The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1911-09-23
CHAPT l..
Miss Isabel Thorne.

All the world rubs elbows in Wash
ington. OutwardIy it is merely city
of evasion, of conventionalities stated
with the commonplace pleasures OF
life, istless, blase even, and always
exquisitely, albeit frigidly, courteous;
but beneath the still, suave surface
strange currents play at cross pur-
poses, intrigue is endless, and the
merciless war of diplomacy goes on
increasingly. Occasionally, only oc-
casiOnally, a bubble comes to the sur
face, and when it bursts the echo goes
crashing around the earth. Some
times a dynasty is shaken, a nation
trembIes, ministry topples over; but
the ripple moves and all is placid
again. No man may know all that
happens there, for then he would
be diplomatic master of the world.
There is plenty of red blood in
Washington, remarked testing leg
islative gray-beard, once upon time,
but it's always frozen before they put
it in circulation. Diplomatic negotia-
tons are conducted in the drawing
room, but long before that the fight
is fought down cellar. The diplo-
matists meet at table and there isn't
any broken crockery, but you can
always tell what the player thinks
Of the dealer by the way he draws
three cards. Everybody is after re-
suits; and lots of monarchs of Europe
sit up nights polishing their crowns
waiting for word from Washington"
So, this is Washington! And here
at dinner are the diplomatic repre-
sentatives Of all the nations. That Is
the British ambassador, that stolid-
faced, notwithstanding, elderly
man; and this is the French ambassa-
dor, dapper, volatile, plus-correct;
here Russia's highest representative
wags a huge, blond beard; and yon-
der is the phlegmatic German ambas-
sador. Scattered around the table,
brilliant spotches of color, are the
uniformed ENJOYS of the Orient-the
smaller the country the more brilliant
the splotch. It is a state dinner, to
be followed by a state ball, and they
are all present.
The Italian ambassador Count di
-Rosini, was trying to interpret a
French bon mot into English for the
benefit of the dainty, doll-like wife of
the Chinese minister-who was edu-
Gated at Radcliffe-when a servant
leaned over him and laid sealed en-
velope beside his plate, The count
glanced around at the servant, ex-
cused himself to Mrs. Quong Ii Wi,
and opened the envelope. Inside was
a single sheet of embassy note paper,
and terse line signed by his secre-
tary:
"A lady is waiting for you here
ho Oh
~. on matter Of the greatest i'm
portance-"
The count read the note twice, with
wrinkled brow, then scrubbed on it in
pencil:
Impossible tonight Tell her tc
call at the embassy tomorrow morn
| ing at haf-past ten o'clock
| He folded the note, handed it to the
| servant, and resumed his converse
| ton with Mrs. Wi.
Half an hour later the same servant
| placed a second sealed envelope be-
side his plate. Recognizing the super
scription. the ambassador impatientIy
showed it aside. intending to disre-
gard it But irritated curiosity final
ly triumphed. and he opened it A
! white card on which was written this
command was his reward:
1T is necessary that you come %
| the embassy at once"
There was no signature. The hand
| writing was Enthusiastically that of &
| woman. and just as Enthusiastically
strange to him He fFowned little
as he stared at It wondersngly, then
idly turned the card over There was
no name on the reverse side-onIy 3
crest Evidently the count recognized
this. for his impassivs face reasSted