“My dear Harry, you are asking for my biography. I came here from Egypt and I must leave to-morrow for home because father has had a serious accident in a mine elevator. Mother and Ruth report being well. Are you satisfied, now? I suppose you are still on deck at the Embassy? But you look fine—quite like a Britisher. Still the same old Harry, though, eh?”
“The same, I guess. Same job, too,—a bit closer to the chief, perhaps, and a bit of raise in the salary. But, say, I’m awful glad to see you. Have you dined?”
“No, I was hoping you would be free so that we could go out together. I wanted to see you about presenting some reports I have made to the British Colonial Office. I haven’t much time, as I tell you, and, perhaps, I may not be able to manage it this time. But you’ll come and eat with me first. How will the Red Room below suit you? You see, I’m not in evening clothes and I know you fellows of the Diplomatic Corps are sticklers on that score. Will you take a chance with me?”
“Who wouldn’t with John R. Morton, my dear boy. You’re above clothes. The ‘Red Room’ is all right; but why not come up to my club, the Hoarders? They serve a bully good dinner there and you may meet some of our fellows. I expect the Chief may drop in after ten and, I am sure, he wouldn’t want to miss you while you’re in town. How does that strike you?”
“It suits me down to the ground.”
“Then come right along, old man.”
As they were passing the clerk’s desk, Morton turned to his friend and excusing himself for a moment, left with the clerk the address of the club where he could be found in case a message came for him.
“Lady, eh, Jack?”
“No such luck. Speaking of ladies, Harry, how do you manage to escape all the beautiful English girls—not to mention the beauties from our own land? I should think they’d be glad to bag a Secretary of the American Legation.”
“A prophet, my boy, is not without honor save in his own country. Our girls take no stock in Secretaries of the Legation; and as for the English girls they’ve enough Secretaries to choose from of their own. We’re all of us only cogs in a big wheel.”