"I am glad he is quixotic," Minola said eagerly. "I like to think of a man who ventures to be a Quixote."
"Very sorry to hear it, Miss Grey, for I am afraid you won't like much to think about me. Yet, do you know, I came here to make a sort of quixotic offer about this very election."
"I am glad to hear it; the more quixotic it is the more I shall like it. To whom is the offer to be made? To Mr. Heron?"
"Oh, no, by Jove!—excuse me, Miss Grey—nothing of the sort. The offer is to be made to you."
"To me?" Minola was a little surprised, but she did not color or show any surprise. She knew very well that it was not an offer of himself Mr. St. Paul was about to make, but it amused her to think of the interpretation Mary Blanchet, if she could have been present, would at once have put on his words.
"Yes, indeed, Miss Grey, to you. I have it in my power to make you returning officer for Keeton. Do you understand what that means?"
"I know in a sort of way what a returning officer is; but I don't at all understand how I can do his office."
"I'll show you. You shall have the fate of Keeton as much in your hands as if you owned the whole concern—a deuced deal more, in fact, than if you owned the whole concern, in days of ballot like these. I believe you do own a good many of the houses there now, don't you?"
"I hardly know; but I know that if I do, I wish I didn't."
"Very well; just you try what you can get out of your influence over your tenants—that's all."