"Be on your guard, nevertheless, I pray you, madam; 'Where there's a will
there's a way'!"

Randal took his leave, and returned to Madame di Negra's. He stayed with
her an hour, revisited the count, and then strolled to Limmer's.

"Randal," said the squire, who looked pale and worn, but who scorned to
confess the weakness with which he still grieved and yearned for his
rebellious son, "Randal, you have nothing now to do in London; can you
come and stay with me, and take to farming? I remember that you showed a
good deal of sound knowledge about thin sowing."

"My dear sir, I will come to you as soon as the general election is
over."

"What the deuce have you got to do with the general election?"

"Mr. Egerton has some wish that I should enter parliament; indeed,
negotiations for that purpose are now on foot."

The squire shook his head. "I don't like my half-brother's politics."

"I shall be quite independent of them," cried Randal, loftily; "that
independence is the condition for which I stipulate."

"Glad to hear it; and if you do come into parliament, I hope you'll not
turn your back on the land?"

"Turn my back on the land!" cried Randal, with devout horror. "Oh, sir,
I am not so unnatural!"