"Shall I ever have mine?" he asked, with a queer little break in his
voice.



CHAPTER XXV

Terniloff and Dominey, one morning about six months later, lounged
underneath a great elm tree at Ranelagh, having iced drinks after a
round of golf. Several millions of perspiring Englishmen were at the
same moment studying with dazed wonder the headlines in the midday
papers.

"I suppose," the Ambassador remarked, as he leaned back in his chair
with an air of lazy content, "that I am being accused of fiddling while
Rome burns."

"Every one has certainly not your confidence in the situation," Dominey
rejoined calmly.

"There is no one else who knows quite so much," Terniloff reminded him.

Dominey sipped his drink for a moment or two in silence.

"Have you the latest news of the Russian mobilisation?" he asked. "They
had some startling figures in the city this morning."

The Prince waved his hand.