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 *ever one hears him one is always dominated by his tremendous moral enthusiasm."

"There's your Gladstone. Always the card, of course. That's why good judges think he may go a very long way."

Helen's heart took fire. These were big words in the mouth of the Colossus. "You think that?" She looked eagerly across at him. "Really and truly you think that?"

The immediate answer of the great man was slowly to produce a cigar case. "No use offering you a cigarette. I know you don't smoke. Wise—very wise woman." As he spoke he chose a cigar, cut off the end, lit it.

"Do you really think he'll go far?" she persisted.

"The pundits seem pretty unanimous."

"But you—yourself—personally?"

The Colossus drew tentatively at his cigar. "Pray, who am I—a mere newspaper man—to hold an opinion—on such a matter? I can only tell you that Mr. Ransom thinks so and he, as you know, held office before the Deluge."

"But you—yourself?" She was determined to nail him down. "Do you think John Endor may one day be Prime Minister?"

"Well, since you ask me"—each word was like a drip of ice-cold water—"in my humble opinion, I don't."

Something in the deliberate voice clutched her by