"I can win all that, or part of it, by being loyal to the people," Blake replied doggedly, but in a rather unsteady tone. "Come, come, Mr. Blake," said Brown reprovingly, "you know you're not talking sense. You know that the only quick and sure way of getting the big offices is by the help of the corporations. So you realize what you're losing." Blake's face had become drawn and pale. He closed his eyes, as though to shut out the visions of the kingdoms Mr. Brown had conjured up. "I'm ready to lose it!" he cried. "All right, then," Mr. Brown went mildly on. "So much for what we lose, and what you lose. Now for the next point, the action you intend to take regarding Doctor West. Do you mind telling me just how you propose to undo what you have done so far?" "I haven't thought it out yet. But I can do it." "Of course," pursued Mr. Brown blandly, "you propose to do it so that you will appear in no way to be involved?" Blake was thinking of Katherine's accusation. "Of course." "Just suppose you think about that point for a minute or two." There was a brief silence. When Mr. Brown next spoke he spoke very slowly and accompanied each word with a gentle tap of his forefinger on the desk. "Can you think of a single way to clear Doctor West without incriminating yourself?" Blake gave a start. "What's that?" "Can you get Doctor West out of his trouble without showing who got him into his trouble? Just think that over." During the moment of silence Blake grew yet more pale. "I'll kill the case somehow!" he breathed. "But the case looks very strong against Doctor West. Everybody believes him guilty. Do you think you can suddenly, within twenty-four hours, reverse the whole situation, and not run some risk of having suspicion shift around to you?" Blake's eyes fell to his desk, and he sat staring whitely at it. "And there's still another matter," pursued the gentle voice of Mr. Brown, now grown apologetic. "I wouldn't think of mentioning it, but I want you to have every consideration before you. I believe I never told you that the National Electric & Water Company own the majority stock of the Acme Filter Company." "No, I didn't know that." "It was because of that mutual relationship that I was able to help out your little plan by getting Marcy to do what he did. Now if some of our directors should feel sore at the way you've thrown us down, they might take it into their minds to make things unpleasant for you." "Unpleasant? How?" Mr. Brown's fatherly smile had now come back. It was full of concern for Blake. "Well, I'd hate, for instance, to see them use their pressure to drive Mr. Marcy to make a statement." "Mr. Marcy? A statement?" "Because," continued Mr. Brown in his tone of fatherly concern, "after Mr. Marcy had stated what he knows about this case, I'm afraid there wouldn't be much chance for you to win any high places by being loyal to the people."