The evening world., 1922-04-25
IN SOCIETY.

/ was a llLIle
at the arrival of the moment
for which she had planned
so carefully. She laid her hand on
Tallente's arm and led him toward
q comparatively secluded corner OF
the winter garden which made her
own house famous.
81 must apologize, Mrs. Van Fos-
dyke" he said, "for my late appear
ance. travelled UP from Devon
shire this afternoon and found snow
all the way. We were nearly two
hours late"
at is all the more kind of you to
have turned out at ALL them" she
told him warmly. 81 don't mind tell
ing you that 1 should have been ter
ribly disappointed II you had failed
me. It has been my one desire for
months to have you three - Prime
Minister. Lethbridge and you-under
my roof at the same time"
"You find politics interesting over
here?" Tallente asked, a little curl
ously.
She flashed q quick glance at him.
"Why, I find 1t absolutely fasci-
mating" she declared. 1.-THE whole
thing is so incomprehensible. Just
look at tonight. Half of Debrett is
represented here, practically the
whole of the diplomats. and yet.
except yourself, not p single member
Of the political party who we are told
will be ruling this country within a
few months. The very anomaly of
it is so fascinating"
"There is no necessary klnship be-
tween society and politics." Tallente
reminded her. "Your own country,
for instance"
Mrs. Van Fosdyke, who was an
American, shrugged her shoulders.
my own country scarcely counts. :"
she protested. "After all, we came
into being as a republic, and our aris-
tocracy is only a spurious conglom-
Grafton OF people who are too rich to
need to work. But many of these peo-
Pile whom you see here tonight still
possess feudal rights, vast estates,
great names and yet over their heads
there is coming this Government in
which they will be wholly unrepre-
sented. What are you going to do
with the aristocracy. Mr.. Tallante?"
Encourage them to work." he an
swered. smiling.
but they don't know how"
"They must learn. No man has a
right to his place upon the earth un-
less he is a productive human being.
There is no room in the world which
we are trying to create for the para
site pure and simple"
You are n very inflexible person,
Mr.. Tallente."
"There is no place in politics for
the wabbler."
do you know" she went on, gianc-
ing away for a moment, "that my
rooms are filled with people who fear
you. The Labor Party, as it was un-
derstood here five or six years ago,
never inspired that feeling. There was
something of the tub-thumper about
every one of them. think 1t is your
repression, Mr.. Tallente, which terri
fies them. You don't say what you
are going to do. Your programme is
still q secret and yet every day your
majority grows. Only an hour ago the
Prime Minister told me he couldn't
carry on II you threw down the gage
In earnest"
Tallente remained bland, but be-
came a little vague.
"You forget, Mrs. Van Fosdyke, -
he objected. that l am not even the
leader OF my party. Stephen Dartrey
Is our chief"
She shook her head.
"Dartrey Is brilliant person." she
admitted. "but we all know that he is
not a practical politician. The battle
is between you and Horlock."
Tallente was watching a woman go
by. a woman in black and silver.
whose walk reminded him Of Jane.
His hostess followed his eyes.
"You are one Of Alice Mountgar-
ron's admirers?" she inquired.
~ don't even know her." he re-
| piled. "She reminded me Of some one
for a moment"
"She is one Of the Duchess of Bar
minister's daughters" his companion
| told him. ''She married Mountgarron
| last year. Her sister. Lady Jane, Is
rather inclined toward your political
| outlook. = She lives in Devonshire ant
| tries to do good"
His eyes followed the woman ir
black and silver until she had passed
out OF sight. The family likeness was
there, appealing to him curiously
tugging at his heartstrings. HI,
artificial surroundings slipped easily