"What are some of them? Could I understand them?" "Better than I, very likely. Since I've gotten you so far into this horribly businesslike affair, I may as well go all the way through. As I said, I can't see how O'Connor can personally get any advantage out of this in any conceivable way, so long as he stays with the Guardian." "But suppose he himself resigned--what then? Or don't people ever leave the Guardian?" "Oh, minor employees, of course--they're always shifting about. But no one of any importance has left the company, except by old age or death, for a good many years. Nobody knows exactly why, but it's a good company, and every one just stays. And besides, if O'Connor got out to go with some one else, what good would this move have done him?" "Isn't it just possible that he has gotten the impression the company has treated him badly, and he is trying to do something to hurt it before he leaves?" "Pure malignance? Hardly that. And besides, if that were so, why should Mr. Wintermuth accept his suggestion? No, I can't believe that is it." "What could Mr. O'Connor do, supposing that he left the Guardian and went with some other company?" "That's another thing. As things are now, I don't see how he could do much to hurt us. It would be a bit awkward for us, I don't mind saying, if he went with some Conference company, for some of the insiders are none too scrupulous in their methods against non-Conference competitors. Of course, if the Conference should pass a separation rule--but no, that's impossible." "What is a separation rule?" "Why, it's a kind of boycott. The Conference might pass a rule reducing the commission of any agent who also represented non-Conference companies. You see, most agents represent several companies--a good, big agency may perhaps represent fifteen or twenty--and the Conference companies are in the majority in most of the agencies where the Guardian is represented. It would mean that those agents would have to choose between resigning us and having their commissions reduced, and there is very little doubt as to which course they would take. The Conference might even forbid its companies to be represented at all in mixed agencies--where both Conference and non-Conference companies were located--and then those agents would either have to throw us out or lose the bulk of their companies." "But couldn't they get other non-Conference companies to fill up their agencies and keep the Guardian?" "No--hardly. There are only a few really high-class companies on the outside. And most of the agents couldn't afford to change. They would simply have to let us go; and that would mean that we'd have to make our agency plant practically all over again." "And that would be hard to do, I suppose?" "It would be just about equivalent to building a new company, for the company's agents are the company." "But you say it's impossible they should pass this rule. Why?"