h
these came persons of rank of this and other lands, dignitaries,
diplomats, officials, ministers of foreign powers. Carriages with
outriders came trundling over the partially paved roads of the crude
capital city. Footmen opened doors to gentlemen and ladies in full
dress, wearing insignia of honor, displaying gems, orders,
decorations, jewels, all the brilliant costumes of the European
courts.

They came up the path to the door of the mansion where, to their
amazement, they were met only by Mr. Jefferson's bowing old darky Ben,
who ushered them in, helped them with their wraps and asked them to
make themselves at home. And only old Henry, Mr. Jefferson's butler,
bowed them in as they passed from the simple entrance hall into the
anteroom which lay between the hall and the large dining-saloon.

The numbers increased rapidly. What at first was a general gathering
became a crowd, then a mob. There was no assigned place for any, no
presentation of one stranger to another. Friends could not find
friends. Mutterings arose; crowding and jostling was not absent; here
and there an angry word might have been heard. The policy of
pell-mell was not working itself out in any happy social fashion.

Matters were at their worst when suddenly from his own apartments
appeared the tall and well-composed figure of Mr. Jefferson's young
secretary, social captain of matters at the Executive Mansion, and
personal aide to the President. His quick glance caught sight of the
gathering line of carriages; a second glance estimated the plight of
those now jammed into the anteroom like so many cattle and evidently
in distress.

In a distant corner of the room, crowded into some sort of refuge back
of a huge davenport, stood a small group of persons in full official
dress--a group evidently ill at ease and no longer in good humor.
Meriwether Lewis made his way thither rapidly as he might.

"It is Mr. Minister Merry," said he, "and Mme. Merry." He bowed
deeply. "Senor and Senora Yrujo, I bring you the respects of Mr.
Jefferson. He will be with us presently."

"I had believed, sir--I understood," began Merry explosively, "that we
were to meet here the President of the United States. Where, then, is
his suite?"

"We have no suite, sir. I represent the President as his aide."

"My word!" murmured the mystified dignitary, turning to his lady, who
stood, the picture of mute anger, at his side, the very aigrets on her
ginger-colored hair tremb