AN ELECTION ROMANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 90

AN ELECTION ROMANCE.

By C. Malcolm Hixcks.

"By Jove, Wilson, that's a pretty girl!" Mr John Herrick, accompanied by hia agent, had been energetically canvassing the slums of Merdon that morning, which may have accounted for hi» excited remark; the dainty figure tripping along on the. other side of the High street was a strikins contrast to the big-boned, loudvoiced women whose hands he had waraily clasped earlier in the day. Mr James Wilson, the tfstute electioneering agent, smiled grimly. "Yes, she's pretty, -worse luck!" he agreed. The young would-be M.P. paused in the

act of lighting a cigar. "Why worse luck?" he queried in surprise ; "you haven't been " "She's your opponent's daughter," said Mr Wilson shortly, and Herrick, removing the cigar from his mouth, whistled softly. So that was old Noftke's daughter! He felt more amicably disposed towards his rival than he had ever done before, and he was smiling as he stiode along beside his burly agent to one of his committee rooms. Herrick was 32, but he looked about ten years younger, and, on his arrival at Merdon the previous day, he had been promptly dubbed "the boy." He was one of the few clever young men. in the political world, and everyone prophesied a big future for him ; but, standing as a Conservative, he knew he would have a big fight to gain the seat. His opponent, Sir William Noakes, was an elderly widower with one daughter ; he had lived in the neighbourhood for over 50 years, and taken a good deal of interest in local affairs. His supporters vowed that the victory would be a great and glorious one for him. Herrick eoan forgot about his opponent's pretty daughter, for he had set his heart on obtaining the seat, and threw himself enthusiastically into the work. He was a good speaker, and in his four speeches that evening he made several converts. A lot of the Merdon people were coming to the conclusion that they rather liked "the boy." The following morning he was cycling back from Barton-Dovey, a distant village in his division, when, some three miles from Merdon, he saw a girl with her bicycle upside down on the road, struggling desperately with a rebellious tyre. "Can I be of any assistance?" he asked, jumping off his machine and raising his cap ; then, as the girl looked up from her ttrek, he took two or three steps back. The girl was evidently amused at the expression on his face. "Will you risk assisting the enemy?" she asked, with a laugh. Herrick liked the laugh, but he employed guile in his / next remark. "Enemy?" he said in apparent surprise. "You are Mr Herrick. I recognised you by your photos," said the girl. The man acknowledged the impeachment with a bow. "And lam Violet Noakes." Mr Herrick smiled complacently to himself; he bad expected his little strategy to effect an introduction. "I've been to Barton-Dovey," he said ; somehow, he was not anxious to get the tyre on. "So have I," eaid Miss Noakes. "Awful work trying to ge,t- votes.** "Terrible," agreed Miss Noakes. "I'm sorry you've lived here 40 years," said Herrick. The girl laughed again. "But, I assure you. I haven't," ehe said. "I mean your people," explained Herrick. "You — they are very popular all round; the rustics look upon me as an intruder." "Well, you are, aren't you?" asked the girl innocently. "I suppose lam, but you challenged me to help my enemy. I'll risik it, if I may." He flung his own bicycle against the hedge, and the girl watched him halfadmiringly as his strong fingers pressed the tyre into the rim. "That's got it!" he cried at last, resuming an upright position. "I presume you are riding back to Merdon ; may I accompany you?" "It is a public road, I can hardly forbid you," said the girl, preparing to mount. "Besides," observed Herrick, springing to his machine, "you might have another puncture." "You are consoling," said Miss Noakes, and for some time they rode along in eil«ncc ; then, as tbey slowly descended the hill leading down into tiie town, she suddenly looked round and "asked him very quietly and seriously if he was really anxious to have the honour of representing the Borough of Merdon in Parliament. "Of course I am," cried the boyishlooking candidate eagerly. "Not so much because of Merdon, but because of what it may read to." "I see," said the girl. "Then you don't view your fight as hopeless." "By Jove, no ! lam handicapped by a charming enemy, but I'll fight to the finish. Wilson, my agent, you know, is a clever chap ; he's been nursing the division for some time, and his opinion is that it will be a very close thing." "There's father," cried the girl; "I must hurry off. Good-bye." She waved her hand, and before Herrick realised what had happened slie was gone. He said a short word with much emphasis, which may have been caused by the sudden disappearance of the girl, or something else. Meanwhile, Merdon went mad^ on politics, and Herrick's popularity gamed. Sir William Noakes was a quieb old gentleman with a very broad figure, but an equally narrow mind, and the younger man captured the whole of the sporting community of Merdon. During his energetic canvass of the town he often met Miss Noakes, but she was only ooldty polite, and' invariably hurried away when he arrived. Herrick cureed hi* luck ; once or twice he felt inclined to throw up any idea of parliamentary honours so far as Merdon was concerned. "Why the deuce did that old foo 1 Noakes want to put me in such a rotten position?" he growled. Which was an absurdly illogical remark for a promising young politician. That evening — it was the Friday before the polling day — when he arrived back at his hotel two "men he knew came up and warmly congratulated him on his heroism. "By gad, Eerrick," eaid one, "you're really Ixk> modesi, you know, but I'm glad the editor of the local rag got hold of the story. Coming, as it does, on the eve of the polling day, it will make you." '•Fancy ola Noakes not having the decency to thank him," said the other. ''I don't know what on earth you idiots are talking about," gasped the bewildered

