But such secrets are very hard to keep.

I speedily knew all about it, and took my measures accordingly.

The big men in question, who possessed much power so long as they could work under cover, or so long as they were merely throwing their weight one way or the other between forces fairly evenly balanced, were quite helpless when fighting in the open by themselves.

I never found out that anything practical was even attempted by most of the men who took part in the conference.

Three or four of them, however, did attempt something.