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h had flashed through her brain。 She felt like a little child in the presence of some mysterious being； thoughts of whom had haunted her dreams； now visible in bodily shape for the first time。
〃My dear young lady；〃 he said； 〃please do not ask me too much； for I love to speak the truth； and there are many things which I may not tell。 Only you must understand that the country I lovemy own countrymust enter soon upon a new phase of her history。 We who look into the future can see the great clouds gathering。 Some of us must needs be pioneers； must go forward a little to learn our safest； and best course。 May I tell you that much？〃
〃Of course；〃 she answered softly。
〃And now；〃 he added； leaving his seat as though with reluctance； 〃the Duchess reminded me； above all things； that directly I found you I was to take you to supper。 One of your royal princes has been good enough to signify his desire that we should sit at the same table。〃
She rose at once。
〃Does the Duchess know that you are taking me？〃 she asked。
〃I arranged it with her；〃 he answered。 〃My time draws soon to an end and I am to be spoilt a little。〃
They crossed the ballroom together and mounted the great stairs。 Somethingshe never knew quite what it wasprompted her to detain him as they paused on the threshold of the supper room。
〃You do not often read the papers； Prince；〃 she said。 〃Perhaps you have not seen that； after all； the police have discovered a clue to the Hamilton Fynes murder。〃
The Prince looked down upon her for a moment without reply。
〃Yes？〃 he murmured softly。
She understood that she was to go onthat he was anxious for her to go on。
〃Some little doctor in a village near Willington； where the line passes； has come forward with a story about attending to a wounded man on the night of the murder；〃 she said。
He was very silent。 It seemed to her that there was something strange about the immovability of his features。 She looked at him wonderingly。 Then it suddenly flashed upon her that this was his way of showing emotion。 Her lips parted。 The color seemed drawn from her cheeks。 The majordomo of the Duchess stood before them with a bow。
〃Her Grace desires me to show your Highness to your seats；〃 he announced。
Prince Maiyo turned to his companion。
〃Will you allow me to precede you through the crush？〃 he said。 〃We are to go this way。〃
CHAPTER XIII。 EAST AND WEST
After the supper there were obligations which the Prince； whose sense of etiquette was always strong； could not avoid。 He took Penelope back to her aunt； reminding her that the next dance but one belonged to him。 Miss Morse； who was an invalid and was making one of her very rare appearances in Society； watched him curiously as he disappeared。
〃I wonder what they'd think of your new admirer in New York； Penelope；〃 she remarked。
〃I imagine；〃 Penelope answered； 〃that they would envy me very much。〃
Miss Morse； who was a New Englander of the old…fashioned type； opened her lips； but something in her niece's face restrained her。
〃Well； at any rate；〃 she said； 〃I hope we don't go to war with them。 The Admiral wrote me； a few weeks ago； that he saw no hope for anything else。〃
〃It would be a terrible complication；〃 the Duchess sighed； 〃especially considering our own alliance with Japan。 I don't think we need consider it seriously； however。 Over in America you people have too much common sense。〃
〃The Government have； very likely；〃 Miss Morse admitted； 〃but it isn't always the Government who decide things or who even rule the country。 We have an omnipotent Press； you know。 All that's wanted is a weak President； and Heaven knows where we should be！〃
〃Of course；〃 the Duchess remarked； 〃Prince Maiyo is half an Englishman。 His mother was a Stretton…Wynne。 One of the first intermarriages； I should think。 Lord Stretton…Wynne was Ambassador to Japan。〃
〃I think；〃 said Penelope； 〃that if you could look into Prince Maiyo's heart you would not find him half an Englishman。 I think that he is more than seven…eighths a Japanese。〃
〃I have heard it whispered；〃 the Duchess remarked； leaning forward； 〃that he is over here on an exceedingly serious mission。 One thing is quite certain。 No one from his country； or from any other country； for that matter； has ever been so entirely popular amongst us。 He has the most delightful manners of any man I ever knew of any race。〃
Sir Charles came up； with gloomy face； to claim a dance。 After it was over； he led Penelope back to her aunt almost in silence。
〃You are dancing again with the Prince？〃 he asked。
〃Certainly；〃 she answered。 〃Here he comes。〃
