the House together"--(thus
Mr. Pedlow, alluding to the late President McKinley)--"'Mack,' says I,
'if you'd drop that double standard business'--he was waverin' toward
silver along then--'I don't know but I might git the boys to nominate
you fer President.' 'I'll think it over,' he says--'I'll think it over.'
You remember me tellin' you about that at the time, don't you, Sneyd,
when you was in the British Legation at Washin'ton?"

"Pahfictly," said Mr. Sneyd, lighting a cigar with great calmness.

"'Yes,' I says, 'Mack,' I says, 'if you'll drop it, I'll turn in and git
you the nomination.'"

"Did he drop it?" asked Mellin innocently.

Mr. Pedlow leaned forward and struck the young man's knee a resounding
blow with the palm of his hand.

"He was _nominated_, wasn't he?"

"Time to dress," announced Mr. Sneyd, looking at his watch.

"One more round first," insisted Cooley with prompt vehemence. "Let's
finish with our first toast again. Can't drink that too often."

This proposition was received with warmest approval, and they drank
standing. "Brightest and best!" shouted Mr. Pedlow.

"Queen! What she is!" exclaimed Cooley.

_"Ma belle Marquise!"_ whispered Mellin tenderly, as the rim touched his
lips.

A small, keen-faced man, whose steady gray eyes were shielded by
tortoise-rimmed spectacles, had come into the room and now stood quietly
at the bar, sipping a glass of Vichy. He was sharply observant of the
party as it broke up, Pedlow and Sneyd preceding the younger men to
the corridor, and, as the latter turned to follow, the stranger stepped
quickly forward, speaking Cooley's name.

"What's the matter?"

"Perhaps you don't remember me. My name's Cornish. I'm a newspaper man,
a correspondent." (He named a New York paper.) "I'm down here to get
a Vatican story. I knew your father for a number of years before his
death, and I think I may claim that he was a friend of mine."

"That's good," said the youth cordially. "If I hadn't a fine start
already, and wasn't in a hurry to dress, we'd have another."

"You were pointed out to me in Paris," continued Cornish. "I found
where you were staying and called on you the next day, but you had just
started for the Riviera." He hesitated, glancing at Mellin. "Can you
give me half a dozen words with you in private?"

"You'll have to excuse me, I'm afraid. I've only got about ten minutes
to dress. See you to-morrow."

"I should like it to be as soon as possible," the