sailed for Australia.

Chapter XIII.

Good-Bye