"An extremist as ever," the Prime Minister remarked tolerantly. "Even a politician who has worked as hard as you have can find many pleasurable paths in life open to him in this country. However, the necessity for such an extreme course of action on your part is done away with. I am very pleased to be able to tell you that the affair concerning which I have been in communication with your secretary for the last two months has taken an unexpectedly favourable turn." "What the mischief do you mean?" Tallente enquired, puzzled. "I mean," Mr. Horlock announced, with a friendly smile, "that sooner than be deprived of your valuable services, His Majesty has consented that you should go to the Upper House. You will be offered a peerage within the next fortnight." Tallente stared at the speaker as though he had suddenly been bereft of his senses. "What on earth are you talking about, sir?" he demanded. Mr. Horlock somewhat resented his visitor's tone. "Surely my statement was sufficiently explicit?" he said, a little stiffly. "The peerage concerning which at first, I admit, I saw difficulties, is yours. You can, without doubt, be of great service to us in the Upper House and--" "But I'd sooner turn shopkeeper!" Tallente interrupted. "If I understand that it is your intention to offer me a peerage, let us have no misunderstanding about the matter. It is refused, absolutely and finally." The Prime Minister stared at his visitor for a moment in amazement. Then he unlocked a drawer in his desk, drew out several letters and threw them over to Tallente. "And will you tell me what the devil you mean by authorising your secretary to write these letters?" he demanded. Tallente picked them up, read them through and gasped. "Written by Palliser, aren't they?" Mr. Horlock demanded. "Without a doubt," Tallente acknowledged. "The amazing thing, however, is that they are entirely unauthorised. The subject has never even been discussed between Palliser and myself. I am exceedingly sorry, sir," he went on, "that you should have been misled in this fashion, but I can only give you my word of honour that these letters are entirely and absolutely unauthorised." "God bless my soul!" the Prime Minister exclaimed. "Where is Palliser? Better telephone." "Palliser left my service a week or more ago," Tallente replied. "He left it at a moment's notice, in consequence of a personal disagreement concerning which I beg that you will ask no questions I can only assure you that it was not political. Since he left no word has been heard of him. The papers, even, have been making capital of his disappearance." "It is the most extraordinary thing I ever heard in my life," Horlock declared, a little irritably. "Why, I've spent hours of my time trying to get this matter through." "Dealing seriously with Palliser, thinking that he represented me in this matter?" "Without a doubt." "Will you lend me the letters?" Tallente asked. Mr. Horlock threw them across the table.