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Only Britisher I ever liked。 Plays cards like a goat。〃
〃He played a mighty good game on the steamer；〃 said Cooley warmly。
〃I don't care what he did on the steamer； he played like a goat the
only time ~I~ ever played with him。 You know he did。 I reckon you
was ~there！~〃
〃Should say I ~was~ there！ He played mighty well〃
〃Like a goat；〃 reiterated the fat man firmly。
〃Nothing of the sort。 You had a run of hands； that was all。 Nobody
can go against the kind of luck you had that night； and you took it
away from Sneyd and me in rolls。 But we'll land you pretty soon；
won't we； ole Sneydie？〃
〃We sh'll have a shawt at him； at least；〃 said the Englishman。
〃Perhaps he won't want us to try；〃 young Cooley pursued derisively。
〃Perhaps he thinks I play like a goat； too！〃
Mr。 Pedlow threw back his head and roared。 〃Give me somep'n easy！
You don't know no more how to play a hand of cards than a giraffe
does。 I'll throw in all of my Blue Gulch gold…stockand it's worth
eight hundred thousand dollars if it's worth a centI'll put it up
against that tin automobile of yours； divide chips even and play you
freeze…out for it。 You play cards？ Go learn hop…scotch！〃
〃You wait！〃 exclaimed the other indignantly。 〃Next time we play
we'll make you look so small you'll think you're back in Congress！〃
At this Mr。 Pedlow again threw back his head and roared； his vast
body so shaken with mirth that the glass he held in his hand dropped
to the floor。
〃There；〃 said Cooley； 〃that's the second Martini you've spilled。
You're two behind the rest of us。〃
〃What of it？〃 bellowed the fat man。 〃There's plenty comin'； ain't
there？ Four more； Tommy； and bring cigars。 Don't take a cent from
none of these Indians。 Gentlemen； your money ain't good here。 I
own this bar； and this is my night。〃
Mellin had begun to feel at ease； and after a timeas they continued
to sithe realized that his repugnance to Mr。 Pedlow was wearing off；
he felt that there must be good in any one whom Madame de Vaurigard
liked。 She had spoken of Pedlow often on their drives； he was an
〃eccentric；〃 she said； an 〃original。〃 Why not accept her verdict？
Besides； Pedlow was a man of distinction and force； he had been in
Congress； he was a millionaire； and； as became evident in the course
of a long recital of the principal events of his career； most of the
great men of the time were his friends and proteges。
〃'Well； Mack；' says I one day when we were in the House together〃
（thus Mr。 Pedlow； alluding to the late President McKinley）〃'Mack；'
says I； 'if you'd drop that double standard business'he was
waverin' toward silver along then'I don't know but I might git the
boys to nominate you fer President。' 'I'll think it over；' he says
'I'll think it over。' You remember me tellin' you about that at
the time； don't you； Sneyd； when you was in the British Legation at
Washin'ton？〃
〃Pahfictly；〃 said Mr。 Sneyd； lighting a cigar with great calmness。
〃'Yes；' I says； 'Mack；' I says； 〃if you'll drop it； I'll turn in
and git you the nomination。'〃
〃Did he drop it？〃 asked Mellin innocently。
Mr。 Pedlow leaned forward and struck the young man's knee a
resounding blow with the palm of his hand。
〃He was ~nominated~； wasn't he？〃
〃Time to dress；〃 announced Mr。 Sneyd； looking at his watch。
〃One more round first；〃 insisted Cooley with prompt vehemence。
〃Let's finish with our first toast again。 Can't drink that too
often。〃
This proposition was received with warmest approval； and they drank
standing。 〃Brightest and best！〃 shouted Mr。 Pedlow。
〃Queen！ What she is！〃 exclaimed Cooley。
~〃Ma belle Marquise！〃~ whispered Mellin tenderly； as the rim touched
his lips。
A small； keen…faced man； whose steady gray eyes were shielded by
tortoise…rimmed spectacles； had come into the room and now stood
quietly at the bar； sipping a glass of Vichy。 He was sharply
observant of the party as it broke up； Pedlow and Sneyd preceding
the younger men to the corridor； and； as the latter turned to
follow； the stranger stepped quickly forward； speaking Cooley's
name。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Perhaps you don't remember me。 My name's Cornish。 I'm a newspaper
man； a correspondent。〃 （He named a New York paper。） 〃I'm down here
to get a Vatican story。 I knew your father for a number of years
before his death； and I think I may claim that he was a friend of
mine。〃
〃That's good；〃 said the youth cordially。 〃If I hadn't a fine start
already； and wasn't in a hurry to dress； we'd have another。〃
〃You were pointed out to me in Paris；〃 continued Cornish。 〃I found