The Prince smiled pleasantly at the young man； who towered like a giant above him； and noticed at once his lack of cordiality。
〃I am selfish！〃 he exclaimed； pausing with Penelope's hand upon his coat sleeve。 〃I am taking you too much away from your friends； and spoiling your pleasure； perhaps； because I do not dance。 Is it not so？ It is your kindness to a stranger； and they do not all appreciate it。〃
〃We will go into the winter garden and talk it over；〃 she answered； smiling。
They found their old seats unoccupied。 Once more they sat and listened to the fall of the water。
〃Prince；〃 said Penelope； 〃there is one thing I have learned about you this evening； and that is that you do not love questions。 And yet there is one other which I should like to ask you。〃
〃If you please；〃 the Prince murmured。
〃You spoke； a little time ago；〃 she continued； 〃of some great crisis with which your country might soon come face to face。 Might I ask you this： were you thinking of war with the United States？〃
He looked at her in silence for several moments。
〃Dear Miss Penelope；〃 he said；〃may I call you that？ Forgive me
if I am too forward； but I hear so many of our friends〃
〃You may call me that；〃 she interrupted softly。
〃Let me remind you； then； of what we were saying a little time ago；〃 he went on。 〃You will not take offence？ You will understand； I am sure。 Those things that lie nearest to my heart concerning my country are the things of which I cannot speak。〃
〃Not even to me？〃 she pleaded。 〃I am so insignificant。 Surely I do not count？〃
〃Miss Penelope；〃 he said； 〃you yourself are a daughter of that country of which we have been speaking。〃
She was silent。
〃You think； then；〃 she asked； 〃that I put my country before everything else in the world？〃
〃I believe； 〃 he answered； 〃that you would。 Your country is too young to be wholly degenerate。 It is true that you are a nation of fused racesa strange medley of people； but still you are a nation。 I believe that in time of stress you would place your country before everything else。〃
〃And therefore？〃 she murmured。
〃And therefore；〃 he continued with a delightful smile； 〃I shall not discuss my hopes or fears with you。 Or if we do discuss them；〃 he went on； 〃let us weave them into a fairy tale。 Let us say that you are indeed the Daughter of All America and that I am the Son of All Japan。 You know what happens in fairyland when two great nations rise up to fight？〃
〃Tell me；〃 she begged。
〃Why； the Daughter of All America and the Son of All Japan stand hand in hand before their people； and as they plight their troth； all bitter feelings pass away； the shouts of anger cease； and there is no more talk of war。〃
She sighed； and leaned a little towards him。 Her eyes were soft and dusky； her red lips a little parted。
〃But I；〃 she whispered； 〃am not the Daughter of All America。〃
〃Nor am I；〃 he answered with a sigh； 〃the Son of all Japan。〃
There was a breathless silence。 The water splashed into the basin； the music came throbbing in through the flower…hung doorways。 It seemed to Penelope that she could almost hear her heart beat。 The blood in her veins was dancing to the one perfect waltz。 The moments passed。 She drew a little breath and ventured to look at him。 His face was still and white； as though； indeed； it had been carved out of marble； but the fire in his eyes was a living thing。
〃We have actually been talking nonsense；〃 she said； 〃and I thought that you； Prince； were far too serious。〃
〃We were talking fairy tales；〃 he answered； 〃and they are not nonsense。 Do not you ever read the history of your country as it was many hundreds of years ago； before this ugly thing they call civilization weakened the sinews of our race and besmirched the very face of duty？ Do you not like to read of the times when life was simpler and more natural； and there was space for every man to live and grow and stretch out his hands to the skies；every man and every woman？ They call them； in your literature； the days of romance。 They existed； too； in my country。 It is not nonsense to imagine for a little time that the ages between have rolled away and that those days are with us？〃
〃No；〃 she answered； 〃it is not nonsense。 But if they were？〃
He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them。 The touch of his hand； the absolute delicacy of the salute itself； made it unlike any other caress she had ever known or imagined。
〃The world might have been happier for both of us；〃 he whispered。
Somerfield； sullen and discontented； came and looked at them； moved away； and then hesitatingly returned。
〃Willmott i