He saw himself the leader of a party--"The Kingsnorth Party!"-- controlling his followers with a hand of iron, and driving them to vote according to his judgment and his decree.
By the time he reached home he had entered the Cabinet and was being spoken of as the probable Prime Minister.

But for the sudden stopping of the horses he might have attained that proud distinction.
The pleasant warmth of the entrance hall on this chill November night, greeted him as a benignant welcome.

He bummed a tune cheerfully as he climbed the stairs, and was smiling genially when he entered the massive study.
He poured out a liqueur and stood sipping it as he turned over the letters brought by the night's post.

One arrested him.

It had been delivered by hand, and was marked "Most Urgent." He lit a cigar and tore open the envelope.