The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
CHAPTER VI.

Sir Percy Carlyon went out into the
cool March air which steadied his much
shaken nerves. He had refused TO bring
about a meeting between Alicia Vernon
and Lucy Armytage, and with masculine
ldireetness. made not the slightest secret
20 himself why he did 1t. Yet ne was not
without shame at the part he had PLAYED
in the matter
1t was early for his walks, as the spring
lafternoons were growing longer. He
struck out toward the northwest and
walked for an hour. As he was return
ing he reached the top Of the hill. where
the paved streets began. when Lord Ban
] deserts carriage. with its kigh-stepping
bays, overlook him. Lord Baudesert called
out OF the wind0W, and In another minute
Sir Percy was sitting in the carriage op-
poslte Lord Baudesert and Gen. Talbot.
II Is rather pleasant said Lord Bau-
/ desert to come across a countryman
once IN while and not TO be always
/ considering American susceptibilities. Tai
Dott. here, is delighted with the country
as far as he has got. ] told him il is the
most interesting, as it certsnly is the
most complex, OF ali nations sand socie-
I
/ carriage and settled himself comfortably
/ TO talk upon that agreeable subject. his
4 own affairs. The ambassadors At
/ Paris and Berlin. and other European
( capitals. have an easy berth compared
with mine. I can walk in and talk with
the President and arrange affairs TO our
mutual satisfaction. II might be sup
posed that / had accomplished some
thing, as 10 would be in any Chanc6llery
OF Europe, but not here, II you please
At the next Cabinet meeting the Secre-
tary of State may say that il is all a
stupid blunder on the part Of the Presi-
dent. or the Attorney General may put
in his oar, and all goes TO smash. Then
if il gets as far as the approval Of the
Secretary of State and the permission
OF the Attorney General. as soon as il is
done up in official form. 1t goes to the
Senate. The Senate likes 10 lay the Sec
retary of State by the heels and the Brit
ish Ambassador on top OF him. and that
is where our carefully studied arrange
ments generally land The House of
Representatives. too. can generally find
"a peg on which toShang some objection,
and. If there is any money involved. We
can't turn a wheel without the help OF
the House. That is diplomacy in
America
How do you get anything done thenY'
said Gen Talbot
There are ways, M dear Talbot. The
Speaker of the House Is q useful man TO
have as a friend, and there are. besides,
"A few men in the Senate who can deny
themselves the JOY Of tripping Up an am
bassador One of them / particularly de-
sire you 20 meet-SenatOr March. He
Sands high with the administration. and
with everybody. in fact. He Is an un-
commonly able man, and has a candor /
and fairness which disarms opposition. /
7 should not venture 10 call him ahso- |
lutely the most gifted man in the Senate, 4
or the most profound lawyer or the most I
brilliant speaker, but take him alto /
gether. / consider him the strongest man /
in public life in Washington to-day. You 4
will meet him when you dine at the en-
bassy next week I will send a card in 4
due form 70 yourself and Mrs. Vernon. /
] think I bad the pleasure Of meeting 4
your daughter once before her MARRIAGE"
'That marriage turned out most unfor-
tunately for my poor Child, replied Gen.
Talbot. with the peculiar tenderness in
his voice with which he always spoke of
Alicia Vernon. Vernon had a large for
tune, but was a scapegrace Unborn. Ny
daughter was young, innocent, and had
never had the command of money so
you may imagine she made some mis-
takes, but she was most cruelty treated
that I found out after her patience could
no longer stand Guy Vernon's unkind-
ness. Vernon died more than year ago,
after having lived long enough to ruin
the life Of my only child
Sir Percy Carlyon, sitting with his back
to the horses, listened with an impassive
face to Gen. Talbott's words.
Mrs. Vernon had her settlements. had
she not?' asked Lord Baudesert
Yes. But she and Vernon between
them managed TO get some Of the pro-
visions OF that arrangement set aside,
and spent a great part Of the money
which was supposed would be provision
Tor my daughter in the event OF Yer
mons death. Luckily, there were no
children. ! shouldn't care to have
srandchild with Guy Vernon's blood in
aim. Ny daughter is an angel. Pardon
/ fathers pride
she looked an angel" replied Lord
5audesert. when I saw her in the first
blooming of her beauty
Sir Percy Carlyon, listening to this. re-
lected that his shrift would be short if !
zen. Talbot knew what had happened
welve years before. i
Lord Baudesert dropped Gen. Talbot I
It his hotel, then drove back with Sir f
Percy to the embassy, where Sir Percy +
oined the family circle at dinner. When
he ladies left the table and the uncle and
lephew were alone was Lord Baude- =
erts favorite time for exchanging con- !
idences with Sir Percy. Tonight he =
hose the subject Of Gen. Talbot and his J
laughter. :
While I have not seen Talbotts daugh- :
er for many years, remember we'll \
7hat a beautiful and captivating young / +
irl she was, but it seems to me that 1 | i
ave heard rumors-eh? Bad marriage, c
7orthless husband. and gay life Do you b
now anything about it?" =
Sir Percy then calmly and deliberately
roceeded to lie like a gentleman. :
Nothing except what the world knows. Z
saw a great deal of Mrs. Vernon twelve a
ears ago when / was in India. AS you b
ee. Gen. Talbot is a most devoted Z,
lther and Mrs. Vernon a most affection
te daughter. She was virtually sepa- RI
lted from Vernon when l first knew h
err =
And had squandered lot of money!" b
Both of them were spendthrifts. as
II as that goes. Mrs. Vernon was a a
eaUtiful young woman and much ad- [.
ired' V,
And a little gay. perbSps" W
Not that I ever heard responded Sir W
ercy coolly looking Lord Baudescrt in G;
le eye. 1t would be hard to believe q
lat Gen Talbott's daughter were not
ferything she should be. He is. 1 think r.
together the finest man I ever knew
Lord BaudeseTt, with a catholic interest II
beauty. asked: W
You saw Mrs Vernon this afternoon. h,
she still beautiful"
Sir Percy paused before answering this m
lestion: II
Yes, she is still beautiful but she is W
, longer a girl, Of course. If you wall I'm