If he kept his
hopes to himself, he also kept his doubts. "That remains
to be seen," he said.
"Well, considering it's your own son, I think you might
show a little more confidence," said Mrs Murchison. "No
thank you; no dessert for me. With a member of the family
being elected--or not--for a seat in Parliament, I'm not
the one to want dessert."
Between Mr Murchison and the milkman that morning, Mrs
Murchison felt almost too much tried by the superior
capacity for reticence.
It was seven in the evening before the ballot-boxes were
all in the hands of the sheriff, and nine before that
officer found it necessary to let the town know that it
had piled up a majority of three hundred for Walter
Winter. He was not a supporter of Walter Winter, and he
preferred to wait until the returns began to come in from
Clayfield and the townships, in the hope that they would
make the serious difference that was required of them.
The results were flashed one after the other to the total
from the windows of the Express and the Mercury upon the
cheering crowd that gathered in Market Square. There were
moments of wild elation, moments of deep suspense upon
both sides, but when the final addition and subtraction
was made the enthusiastic voters of South Fox, including
Jim Whelan, who had neglected no further opportunity,
read, with yells and groans, hurrahs and catcalls, that
they had elected Mr Lorne Murchison to the Dominion House
of Commons by a majority of seventy.
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