The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-02-28
CHAPTER I
His Excellency

| Ills ENCcilency
| Orme Vendome was one of the
youngsters in the diplomatic serv-
ice. He had served as third Sec
rotary at Berlin; second at Mad
rid and Brussels; first at Paris,
and minister to Netherlands. Now
after five years of European dip
lomatic life he was home on a va
cation before taking up his new
post as ambassador to Spain.
Vendome was rich in his own
right, an attribute almost neces-
sary for the success of United
States diplomats, young and ex-
tremely good looking.
He eagerly anticipated the fag-
end of the Washington season
where, in the old days, he had
been a social favorite. and in his
dreams he was not disappointed.
He was asked everywhere, and,
luckily enough, met society's lat
est acquisition at his very first
dinner after his arrival home.
1t was when Vendome had
dropped in at his favorite club to
talk over old times and gather up
the ends where he had dropped
them five years before that he
first heard of the beautifulsyoung
divorce, Mrs. Tremaine. Her
beauty, her charm, her brilliancy
all were praised. And that night
he met her. The next day he
called only to find that the fol-
lowing morning she was leaving
for country house visit in Vir-
ginia.
i Orme Vendome had not been a
member of the diplomatic service
over five years for nothing. 1t
did not take him long to find out
that Natalie Tremaine was to be
a guest of his cousin, Betty Sim
1 gleton.
About noon of the following
day Mrs. Tremaine strolled into
the station ten minutes before
the train left.
There was no one in the chair
car that she knew. A number of
horsey-looking women and men
occupied one end; she was at the
other. She occupied herself with
her magazine; but from time to
time she could hear the crowd at
the other end. Their talk was
loud, also their laughter.
Presently one of the men pass
ed on his way to the smoking
compartment. She did not glance
up, yet she knew that he had
stared at her. In a moment, he
came back slowly-and the stare
was repeated most brazenly.
She had long since gotten used
to being stared in a gentleman
ly way, and sometimes in a way
not exactly gentlemanly - 1t was
the penalty of her beauty-but
even she felt the leer in this
mans stare.
Then from the rear of the car
came a mans voice:
IF you chaps want to see the
prettiest thing in petticoats that
you've ever clapped your binoc-
ulars on, just go forward to the
smoking compartment, and, as
you pass, look at the dream on
the fourth chair. My word, she
lis some class!"
You're an expert on chorus
girls, Blake" replied another
you ought to know, SO here
goes!"
Come along, Hudson!"
In a moment the two went by
stayed a very snort time for
ward-and returned. And each
time Natalie felt herself looked
over. Yet there was nothing to
do but 20 seem unconscious of the
affropt, and to go on with her
reading.
When Harrington, her destina-
ton, was reached, she did not stir
until Blake and his friends had
gone down the aisle.
When Natalie came out on the
station platform, they were climb
ing into their carts.
"Blake!" called one-"There's
your peach!"
II see hsr!" Blake answered,
wrestling with skittish hackney.
ANY one to meet herr"
"Yes-young Mrs. Singleton"
Hunt" grunted Blake.
The woman beside him laugh
ed. and, with a wave of her hand
to the rest, they were gone.
The others followed immedi-
ately. bowling rather effusively to
Mrs. Singleton, as they whirled
off.
Mrs. Singleton returned their
salutations with perfunction-
Tory nod.
You know them?" Mrs. Ire
maine asked.