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a bar…roomthat ain't my stylebut I do want to propose a toast。
I won't name her； but you all know who I mean。〃
〃Sure we do；〃 interjected Cooley warmly。 〃Queen！ That's what she
is。〃
〃Here's ~to~ her；〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。 〃Here's to herbrightest
and bestand no heel…taps！ And now let's set down over in the
corner and take it easy。 It ain't hardly five o'clock yet； and we
can set here comfortable； gittin' ready for dinner； until half…past
six； anyway。〃
Whereupon the four seated themselves about a tabouret in the corner；
and； a waiter immediately bringing them four fresh glasses from the
bar； Mellin began to understand what Mr。 Pedlow meant by 〃gittin'
ready for dinner。〃 The burden of the conversation was carried
almost entirely by the Honorable Chandler； though Cooley； whose
boyish face was deeply flushed； now and then managed to interrupt
by talking louder than the fat man。 Mr。 Sneyd sat silent。
〃Good ole Sneyd；〃 said Pedlow。 〃~He~ never talks； jest saws wood。
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。