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.