“Lost?” echoed Desbrough. “How do you make that out? I think he’s won. Hasn’t he done you up for a second term?”

“Even so, still he has lost,” Helm answered. “His main object was to make us do dirty work. And we haven’t—not yet.”

Desbrough’s eyes shifted. After a pause he said with some constraint:

“You want me to wait till these people have a chance to act on my last warning?”

Helm said:

“I’ll give you an answer to-morrow. You’re all ready to go ahead?”

“Yes.”

“Then—I’ll see you to-morrow.”

And Desbrough did not envy him the rest of that day and the night.