marry. I suppose it would be just as well for you to meet her now, though
that dark little foreigner seems to be monopolizing her."

"I am wholly agreeable," laughed Armitage. "The sooner the better, and be
done with it."

"Don't be so frivolous. There--you can look safely now. She's stopped to
speak to that bald and pink Justice of the Supreme Court,--the girl with
the brown eyes and hair,--have a care!"

Shirley and Chauvenet left the venerable Justice, and Mrs. Sanderson
intercepted them at once.

"To think of all these beautiful things in our own America!" exclaimed
Shirley. "And you, Mr. Armitage,--"

"Among the other curios, Miss Claiborne," laughed John, taking her hand.

"But I haven't introduced you yet"--began Mrs. Sanderson, puzzled.

"No; the _King Edward_ did that. We crossed together. Oh, Monsieur
Chauvenet, let me present Mr. Armitage," said Shirley, seeing that the
men had not spoken.

The situation amused Armitage and he smiled rather more broadly than was
necessary in expressing his pleasure at meeting Monsieur Chauvenet. They
regarded each other with the swift intentness of men who are used to the
sharp exercise of their eyes; and when Armitage turned toward Shirley and
Mrs. Sanderson, he was aware that Chauvenet continued to regard him with
fixed gaze.

"Miss Claiborne is a wonderful sailor; the Atlantic is a little
tumultuous at times in the spring, but she reported to the captain every
day."

"Miss Claiborne is nothing if not extraordinary," declared Mrs. Sanderson
with frank admiration.

"The word seems to have been coined for her," said Chauvenet, his white
teeth showing under his thin black mustache.

"And still leaves the language distinguished chiefly for its poverty,"
added Armitage; and the men bowed to Shirley and then to Mrs. Sanderson,
and again to each other. It was like a rehearsal of some trifle in a
comedy.

"How charming!" laughed Mrs. Sanderson. "And this lovely room is just the
place for it."

They were still talking together as Franzel, with whom Armitage had
spoken below, entered hurriedly. He held a crumpled note, whose contents,
it seemed, had shaken him out of his habitual melancholy composure.

"Is Baron von Marhof in the room?" he asked of Armitage, fumbling
nervously at his monocle.

The Austrian Ambassador, with several ladies, and led by Senator
Sanderson, was approaching.

The attache hurried to his chief and addressed him in a low tone. The
Amba