offence; not now, I bet; I would like them to try. A little
way back along Mulinuu, Mrs. G. met us with her husband's
horse; and he and she and Lloyd and I rode back in a heavenly
moonlight. Here ends a chapter in the life of an island
politician! Catch me at it again; 'tis easy to go in, but it
is not a pleasant trade. I have had a good team, as good as
I could get on the beach; but what trouble even so, and what
fresh troubles shaping. But I have on the whole carried all
my points; I believe all but one, and on that (which did not
concern me) I had no right to interfere. I am sure you would
be amazed if you knew what a good hand I am at keeping my
temper, talking people over, and giving reasons which are not
my reasons, but calculated for the meridian of the particular
objection; so soon does falsehood await the politician in his
whirling path.



CHAPTER XII



MAY, OCTOBER 24TH.


MY DEAR CARTHEW, - See what I have written, but it's Colvin
I'm after - I have written two chapters, about thirty pages
of WRECKER since the mail left, which must be my excuse, and
the bother I've had with it is not to be imagined, you might
have seen me the day before yesterday weighing British sov.'s