The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-11-19
The
American
Girl
Why Her British Sister Can't
Compete With Her
By F. A. mitchell


IN the Carleton club in London smoking
and slipping the beverage before them,
the topic of conversation falling upon
the American women who were then
beginning to capture scions Of nobility
in England.
How do they do it?" asked one. a
burly man with mutton chop whisk-
ers
They've got so much in 'em," re.
piled the other. a tall man with a
dropping blond mustache.
Have you ever had any experience
with themr asked the burly man.
Experience? Well. l should think
so,' said the other with smile that
indicated he could tell story If he
would. Then. setting down the glass
he was slipping from. he turned to his
friend and added, ITS all past and
gone now, and | can't see how any
harm can come from my telling you
about it,
about whatY'
"That's what I'm going to give you.
but mustn't begin at the wrong end
you know. 1t happened when l first
went into the diplomatic corps and was
attached to the Paris legation as sec
rotary. At that time the eyes of the
powers were concentrated on Egypt
and the Suez canal. Our government
wanted to get its hands on it in order
that it might maintain supremacy
in Egypt as well as in maritime af
fairs, both merchant and navy But
1t wasn't case of grabbing things as
we'd been used to doing-that is, sig
nifying wish to open trade with
people. then getting them in debt to
US, then send in a few war vessels to
collect the debt, then assume a pro-
tectorate to see that the thing didn't
occur again. Oh. no. 1t wasn't any
such simple case as that.
"Well. the premier and all the cabi-
net here were thinking and seheming
as to what kind of a trick could be
played to get control of the canal and
yet keep within the law of nations.
One morning my chief, the ambassa-
dor, sent for me In hot haste, and when
! appeared he locked all the doors.
closed all the windows and whispered
In my ear:
There's a large block of stock of
the Suez canal offered for sale. The
German embassy has got hold Of the
fact. and Count Won Sterlitz, one Of
its best men. will start for Berlin on
the O'Clock train to inform his gov
eminent Of the fact in order that II
may buy this controlling interest
am going to rely upon you to delay him
while send a man across the channel
to represent the matter to the premier
in London, that he may make the pur
chase for England. Now, gather your
wits and go to work. know you have
a genius for such matters and won't
fail me-
"This last was taffy. you know, and
the ambassador only said 1t to spur
me on
"'Have you been informed how Won
Sterlitz will travelT 1 asked.
81 have My informant got it
from his valet. The count has told the
valet to have grip with toilet articles
ready for him at o'clock and to call
a cab off the street at 5:3O.'
Every well; will do the best / can
in the matter, but you have given me
very delicate job to perform. Let us
hope for the best
.Tt was then IL O'Clock In the morn
ing, and had made an engagement to
lunch with Miss Alice Stringfellow, an
American to whom / had been paying
some attention. which l f1attered my
self had not been disagreeable to her
left the embassy intending to send
her word that was unable to keep my
appointment when it occurred to me
in my perplexity that woman in a
matter Of duplicity is worth a dozen
men, and. calling for cab. l drove
straight to her house.
II had nothing to fear in giving her
my confidence. for she was not in.
volved in diplomatic chicanery and the
United States was not especially in
terested In the Suez canal At any
rate, threw caution to the winds. told
her what / had been directed to do
and begged her for heavens sake to
give me an idea.
1t is now $780, she said, glancing
at clock. and you have but six hours
to form a plan and execute it-that is
If you intend to prevent the counts
reaching his train. ! think this should
be done II possible If not some one
must go with him. trusting to find an
opportunity to delay him on the way
or from communicating with his gov
eminent ON his arrival at the capital.
"'Good graciousr exclaimed. You
have got it in nutsheilr
81 was so bewildered myself that
the rapidly and clearness with which
her brain worked astonished me- /
sat gaping at her while her fair brows
were drawn together with intense
thought Presently she arose and
paced the floor, still thinking. 1t was
half an hour before she spoke, all
the while sitting like Ounce waiting
for her to solve the problem.
Suppose she said. suddenly paus-
ing in her walk and turning to me.
that ! can suggest way of kidnapping
the count. Do you know Of any place
where you can take him and keep hin
for awhiler
@This gave me something definite tc
think about, and 1 concentrated my
mind on it, but to no purpose.
Never mind said my counselor;
you can take him anywhere, for If my
plan is carried out it won't make much
difference so long as you take him
where he will not be known. Now
listen
"She gave me her plan. didn't have
much confidence in being able to carry
it out and told her so. whereupon she
said that the principal part of any
plan was the ability with which it was
executed. left her that might make
the arrangements she suggested. hoping
that would be able to do so In the
brief time allotted Ny adviser prom
Used to be on hand and do all she could
to prevent any slip ''twixt the cup and
the lip
"At o'clock, dressed in the plain
livery Of cabman and my face made
up. drove my cab to point near the
ambassadors house and waited Cabs
were passing, some empty, some with
a fare inside. l had maintained my
position for some time when the door
of the counts residence opened and
his valet came out bareheaded and
looked up and down the street. As Ill
luck would have it, an empty cab was
passing and nearer to him than l. he
hailed the other cahnan