“It’s the very devil,” said Roger gloomily.
Lee came through the door with a tray and put it on a small table.
“Wine or whisky, Meester Benton?”
“Whisky; yes, some water, thanks.”
“Meester Barrington, what for you?”
“Whisky, please.”
When the boy had gone out Roger went on. “He was doing fine in the electorate, popular everywhere, and sending good stuff to the paper. Now it will be a month at least before he is fit for anything. Miss Carr can run the office all right. She’s a wonder, that girl. But she can’t do the leaders and the political stuff.”
Dane looked hard into the fire. “What kind of a start have you made?”
“Quite hopeful, I think. In fact, I’ve been surprised at some of the places support has come from. Of course we have the farmers. They have always been for Massey. But it looks as if we might get some of the transient vote, the gumdiggers, bush fellers. There’s a change in the feeling, talk of the swing in the country to Massey, and it is a good thing to cultivate. I know I’ll carry most of Dargaville, and there’s never been anyone who could do that before. Mobray, of course, will carry Te Koperu. But I find he’s more unpopular than I thought he was.”
“Still he will be a hard man to beat. And what about the prohibition issue?”
“That’s the devil of it. It isn’t certain yet whether Dodge will stand. If he does, the damned fool, he will split the votes, and then nobody can guess the result. If it is clear cut between Mobray and me I’ve a fighting chance ———”
“Then, my dear Roger, Dodge must be bought. Has anybody thought of that?”
