have seen him somewhere under different circumstances."

Maggie nodded.

"Life is a terrible hotchpotch nowadays," she admitted. "After the war,
our gentry and aristocracy who were not wealthy were taxed out of
existence. The profiteers, and the men who had made fortunes during the
war, took their place. It has made the country prosperous but less
picturesque."

"You put things very clearly," he said. "To-day in England is certainly
the day of the shopkeeper's triumph. Wealth is a great thing, but it is
great only for what it leads to. I think your philosopher of the
streets, your new school of politicians, have alike forgotten that."

"You have lost sympathy with England, have you not, Prince Shan?" Maggie
asked him.

He turned towards her, a faint but kindly smile upon his lips, a light
in his eyes which she did not altogether understand.

"Lady Maggie," he said quietly, "they tell me that you are interested in
the political side of my visit to this country."

"Who tells you that?" she demanded. "What have I to do with politics?"

"You have been gifted with great intelligence," he continued, "and you
are the confidante of your connection, Lord Dorminster. Lord Dorminster
is one of those few Englishmen who realise the ill direction of the
destinies of this country. You would like to help him in his present
very strenuous efforts to ascertain the truth as to certain movements
directed against the British Empire. That is so, is it not?"

"In plain words, you are accusing me of being a spy."

"Ah, no!" he protested gently. "No one can be a spy in one's own
country. You are within your rights as a patriot in seeking to discover
whatever may be useful knowledge to the English Government. That, I
fear, is one reason for your kindness to me, Lady Maggie. I trust that
it is not the only reason."

She knew better than to make the mistake of denial. After all, it was an
absurdly unequal contest.

"It is not the only reason," she assured him, a little tremulously.

"I am glad. One word more upon this subject, and we speak of other
things. Please, Lady Maggie, do not stoop to be hopelessly obvious in
these efforts of yours. If I drop a pocketbook, believe me there will be
nothing in it to interest you. If I speak with Immelan or any other,
save in the secrecy of my chamber, there will be nothing which it will
be worth your while to overhear. If Lord Dorminster should decide to
adopt buccaneering expedients and kidna