ll have to take office. I shall
be sent for as the nominal leader of the party and I shall pass the
summons on to you. Here is a list of names. Some of them we ought to
see unofficially at once."

Tallente looked down the slip of paper. He came to a dead stop with his
finger upon Miller's name.

"I know," Dartrey said sympathetically, "but, Tallente, you must
remember that men are not made all in the same mould, and Miller is the
link between us and a great many of the most earnest disciples of our
faith. In politics a man has sometimes to be accepted not so much for
what he is as for the power which he represents."

"Has he agreed to serve under me?" Tallente inquired.

"We have never directly discussed the subject," Dartrey replied. "He
posed rather as the ambassador when we came to you at Martinhoe, but as
a matter of fact, if it interests you to know it, he was strongly
opposed to my invitation to you. I am expecting him here every
moment--in fact, he telephoned that he was on the way an hour ago."

Miller arrived, a few minutes later, with the air of one already
cultivating an official gravity. He was dressed in his own conception
of morning clothes, which fitted him nowhere, linen which confessed to a
former day's service and a brown Homburg hat. It was noticeable that
whilst he was almost fulsome in his congratulations to Nora and
overcordial to Dartrey, he scarcely glanced at Tallente and confined
himself to a nod by way of greeting.

"Couldn't believe it when you told me over the telephone," he said. "I
congratulate you both heartily. What about Leeds, Dartrey?"

"Splendid!"

"It's the end, I suppose?"

"Absolutely! That is why I telephoned for you. Horlock is quite
resigned. I understand that they will send for me, but I wish to tell
you, Miller, as I have just told Tallente, that I have finally made up
my mind that it would not be in the best interests of our party for me
to attempt to form a Ministry myself. I am therefore passing the task
on to Tallente. Here is a list of what we propose."

Miller clenched the sheet of paper in his hand without glancing at it.
His tone was bellicose.

"Do I understand that Tallente is to be Prime Minister?"

"Certainly! You see I have put you down for the Home Office, Sargent as
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Saunderson--"

"I don't want to hear any more," Miller interrupted. "It's time we had
this out. I object to Tallente being placed at the head of the part