"
Whether the matter did crop up as suggested or not is one of those points
of secret history which it seems useless to try to discover. But an
incident which occurred the next evening showed that Japhet Williams'
mind and conscience had, either of their own motion or under some outside
direction, been concerning themselves with the question of Tom Sinnett
and his daughter Susy. There was a full and enthusiastic meeting of Sir
Winterton's supporters. In spite of Quisante's victory over No. 77,
they were in good heart and fine fighting fettle; Sir Winterton was
good-tempered and sanguine; there was enough opposition to give the
affair go, not enough to make itself troublesome. But at the end, after
a few of the usual questions and the usual verbal triumphs of the
candidate, a small man rose from the middle of the hall. He was greeted
by hoots, with a few cheers mingling. The Chairman begged silence for
their worthy fellow-townsman, Councillor Japhet Williams.
Japhet was perfectly self-possessed; he had been, he said, as a rule a
supporter of the opposite party, but he kept his mind open and was free
to admit that he had been considerably impressed by some of the arguments
which had fallen from Sir Winterton Mildmay that evening.
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