young man, gazing from one to the other. "Will one of you kindly get me a brandy and soda ■while the other gives me details | o f my noble action?"' "Listen to him!" cried Wilson, who had just entered the vestibule. "Now, don't try and bluff, Mr He-rack ; we know the whole story now." "I wish to goodness I did," said Herrick, irritably. "Well, here's a paper," said one of the others, producing from his pocket a folded copy of the local newspaper. " There you are, top of column two, headed, ! ' The Heroism of Mr Herrick.' " i Herrick took the paper and glanced at the place indicated. It wa6 a short paiagrapn, but related in fulsome terms now, about a week ago, Mr John Vevers Herrick, the Conservative candidate for Merdon, had, at peril of his own life, saved Miss Violet Noakes from a nasty bicycle accident on the Blackwater Hill. There were some details, but Herrick did not stop to read them. "Did you put this in, Wilson? 1 ' he asked in dangerously calm tones as he stuffed the paper into his pocket. "Of course not !" gasped the astounded agent ; "I " "Where is the office of the paper?"' I "In the High street ; but you won't find anyone there now." "I'll try," said Herrick shortly, and, without another word he strode from the hotel, regardless of the fact that dinner was awaiting him. Wilson's surmise was correct ; neither the editor nor anyone in a responsible position was at the office. However, Herrick so fiercely demanded the private address of the former gentleman that a frightened youth promptly gave it to him, and to that address strode the Conservative candidate, with a mighty rage at his heart. The editor of the- Merdon Mercury was a, big", fat, flabby person, who strongly objected to being disturbed at his meals, but he came into the small, flashily-fua-nished drawing room, and from the door regarded his visitor with mild surprise. "Where did you obtain this information?" demanded Herrick, producing a copy of the paper. The editor assumed that dignified bearing that he found worked so well with the majority of people. "That is a matter I cannot disclose," he said pompously. "But you will contradict the statement." The editor raised his eyebrows. "Why?" he asked with polite tolerance for the whim of a lunatic. "Because it is not true," flared Herrick. "I'm not going to curry favour by the aid of lying stories inserted in a local rag by someone whom I don't know." The editor's ample countenance flushed angrily. "Really, Mr Herrick," he said solemnly, "but for your position and the undoubted respect in which you are held by my fellow-townsmen, I should be under the painful necessity of having you shown from my house." "You can do what you like !" cried the angry young candidate ; "but to-night you'll print enough bills to go round to every voter in the division admitting the I story was false. If you don't, by gad, I'll make you pay for it, air !" The editor began to look somewhat uncomfortable. "But, my dear sir, I had the information from a most authoritative source. I regret that I am bound to secrecy in the matter. It is really incomprehensible, and I am sorry if the paragraph has offended you, but I really fail to see where you have cause for complaint. Why, it will strengthen your hand, sir, coming just on the eve of the polling day. That is part of the mystery." "There certainly appears to be a good deal of mystery. I'm very sorry if you have been misled, but you must print bim<ll>ills denying tHe story i>o-nieKt, and have them circulated the first thing tomorrow morning. And that was what, after much argument, the editor agreed to do, while Bercick, angry and mystified, went back to his hotel. The next day he was elected member for Merdon by a majority of only thirty votes over Sir William Noakes. On the Monday morning following his election Herrick was standing on the platform of Merdon station waiting for the London express ; aa he glanced carelessly up and' down, he suddenly started, and, turning to an astounded clerk at the bookstall, threw down half a sovereign and demanded the most interesting papers for young .ladies he had. At that moment the train glided into the station, and, grasping a huge bundle of papers, and without waiting for his change, the member for Merdon tore up the platforni, looking anxiously in at each carriage as he passed. Then he heaved a sigh of relief, for there, in an otherwise empty first class carriage, waa Miss Violet Noakes. A maid was standing at the door. "Excuse me," said Herrick. ''Shall I ask the guard to make this carriage for ladies only, miss?"' asked the maid hi an audible whisper, regarding the -young man. suspiciously. "Don't trouble, Parker," said the girl ; and the next moment the man was in the carriage, and the maid had hurried away, to take her seat in another part of the train. "I suppose I must congratulate you, Mr Herrick," said the girl ; "but I am very angry with you for nearly spoiling my plans." "Spoiling your plans?" echoed Herrick, wonderingly, as the train began to move. The girl looked out of the window for a moment, then she turned to hint again. She appeared to be labouring under great emotion. "Don't you think the story of how you rescued me from a terrible smash was very cleveT?" s.he asked. "Clever!" said Herricfc, grimly. "I'd like to know the man who invented it." "A man didn't," said. t"he girl . with' some pffyie in her voice ; "I did." "Yog?" The M.P.'s face expressed blank bewilderment. "You &cc," explained Mies Noakes, controlling her laughter by an jffort, "I

