Half a Hero | Page 2

there is some vague gossip of the kind."
"There now! That's very awkward. He must come here, you know, and
what shall I say to my wife?"
"She's been dead three or four years now," said Sir Robert, not referring
to the Governor's wife. "And it's only rumour after all. Nothing has
ever come to light on the subject."
"But there's a girl."

"There's nothing against the girl--except of course----"
"Oh, just so," said the Governor; "but that makes it awkward. Besides,
somebody told me he used to get drunk."
"I think you may disregard that," said Sir Robert. "It only means that he
likes his glass of wine as most of us do."
Sir Robert retired, and presently Dick Derosne, who acted as his
brother's private secretary, came in. The Governor was in an easy-chair,
smoking a cigar.
"So you've settled it," said Dick.
"Yes. Perry won't hear of going on."
"Well, he hardly could after being beaten by seventeen on his biggest
bill. What's going to happen?"
Now the Governor thought fit to assume that the course he had, after so
much hesitation, determined upon was, to every sensible man, the only
possible course. Perhaps he fancied that he would thus be in a stronger
position for justifying it to a sensible woman.
"Of course," he said, in a tone expressive of some surprise at a question
so unnecessary, "I am sending for Medland."
Dick Derosne whistled. The Governor relapsed into sincerity.
"No help for it," he pleaded. "You must back me up, old man, with
Mary. Women can't understand constitutional obligations."
"She said she wouldn't have him to the house," remarked Dick.
"Oh, Eleanor Scaife must persuade her. I wish you'd go and tell them,
Dick. I'm expecting Medland in half-an-hour. I wish I was out of it. I
distrust these fellows, both them and their policy."
"And yet you'll have to be civil to them."

"Civil! I must be just as cordial as I was with Perry. That's why it's so
important that Mary should be----"
"Reasonable?" suggested Dick.
"Well, yes," said Lord Eynesford.
"How does Perry take it?"
"Oh, I don't think he minds much. He thinks Medland's gang will soon
fall to pieces and he'll come back. Besides, the K.C.M.G. softens the
blow."
"Ah! It's the cheap defence of nations now--vice chivalry, out of
fashion," laughed Dick.
Hitherto Lord Eynesford and his wife had enjoyed their reign.
Everything had gone well. The Governor agreed heartily with the
measures introduced by Sir Robert Perry's ministry, and his relations
with the members of the government, and especially with its chief, had
been based on reciprocal liking and respect: they were most of them
gentlemen and all of them respectable men, and, what was hardly less
important, their wives and families had afforded no excuse for the
exercise of Lady Eynesford's somewhat fastidious nicety as to manners,
or her distinctly rigid scrutiny into morals. Under such conditions, the
duty and the inclinations of Government House went hand-in-hand.
Suddenly, in the midst of an apparently peaceful session, came what
the Governor considered an unhallowed combination between a
discontented section of Perry's party, and the Opposition under
Medland's leadership. The result was the defeat of the Government, the
resignation of Sir Robert, and the inevitability of Mr. Medland.
Entering the Legislative Assembly as the representative of an outlying
constituency, Medland had speedily made himself the spokesman of the
growing Labour Party, and now, after fifteen years of public life, and a
secret and subterranean struggle with the old middle-class element, was
established as the leader of a united party, so powerful in numbers that
the accession of some dozen deserters had placed it in a majority. Mr.

Coxon had led the revolt against Sir Robert Perry, and the Governor
disliked Coxon even more thoroughly than he distrusted Medland. Miss
Scaife said that Medland was the more dangerous, inasmuch as he was
sincere and impetuous, while Coxon was neither; but then, the
Governor would reply, Coxon was a snob, and Medland, if not exactly
a gentleman according to the ideas of Eton and Christchurch--and Lord
Eynesford adhered to these ideas--scorned a bad imitation where he
could not attain the reality, and by his simplicity and freedom from
pretension extorted the admission of good breeding. But why compare
the men? He would have to accept both, for Medland must offer Coxon
a place, and beyond doubt the offer would be accepted. The Governor
was alarmed for the fate of New Lindsey under such ruling, and
awaited with apprehension his next interview with his wife.
Dick Derosne had fulfilled his mission, and his tidings had spread
dismay on the lawn. Lady Eynesford reiterated her edict of exclusion
against the new Premier; Eleanor Scaife smiled and told her she would
be forced to receive him. Alicia