The Great Prince Shan

plomatic Service, who had just arrived in London and brought a letter of introduction to him. They had a pleas

uickly. I've had a kind of feeling for a cocktail, these last four holes, which I can't exact

h-that is, if you don't mind playing a set or two at tennis. My cousin-in-law Maggie

asin. "Gee, that's good! Get a move on, there's a good fellow. I have a fancy for

e an order to a red-coated attendant, and found a secluded table under a marvello

clared, "yours is a

ling to you at the mo

r extraordinary insouciance. It seems to me, as a budding di

at dir

ican shrugged

'em right, but with an empire to keep up you're losing all touch upon international politics. Your ambassadors have been exchanged for trade consuls, the

eplied, "that it was your country

hat the country ever backed him up. That's the worst of us

ood idea," Nigel declared, "but it belong

? I tell you frankly, we keep our eye on Japan, and we build a good many commercial ships which would astonish you if you examined them thoroughly. Our National Guard, too, know a bit more about soldiering than their grandfathers. You people, on the

Government has a big majority, trade at home and abroad is prosperous, the income tax is down t

n 1914," Chalmers re

days we had our alarmists. Nowadays, they

rewd man," Chalmers interrupted.

n and some of her tennis friends. Karschoff is lunching with us, too. Y

rolled into luncheon and took their places at the round table reserved fo

modern methods in American diplomacy, and that therefore you have been made first secretary over

myself that I have brought a new note into diplomacy. I was always taught that there were thirty-seven differ

erfully original! What should you say, now,

f my activities," he decided. "I should then proceed to add, as a pr

confessed, "that all I h

begged. "Leave out everything that isn't n

ou speak seven languages perfectly and know your way about every capital of Europe, and that

circles," he admitted. "Now shall I

w anything about me," s

e discovered from personal

ts or candour," she murmure

ll keep the secrets of my heart hidden-until after luncheon, at

changed. She l

in?" she

present President, Herr Essendorf. I hope you liked those f

bout my stay in Ber

l you the truth, our people there were a trifle anxious

onounced, "a most interesting young m

heard the other day, on very good authority, that you were thinking of writing a novel. If you are, study the lad

he bowed to Nigel and Karschoff before sitting down, and her eyes travelled over

admirer," Prince Karschoff

r father?"

ince n

he superintends the exchange of shipping cargoes and talks freights. I suppose Immelan and

orld for her to fall back upon," Chalmers mu

your lunch and drink your iced water. Let the vision of those two remind you that it was your people who f

led. "Besides, why should there be any politics about it at all? Mademoiselle Karetsky is qu

career. He has no respect for age, and he is shockingly lacking in finesse. All the same, on one point I

tra was playing soft music, with a fine regard for the atmosphere of the pleasant, almost languorous spring afternoon. Everywhere were signs of contentment, even gaiety, and here the alien streak of un

ou know about my stay i

," he answe

u m

et-service system has never been better, and frankly I hear many things which I don't like. I am going to talk to Lord Dorminster th

rumour is not altogether untrue," she ad

go," he

really do know

ch frontier last time, and I don't mind telling you, also, that we had two of our men shadowi

plain why Frau Essendorf keeps on writing to me under my pseudonym of 'Mis

too," he replied. "They

hat I brought over the dispat

now, too, that it was chiefly a wasted

ted, "you know who th

rsation," he remarked, "we we

us make up a set t