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Rh the first time almost that he, too, looked a man of power. He lifted his head as she entered and smiled.

"You see you were right. I am beaten—but only for the Luya. I shall have another chance directly."

"What do you mean?—Oh, Frank, I am sorry."

"Thank you, Elsie." He took her hand in his and held it. "Thank you, dear. That makes up for other things. It is an odd chance, isn't it, that on the very day of my being beaten for the Luya, the Wallaroo vacancy should be declared?"

"Wallaroo! I hadn't heard."

"Lady Horace knew—it is all over the place. Fletcher has resigned."

"Yes, yes, I remember, but I did not connect the two things," Elsie stammered. "There has been so much to think of—Moonlight and this. You will get in here."

"And I have another electioneering campaign before me. It will not be a long one, however, and I don't start till after the Tunimba festivities."

"You see," he added with a rather bitter little laugh, "it is as we thought. The trophies of victory have been turned into the symbols of defeat. We shall be celebrating the triumph of my opponent. Blake's first appearance among us will be as the member for Luya."

"Oh!—Frank"

"Are you sorry, Elsie? Be truthful."

"Sorry—for your defeat? Of course I am sorry."

"But for his victory Are you sorry for that?"

"I don't think you have any right to question me in this way," she said, proudly.

"No, no, I have no right. But I watched your face this morning, and I watched it last evening, when you were listening to him speaking. I saw that you were straining to catch the words. And somehow, Elsie, you don't seem like yourself to-day. You look as though your thoughts were far from Goondi, and from the election and from everything that concerns us here."

"No, Frank, but I am tired. I—I" There was