The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-22
e0N you mere. west ?"

EEK you here. West?"
why not?" and a fair
haired, young-looking man
turned sharply to face his questioner,
letting a monacle fall from his eye as
he did so. suggesting that he saw a
great deal better without 1t. why not.
Sir Charles?"
mo particular reason. only one hears
of fellows meeting you in such rum
places. right the other side of the city.
or out in the suburbs somewhere, queer
places where no one else goes"
That hardly applies here. does IT,"
West returned. glancing across the
great room rapidly filling with guests.
"I wonder what Lady Hanson would
say II she heard you call her house a
rum place"
Agree with me. expect, II she were
entertaining a political crowd like to-
night. Politics and diplomacy bring
some rare specimens into the open
Which are you?"
Neither"
You are not going to tel; me you
come here for pleasure?"
'Is that the only alternative? Why
not get local color for sensational arti-
Giles on social London?"
rs that the game?"
You mustn't forget that I am half
American, and that half of me is in
clined to hustle
Your erratic course becomes clear
said sir Charles. High and low So
ciety eh? That Is why you were at
the Sussex Music Hall the other night
while we looked for you at the club to
make up a bridge table,"
Then 1t wasn't you who saw me
there?"
Good Lord, no. ! don't even know
where it is; I only know it's a place
where nobody goes. 1t was Harley who
saw you-fellow in the Home Once"
Was he after local color, too?"
He didn't say but I think not" Sir
Charles answered. "As ne has con-
fessed to half a dozen other queer
places during the past month, and as 1
notice that Jennie Bradshaw has been
doing a dancing turn at every one of
them, 1 draw conclusions It's not
much use being in the diplomatic serv-
ice IL you can't draw conclusions, and 1
am getting quite lot Of practise out OF
Harley
Lady Hanson, wife of a cabinet min
lister, and an American, was a noted
hostess. Besides being a very beautiful
woman. she had brought her husband
a fortune, and had introduced into his
surroundings a certain unconve<kon
ality which most people found attrac-
tive. There was some truth In what
Sir Charles Morrison said. People were
to be met at her receptions who were
unlikely to be seen at other similar
functions. artists ana literary men who
had not yet made good, and leaders Of
movements which had not yet moved
sufficiently to attract attention.
"Helloi The guest of the evening""
said Sir Charles suddenly.
West looked across the room. In the
curtained acrhway opening on to the
hail. Lady Hanson was receiving her
guests At this moment she was greet
ing handsome. middle-aged man, and
her manner certainly suggested that he
was guest of special Importance.
up to his neck in the European tan
GLE said Sir Charles, yet swears
there is no political significance in his
visit to this country. 1 fancy the For
eign pffice believes him.
General Rasiloff. isn't it?" said
West Lady Hanson appears to know
him very we'll"
Met him in Moscow when her hus-
band was out there. I wonder what
you newspaper fellows think of him ~
More than we print. I am wonder
ing what you diplomatists know"
y Lots more than we tell, even to you,
West" andNSir Charles moved away to
speak to a. lazy who had evidently
stopped TO attract his attention.
Valentine West watched him for a
few moments. Sir Charles Morrison
was by no means a fool. and west was
not anxious that he should practise
diplomacy on HIM as he did on Harley
of the Home Office. He moved through
the growing crowd of guests in the OPP
posite direction to that which Sir
Charles and his companion had taken,
ana presently managed to get near the
archway wLcre Lady HansSn talked to
General Rasiloff.
"I must wait a few moments" he
heard her say. There are always the
late arrivals, and some of them are
important. I am wondering what has
brought you to England"
The general smiled, but Lady Hanson
spoke as If she had no doubt he would
tell her. She was the kind of woman
to whom man might tell secrets he
would whisper to no one else. It was
an interesting point that they had met
IN Moscow. Lsdy Hanson might be
deeper in political matters than any
one supposed.
Some days ago West had discussed
General Rasilofr with the foreign min
lister in his private room at the Foreign
Office. ana the minister had suggeste /
that many women gave away secrets ia
chatter. Since then every social func.
ton ATTENDED by the general had also
been attended by ttis fair haired. in
significant young man. who affected a
monacle and was supposed to spend his
life in killing time. Sir Charles Nor
rison's knowledge of some of his rec ant
movements warned him that his real
bust less in life mus5 often be in danger
OF discovery, and West kept in the
background now. lest the general
should realize he had seen him several
times lately. and grow suspicious. Not
much was likely to escape those keen,
dark eyes.
Lady Hanson glanced at the watch