will make history. Afterwards, if things go well,
Mademoiselle Karetsky will join the conference."

"I fear," Maggie sighed, "that there will be difficulties in the way of
my establishing confidential relations with Prince Shan."

"There will be difficulties," Jesson assented, "but the thing is not so
impossible as it would be in Paris. Prince Shan has a very fine house
in Curzon Street, which is kept in continual readiness for him. He will
probably entertain to some extent. You will without doubt have
opportunities of meeting him socially."

Maggie glanced at herself in the glass.

"A Chinaman!" she murmured.

"I guess that doesn't mean what it did," Chalmers pointed out. "Prince
Shan is an aristocrat and a born ruler. He has every scrap of culture
that we know anything about and something from his thousand-year-old
family that we don't quite know how to put into words. Don't you worry
about Prince Shan, Lady Maggie. Ask Dorminster here what they called him
at Oxford."

"The first gentleman of Asia," Nigel replied. "I think he deserves the
title."

CHAPTER XII

On the morning following the conclave in Belgrave Square, the Right
Honourable Mervin Brown received two extremely distinguished visitors in
Downing Street. It was doubtful whether the Prime Minister was
altogether at his best. There was a certain amount of irritability
rankling beneath his customary air of bonhommie. He motioned his callers
to take chairs, however, and listened attentively to the few words of
introduction which his secretary thought necessary.

"This is General Dumesnil, sir, of the French Staff, and Monsieur
Pouilly of the French Cabinet. They have called according to
appointment, on Government business."

"Very glad to see you, gentlemen," was the Prime Minister's brisk
welcome. "Sorry I can't talk French to you. Politics, these last ten
years, haven't left us much time for the outside graces."

Monsieur Pouilly at once took the floor. He was a thin, dark man with a
beautifully trimmed black beard, flashing black eyes, and thoughtful,
delicate features. He was attired in the frock coat and dark trousers of
diplomatic usage, and he appeared to somewhat resent the brown tweed
suit and soft collar of the man who was receiving him.

"Mr. Mervin Brown," he began, "you will kindly look upon our visit as
official. We are envoys from Monsieur le President and the French
Government. General Dumesnil has accompanied me, in case o