times do. But I am not going to lapse into the
sentimental. It was only the thought of Hamilton that brought all this
up.'

'You are not sentimental?' Helena asked.

'I have not had time to be. Anyhow, no woman ever cared about me--in
that way, I mean--no, not one.'

'Ah, you never can tell,' Helena said gently. He seemed to her somehow,
to have led a very lonely life; it came into her thoughts just then; she
could not tell why. She was relieved when he rose to go, for she felt
her sympathy for him beginning to be a little too strong, and she was
afraid of betraying it. The interview had been a curious and a trying
one for her. The Dictator left the room wondering how he could ever have
been drawn into talking to a girl about the story of his lost love.
'That girl has a strange influence over me,' he thought. 'I wonder why?'

CHAPTER IX

THE PRIVATE SECRETARY

Soame Rivers was in some ways, and not a few, a model private secretary
for a busy statesman. He was a gentleman by birth, bringing-up,
appearance, and manners; he was very quick, adroit and clever; he had a
wonderful memory, a remarkable faculty for keeping documents and ideas
in order; he could speak French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and
conduct a correspondence in these languages. He knew the political and
other gossip of most or all of the European capitals, and of Washington
and Cairo just as well. He could be interviewed on behalf of his chief,
and could be trusted not to utter one single word of which his chief
could not approve. He would see any undesirable visitor, and in five
minutes talk him over into the belief that it was a perfect grief to the
Minister to have to forego the pleasure of seeing him in person. He was
to be trusted with any secret which concerned his position, and no power
on earth could surprise him into any look or gesture from which anybody
could conjecture that he knew more than he professed to know. He was a
younger son of very good family, and although his allowance was not
large, it enabled him, as a bachelor, to live an easy and gentlemanly
life. He belonged to some good clubs, and he always dined out in the
season. He had nice little chambers in the St. James's Street region,
and, of course, he spent the greater part of every day in Sir Rupert's
house, or in the lobby of the House of Commons. It was understood that
he was to be provided with a seat in Parliament at the earliest possible
opportunity, not, indee