It makes you a little less keen somehow, about defeating him.

It may be that Mr Winter had an instinct for this, or perhaps he thought such discourse more profitable, if less pleasant, than derisive talk in the opposite sense.

At all events, he gained something and lost nothing by it, even in his own camp, where swagger might be expected to breed admiration.

He was thought a level-headed fellow who didn't expect miracles; his forecast in most matters was quoted, and his defeats at the polls had been to some extent neutralized by his sagacity in computing the returns in advance.
So that we may safely follow Mr Winter to the conclusion that the Liberals of South Fox were somewhat put to it to select a successor to Robert Farquharson who could be depended upon to keep the party credit exactly where he found it.

The need was unexpected, and the two men who would have stepped most naturally into Farquharson's shoes were disqualified as Winter described.