The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-11-15
The
American
Girl
Why Her British Sister Can't
Compete With Her
By F. A. mitchell

Two gentlemen were sitting together
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 seions of nobility
I'm England.
How do they do it?" asked one, a
burly man with mutton chop whisk-
ers.
They've got SO much in EN-" re.
piled the other, tall man with q
dropping blond mustache.
Have you ever had any experience
with them" asked the burly man.
Experience? Wen. should think
So" said the other with a smile that
indicated he could tell story il 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 whatT'
That's what I'm going to give you.
but | mustn't begin at the wrong end,
you know. Ii happened when l first
went into the diplomatic corps and was
attached to the Paris legation as seq
rotary. At that time the eyes of the
powers We're concentrated on Egypi
and the Suez canal. Our government
wanted TO get its hands on ii in order
TINT 1t might maintain a 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 a
people, then getting them in debt to
us. then send in few war vessels to
collect the debt, then assume pro-
tectorate TO see that the thing didn't
occur again. Oh. no. 1t wasn't any
such simple case as that
Sell, the premier and all the cabi-
net here were thinking and scheming
as TO what kind Of 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
C"r'"an embassy has got hold of the
fat aud Count won Sterlitz. one of
Its best men will start for Berlin on
the q O'Clock train to inform his gov
erument of the fact In order that II
may hwy th's entrolling interest |
am going to rely upon you to delay him
while ! send Il man across the channel
to represent the natter 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
fall me-
This last was tatfy, you know. ana
the ambassador only said 1t to spur
me on
"'Have you been Informed how Won
Sterlitz will travel? | 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 cali
u cab off the street ut 5;30.'
Very 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
''It was then / O'Clock in the morn
ing. and / had made an engagement to
lunch with Miss Alice Stringfelow, an
American to whom had been paying
some attention which | tlattered my
self had not been disagreeahle to her
| left the embassy intending to send
her word that | was unable to keep my
appointment when 1t occurred to me
in my perpIexity that n woman In n
matter of duplicity is worth a dozen
men, and. calling for a cab. ! 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. Al 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.
lit Is now II 30 she said CHANGING
81 clock. and you have but six hours
to form plan and execute lt-that is,
IL you intend to prevent the counts
reaching his train think this should
be done il possible II 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 1t in a nutshellr
II was so bewildered myself that
the rapidly and clearness with which
her brain worked astonished me.
sat gaping mt 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 Gun suggest way of kidnapping
the count Do you know of any place
where you can take him and keep him
for awhiler
This gave me something definite to