The Tupelo journal., 1911-08-04
CHAPTER !.
MIss lsabeI Thorns.

AL LILO WOkiO luVo ChOOWo A4
iangton. Outwardly 1t is merely q city
.of evasion, OF conventionalities, stated
with the commonplace pleasures OF
laite. l~istless, blase even, and always
exquisitely, albeit frigidly. courteous:
hut beneath the still, suave surface
strange currents play at ros pur-
poses, intrigue is endless. and the
<nerciless war Of diplomacy goes ON
increasingly. Occasionally, only oc-
casionally, q bubble ONE to the sur
,iface, and when It bursts the echo goes
lcrashing around the earth. Some
times . dynasty is shaken, a nation
ttrembles, q ministry topples over; but
the ripple moves and all is placid
again. No man may know all thai
happens there. for then he wOuid
be diplomatic master of the world.
There is plenty Of red blood in
Washington" remarked a testing leg
Ilslative g~Say-beard. once upon a time.
i''but it's always frozen before they put
1T In circulation. Diplomatic negotia'
Ffious 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 cfockery, 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
isit up nights polishing their crowns
waiting for word from Washington.
So. this is Washington! And here
ut dinner are the diplomatic repre-
sentatives OF all the nations. That Is
the British ambassador, that stolid-
faced, distinguished looking. 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 tabs.
brilliant spotches OF color, are the
uniformed ENJOYS OF the Orient-zthA
smaller the country the more Brilliant
the splotch. 1t Is q state dinner, to
be followed By = State ball, and they
are all present
Tbs Italian Ambassador, Count di
Ros.nr, 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 a 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 a terse line signed by his score
tary:
GA lady is waiting for you here.
She says she must see you immediate
", on a matter Of the greatest i'm
p%ortance."
The count read the note twice, with
wrinkled brow, then scrubbed on 1t In
pencil:
Impossible tonight. Tell her to
call at the embassy tomorrow morn
ing at half-past ten o'clock"
He folded the note, handed 1t to the
servant, and resumed his converse
ton with Mrs. Wi.
4 Half an hour later the same servant
placed a second sealed envelope be-
eide his plate. Recognizing the super
scription, the ambassador impatiently
showed it aside, intending to disre-
gard 1t. But irritated curiosity fnal
ly triumphed, and he opened 1t. A
white card On which was written this
command was his reward:
ut is necessary that you come to
the embassy at once"
There was no signature. The hand
writing was Enthusiastically that of .
woman, and just as unmistakably
etrange to him. He frowned a little
as he stared at 1t w~onderingly, then
Idly turned the card owe There vas
no name on the reverse side-only a
crest. Evidently the count recognized
this, for his impassive face reflected
surprise for an instant, and this was
followed by a keen, b~ewildered inter
est. Finally he arose, made his apollo
giles, and left the room. His automo-
bile was at the door.
ITO the embassy" he directed the
chauffeur.
And within five minutes he was
there. His secretary met him in the
hall.
THE lady lie waiting in your o%fice,"
he explained apologetically. Il gave
her our message, but she said she
must see you and would write you .
line herself. / sent it."
Quite correct" commented the am
bassador. What name did she give?"
None was the reply. She said
none was necessary"
The ambassador laid aside hat and
coat and entered his Office with q
slightly puzzled expression on his
face. Standing before a window, gaz-
ing idly u into the lig~ht-spangled
night. was a young woman, rather
tall and severely gowned in some rich,
glistening stuff which fell away sheer
1y from her splendid bare shoulders.
She turned and he found himself look
ing into a pair Of clear, blue-gray eyes,
frank enough and yet in their very