Well, here’s your chance, old man. You will go down in history as the man who made the Government make the North, that is, if you don’t get swallowed up like the rest of them.”
“Indeed, I will not,” retorted Roger with a fine show of decision.
Dane smiled at him again, but the other man subsided gloomily.
“Well, I’m not in. If labour is solid against me I won’t get in. And now with Lorrimer ill—curse it!” He stared into the fire.
In the pause that followed Dane wondered if they were both thinking the same thing.
Roger turned abruptly to him. “I say, Barrington, would you help us out with leaders and some articles? You can have any price you want.”
Dane felt the hand of fate upon him. Why ever run away from life when it was the relentless tracker it was? But he turned quiet eyes upon the instrument of the gods.
“I’ll think about it, Benton. But I don’t want any price. I don’t need the money. You will go on paying Lorrimer, won’t you?”
“Oh, yes, yes, of course. But will you really do it, Barrington? I would prefer to pay ———”
Dane waved his hand at him. “It’s not a question of money at all. I’d like the fun of being in the game. And my knowledge of the North would be useful. Are you going to be around to-morrow?”
“Yes, I have a conference with the committee in Dargaville in the morning. By God, Barrington, do say you will get in on it.” There was no mistaking Roger’s anxiety in the matter.
“I’d like to think about it to-night a little. I would go in under Miss Carr, of course. I’ve no desire to run
