hat the Irish Party was rather slow about getting
Home Rule. She displayed a considerable knowledge of affairs, and told
Gorman frankly that he ought to have been able to buy up a substantial
majority of the British House of Commons with the money, many hundred
thousand dollars, which her father and other Americans had subscribed.

Gorman has always been of opinion that women are incapable of
understanding politics. Miss Daisy's direct and simple way of
attacking great problems confirmed him in his belief that Woman
Suffrage would be a profound mistake.

He was relieved when, after dinner, Donovan himself started a new
subject.

"I hear," he said, "that there is a king, a European monarch, resident
in this hotel. That so?"

"King Konrad Karl II of Megalia," said Gorman.

"Friend of yours?"

"Well, yes," said Gorman. "I've had some business connection with
him."

"I'm interested in that monarch," said Donovan. "It was Daisy drew my
attention to him first, and then I made inquiries. He's not considered
a first-class king, I reckon. Doesn't move in the best royal circles.
He could be approached, without diplomatic formalities, by a plain
American citizen."

"There's not the least difficulty about approaching him," said Gorman.
"I don't believe you'd care for him much if you knew him, and----"

Gorman cast about for the best way of saying that King Konrad Karl
would not be a desirable friend for Miss Daisy. Donovan saved him the
trouble of finding a suitable phrase.

"He could be approached," he said, "by a plain American citizen, if
that citizen came with a business proposition in his hand."

Gorman saw what he believed to be an opportunity. Donovan apparently
wanted to do business with the King. Such business must necessarily
be connected with Megalia. A company for the development of that
country could be founded without difficulty if a man of Donovan's
enormous wealth took up a substantial block of shares. Gorman poured
out all the information he had collected about Megalia. Donovan
listened to him in silence. It was Miss Daisy who spoke at last.

"What you say about the enterprising nature of those inhabitants
interests me," she said, "but I am not much taken with the notion of
copper mining. It seems to me that copper mines would be liable to
spoil the natural beauty of the landscape."

Gorman was, for the moment, too much surprised to speak. He had been
in America several times and knew a good many A