CHAPTER XI.
KINGSNORTH IN DESPAIR Three days afterwards Nathaniel Kingsnorth returned late at night from a political banquet.
It had been a great evening.

At last it seemed that life was about to give him what he most wished for.

His dearest ambitions were, apparently, about to be realised.
He had been called on, as a staunch Conservative, to add his quota to the already wonderful array of brilliant perorations of seasoned statesmen and admirable speakers.
Kingsnorth had excelled himself.
Never had he spoken so powerfully.
Being one of the only men at the banquet who had enjoyed even a brief glimpse of Ireland, he made the solution of the Irish question the main topic of his speech.

Speaking lucidly and earnestly, he placed before them his panacea for Irish ills.
His hearers were enthralled.
When he sat down the cheering was prolonged.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, an old friend of his late father, spoke most glowingly to him and of him in his hearing.