"Aren't one's relatives trying!" she murmured.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Philip Downing very soon justified the profession to which he belonged by strolling off with some excuse about paying his respects to some acquaintances. Pamela and Lutchester immediately dropped the somewhat frivolous tone of their conversation.
"You know that things are moving with our friend Fischer?" she began.
"I gathered so," Lutchester assented.
"His scheme is growing into shape," she went on. "You know what wonderful people his friends are for organising. Well, they are going to start a society all through the States and nominate for its president—Uncle Theodore."
"Will they have any show at all?" Lutchester asked curiously.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Who can tell? The German-Americans are very powerful indeed all through the West, and then the pacifists will join them. You see, I believe that although the soul of the country is with the Allies, England is the most tactless country in the world. She is always giving little pinpricks to the Government over here, either about maritime law or one thing or another. Then all those articles in the papers about America being too proud to fight, the sneering tone of some, even, of the leading reviews, did a lot of harm. Uncle Theodore is going to stand for what they call the true neutrality. That is to say, no munitions, no help for either side."
"Well, I don't know anything about American politics," Lutchester confessed, "but I shouldn't think he'd have an earthly chance."