"What are you?"
"Sheep, sir. The fellow came down and fought me, and—well, sir, he said things about me that you'd hardly credit."
"Oh, I hope," said Puttock earnestly, "that that would not influence his judgment. But, to be frank—well, it's common knowledge that Mr. Norburn and I found we could not work together."
"But surely, sir, the Premier will take his own line?"
"I don't know. As likely as not, Norburn will have some Labour man to press."
"Ah, if we could see you at the head of the Government!"
"I don't deny that I am deeply disappointed with the Premier's course of action—so deeply that I can give him no support."
Mr. Benham remained silent for a minute, meditating. He perceived that, in case Medland proved unreasonable, a second string lay ready to his hand. He wondered how much Puttock already knew—and what he would pay for more knowledge. The worst of it was that Puttock had the reputation of being an uncommonly good hand at a bargain.
"Yet Mr. Medland's a very clever man," he observed.