where you were staying and called on you the next day； but you had
just started for the Riviera。〃 He hesitated； glancing at Mellin。
〃Can you give me half a dozen words with you in private？〃
〃You'll have to excuse me； I'm afraid。 I've only got about ten
minutes to dress。 See you to…morrow。〃
〃I should like it to be as soon as possible；〃 the journalist said
seriously。 〃It isn't on my own account； and I〃
〃All right。 You come to my room at ten t'morrow morning？〃
〃Well； if you can't possibly make it to…night；〃 said Cornish
reluctantly。 〃I wish〃
〃Can't possibly。〃
And Cooley； taking Mellin by the arm； walked rapidly down the
corridor。 〃Funny ole correspondent；〃 he murmured。 〃What do ~I~
know about the Vatican？〃
V。 Lady Mount Rhyswicke
The four friends of Madame de Vaurigard were borne to her apartment
from the Magnifique in Cooley's big car。 They sailed triumphantly
down and up the hills in a cool and bracing air； under a moon that
shone as brightly for them as it had for Caesar； and Mellin's soul
was buoyant within him。 He thought of Cranston and laughed aloud。
What would Cranston say if it could see him in a sixty…horse
touring…car； with two millionaires and an English diplomat； brother
of an earl； and all on the way to dine with a countess？ If Mary
Kramer could see him！。。。 Poor Mary Kramer！ Poor little Mary Kramer！
A man…servant took their coats in Madame de Vaurigard's hall； where
they could hear through the curtains the sound of one or two voices
in cheerful conversation。
Sneyd held up his hand。
〃Listen；〃 he said。 〃Shawly； that isn't Lady Mount…Rhyswicke's
voice！ She couldn't be in Reomalways a Rhyswicke Caws'l for
Decembah。 By Jev； it is！〃
〃Nothin' of the kind；〃 said Pedlow。 〃I know Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
as well as I know you。 I started her father in business when he was
clerkin' behind a counter in Liverpool。 I give him the money to
begin on。 'Make good；' says I； 'that's all。 Make good！' And he
done it； too。 Educated his daughter fit fer a princess； married
her to Mount…Rhyswicke； and when he died left her ten million
dollars if he left her a cent！ I know Madge Mount…Rhyswicke and
that ain't her voice。〃
A peal of silvery laughter rang from the other side of the curtain。
〃They've heard you；〃 said Cooley。
〃An' who could help it？〃 Madame de Vaurigard herself threw back the
curtains。 〃Who could help hear our great； dear； ole lion？ How he
roar'！〃
She wore a white velvet 〃princesse〃 gown of a fashion which was
a shade less than what is called 〃daring；〃 with a rope of pearls
falling from her neck and a diamond star in her dark hair。 Standing
with one arm uplifted to the curtains； and with the mellow glow of
candles and firelight behind her； she was so lovely that both Mellin
and Cooley stood breathlessly still until she changed her attitude。
This she did only to move toward them； extending a hand to each；
letting Cooley seize the right and Mellin the left。
Each of them was pleased with what he got； particularly Mellin。
〃The left is nearer the heart；〃 he thought。
She led them through the curtains； not withdrawing her hands until
they entered the salon。 She might have led them out of her fifth…
story window in that fashion； had she chosen。
〃My two wicked boys！〃 she laughed tenderly。 This also pleased both
of them； though each would have preferred to be her only wicked boy
a preference which； perhaps； had something to do with the later
events of the evening。
〃Aha！ I know you both； before twenty minute' you will be makin'
love to Lady Mount…Rhyswicke。 Behol' those two already！ An' they
are only ole frien's。〃
She pointed to Pedlow and Sneyd。 The fat man was shouting at a
woman in pink satin； who lounged； half…reclining； among a pile of
cushions upon a divan near the fire； Sneyd gallantly bending over
her to kiss her hand。
〃It is a very little dinner； you see；〃 continued the hostess； 〃only
seven； but we shall be seven time' happier。〃
The seventh person proved to be the Italian； Corni； who had
surrendered his seat in Madame de Vaurigard's victoria to Mellin
on the Pincio。 He presently made his appearance followed by a
waiter bearing a tray of glasses filled with a pink liquid； while
the Countess led her two wicked boys across the room to present them
to Lady Mount…Rhyswicke。 Already Mellin was forming sentences for
his next letter to the Cranston Telegraph： 〃Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
said to me the other evening； while discussing the foreign policy
of Great Britain； in Comtesse de Vaurigard's salon。。。〃 〃An English
peeress of pron