Phineas, however, was allowed to give evidence as to his landlord’s character, and then Bunce was liberated.  But before he went he again swore that that should not be the last of it, and he told the magistrate that he had been ill-used.  When liberated, he was joined by a dozen sympathising friends, who escorted him home, and among them were one or two literary gentlemen, employed on those excellent penny papers, the People’s Banner and the Ballot-box.  It was their intention that Mr. Bunce’s case should not be allowed to sleep.  One of these gentlemen made a distinct offer to Phineas Finn of unbounded popularity during life and of immortality afterwards, if he, as a member of Parliament, would take up Bunce’s case with vigour.  Phineas, not quite understanding the nature of the offer, and not as yet knowing the profession of the gentleman, gave some general reply.

“You come out strong, Mr. Finn, and we’ll see that you are properly reported.  I’m on the Banner, sir, and I’ll answer for that.”

Phineas, who had been somewhat eager in expressing his sympathy with Bunce, and had not given very close attention to the gentleman who was addressing him, was still in the dark.  The nature of the Banner, which the gentleman was on, did not at once come home to him.

“Something ought to be done, certainly,” said Phineas.

“We shall take it up strong,” said the gentleman, “and we shall be happy to have you among us.  You’ll find, Mr. Finn, that in public life there’s nothing like having a horgan to back you.  What is the most you can do in the ’Ouse?  Nothing, if you’re not reported.  You’re speaking to the country;—­ain’t you?  And you can’t do that without a horgan, Mr. Finn.  You come among us on the Banner, Mr. Finn.  You can’t do better.”

Then Phineas understood the nature of the offer made to him.  As they parted, the literary gentleman gave our hero his card.  “Mr. Quintus Slide.”  So much was printed.  Then, on the corner of the card was written, “Banner Office, 137, Fetter Lane.”  Mr. Quintus Slide was a young man, under thirty, not remarkable for clean linen, and who always talked of the “’Ouse.”  But he was a well-known and not undistinguished member of a powerful class of men.  He had been a reporter, and as such knew the “’Ouse” well, and was a writer for the press.  And, though he talked of “’Ouses” and “horgans”, he wrote good English with great rapidity, and was possessed of that special sort of political fervour which shows itself in a man’s work rather than in his conduct.  It was Mr. Slide’s taste to be an advanced reformer, and in all his operations on behalf of the People’s Banner he was a reformer very much advanced.  No man could do an article on the people’s indefeasible rights with more pronounced vigour than Mr. Slide.  But it had never occurred to him as yet that he ought to care for anything else than the fight,—­than the advantage of having a good subject on which to