The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1911-02-22
CHAPTER 1.
Visa tlsbef Tro-re.

c. evasion. o. conTe1ttOnsli-es. Ezts1
with The commonplace plessErss IL
Life nstlsss. blaze even. and always
erquisitsly. albeit frigidly. courteous;
but os1es-h TIE Sill sEsTe surface
strange currents play e cross Dur-
pores irtrz-s Is endless. and re
1ereilsss ar y diplomacy goes u
increasingly Occsslonslly. only &C
czSiOrzuy. Z bubble comes 70 ths s-r-
face, sn1 when r. bursts the echo gees
crzshirz sro1u1 the earth Some
times : cyrzs'y - shaken. Z nation
tren5ies ministry topples oTsr, but
the ripple moves and al r. placid
again. 20 man may know a. that
happers there. fo- then he YOU'D
be diplomatic master % the word
There - plenty u red b,oo9 IN
Wzshir gror.~ remarked : testing leg-
islstiye gTsy-bszfd. once upon : tirns,
but - always frozen before they put
II IN circulation. Diplomatic regotis-
tons are conducted In he drawing
room. b., lors before that he tght
f. fought down cellar The ciplo-
pstists meet a. rsbls and there Isn't
any broken crockery. but you ran
always tell Wit he player thinks
0, re dealer 81 III nay he draws
three csrds Everybody r. after 70
suits and 'o's u nnOnsrchs % Europe
eft ~ nights polishing their crowns
waiting FOR word from Wsshing,on-'
So. this il Washington, And here
az "a a f~fr fr
sentatiyes u all he nations Thar -
the British smbasgsdor. TIA, sfolid
face1, distinguish Il boxing. elderly
man and this IL The French smbzsss-
dor, capper. volatile plus correct;
here Russia's highest representative
wsgs z huge blond beard. and yOn-
der ls The phlegus'ic German smbas-
sador. Scattered around the table.
brilliant gDOtcnes ~ cclOr are the
uniformed ENJOYS ~ The Orient-ths
smaller the country the more brilliant
the splo'cb II IL state dinner. 70
be fOi'DTsd By = state ball and they
are all pressnt
The Italian Ambassador. Count 81
ROsiri Tas trying u interpret q
French bon no, into English for the
benefit n the dainty. do.i-like wife Of
the Chinese minis.sr-who vas edU-
cated a. Rsdclife-Uhe a servant
leaned over him and laid q sealed en- /
velOpe beside his plate. The count I.
glance around - the Servo 2 e.
cused himself 70 Mrs. Quong Ii vi. .
and opened he enyslOpe. Inside Has
q single sheet ~ em Dassy note paper, |
end 'erse line signed b. his score /
tsry.
"A .sfy r. waiting FOR you here. I
fhe ss2s F5e nus' see you immediate |
y. On = matter II The greatest i'm ]
portance"
The count read the note twice, with /
wrinkisG Dro~, then scr.bbied On # In /
pencil.
'IuDossi5ie tonight Tell her 10 |
call a. the embassy tomorrow morn !
ing a. hsl'past zen O'Clock"
He folded ne note handed fl 70 the |
seryau,. and resumed HE conyersa, /
tiou 7i'h Mrs Wi
Hsl' IN hour la'e- he same ssryant :
pisc-d seoG,d go8loA envelope De- .
side biz plate Recognizing me super. 4
scrip'!or, the ambassador impatien,ly /
shovel n aside Intending 10 disre- /
gard lt But lrritated curiosity final |
ly triImphed and he opened il 4 /.
white card on which was written this |
command vas his reward
1T is necessary that you come TO /
the embassy at once"
There pas no signature. The hand /
writing Was Enthusiastically that Of a
woman. and Just az unmistakably
strange 70 him. He frowned a little |
a. he stared Al II NOnderingly, then |
idly turned the card over. There was
no name on the reverse side-only
crest Evidently the count recognized .
this for his impasBlye face reflected |
surprise for an instant. and this was
by a keen, bewildered inter |
est Finally he arose. made his apO.o- |
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 Ia waiting in your Office"
he explained alphabetically. Il gave
her your message, but she said she
must see you and would write you a
line herself. sent IT,"
Quite correct" commented the am
bassador. What name did she giye?"
None" was the reply She said
none was necessary"
The ambassador laid aside hat ard /!
coat and entered his Office with a
slightly puzzled expression on his |
face Standing before a window, gaz-
ing Idly out into the light-spangled |
night, was young woman, rather
tall and severely gowned In some rich.
slistening stun which fell away sheer |
ly from her splendid bare shoulders. |
She turned and he found himself look
ing into pair OF clear, blue-gray eyes, |
frank enough and yet In their very |
frankness possessing an alluring. in. |
definable subtlety He would not
have called her pretty. yet her smile.