seems to be quite the place for
exiled potentates to put up at. The ex-King of Capri stopped there
during his recent visit, and the chiefs from Mashonaland.'

'And Don Herrera de la Mancha, who claims the throne of Spain,' said the
Duke.

'And the Rajah of Khandur,' added Mrs. Selwyn, 'and the Herzog of
Hesse-Steinberg, and ever so many more illustrious personages. Why do
they all go to Paulo's?'

'I can tell you,' said Soame Rivers. 'Because Paulo's is one of the best
hotels in London, and Paulo is a wonderful man. He knows how to make
coffee in a way that wins a foreigner's heart, and he understands the
cooking of all sorts of eccentric foreign dishes; and, though he is as
rich as a Chicago pig-dealer, he looks after everything himself, and
isn't in the least ashamed of having been a servant himself. I think he
was a Portuguese originally.'

'And our Dictator went there?' Mrs. Selwyn questioned.

Soame Rivers answered her, 'Oh, it is the right thing to do; it poses a
distinguished exile immediately. Quite the right thing. He was well
advised.'

'If only he had been as well advised in other matters,' said Mr. Selwyn.

Then Hiram Borringer, who had hitherto kept silent, after his wont,
spoke.

'I knew him,' he said, 'some years ago, when I was in Gloria.'

Everybody looked at once and with interest at the speaker. Hiram seemed
slightly embarrassed at the attention he aroused; but he was not allowed
to escape from explanation.

'Did you really?' said Sir Rupert. 'How very interesting! What sort of
man did you find him?'

Helena said nothing, but she fixed her dark eyes eagerly on Hiram's face
and listened, with slightly parted lips, all expectation.

'I found him a big man,' Hiram answered. 'I don't mean big in bulk, for
he's not that; but big in nature, the man to make an empire and boss
it.'

'A splendid type of man,' said Mrs. Selwyn, clasping her hands
enthusiastically. 'A man to stand at Caesar's side and give directions.'

'Quite so,' Hiram responded gravely; 'quite so, madam. I met him first
just before he was elected President, and that's five years ago.'

'Rather a curious thing making an Englishman President, wasn't it?' Mr.
Selwyn inquired. At Sir Rupert's Mr. Selwyn always displayed a profound
interest in all political questions.

'Oh, he is a naturalised citizen of Gloria, of course,' said Soame
Rivers, deftly insinuating his knowledge before Hiram could reply.

'But I thought,' said th