wanted yott to be elected, and you very nearly spoilt the whole thing " "B — but what did you " then, in jf softer voice, "Why did you want me toi be elected?" Miss Noakes gazed at him icily. "Be* cause I didn't want father to be elected/ she said logically. "I think an explanation is due to me/* pleaded Herrick. Then she explained. Sir William" Noakes was not strong. His medical adviser had told him that to enter parliamentary life would be fatal to him just now, for Sir William was one of those exceptionally constituted men who if thfijr do a thing at all must needs do Ife thoroughly. His warning had no avail with the father, so he told the daughter, and Miss Noakes, who loved her father and cared not a bit about party or politics, had made up her mind to prevent her father's election, if possible. She could not canvass against him, but indireotly she had done what ehe could, and the idea of turning the slight assistance Herricfe had given her- into a strong card in. his favour had occurred to her. So Hertiok, even in his astonishment at the story, could quite understand i»he flabby editor's bewilderment. - • • "But your father?" he gasped, when the girl had finished. "Oh, he was terribly angry at first, and said I had been very wicked, but before I left him this morning ho was all right. He has a slight senee of humour, and, knowing that it can't be helped, I think he wants to see you and tell you all about it." ■ )( "Then I owe my election to you, said Herrick. His pride was hurt, but ne was by no means angry. "I suppose you do, " agreed the girl demurely. "Tell me," said the man, leaning forward and speaking softly — "was there any other reason for your wishing me to b« elected?" The girl became interested in the scenery. "Perhaps," she said very faintly. And" the papers that Herrick had provided were not even glanced at. — M. A. P»