having said anything out of the way, and added: "It's a gift seeing all
that can be said for a bad cause, and saying it, and so making the other
side make their case so strong that the verdict has to be just."

"Dear Duchess, it doesn't always work out that way," rejoined Windlehurst
with a dry laugh. "Sometimes the devil's advocate wins."

"You are not very complimentary to my husband," retorted Hylda, looking
him in the eyes, for she was not always sure when he was trying to baffle
her.

"I'm not so sure of that. He hasn't won his case yet. He has only
staved off the great attack. It's coming--soon."

"What is the great attack? What has the Government, or the Foreign
Office, done or left undone?" "Well, my dear--" Suddenly Lord
Windlehurst remembered himself, stopped, put up his eyeglass, and with
great interest seemed to watch a gay group of people opposite; for the
subject of attack was Egypt and the Government's conduct in not helping
David, in view not alone of his present danger, but of the position of
England in the country, on which depended the security of her highway to
the East. Windlehurst was a good actor, and he had broken off his words
as though the group he was now watching had suddenly claimed his
attention. "Well, well, Duchess," he said reflectively, "I see a new
nine days' wonder yonder." Then, in response to a reminder from Hylda,
he continued: "Ah, yes, the attack! Oh, Persia--Persia, and our feeble
diplomacy, my dear lady, though you mustn't take that as my opinion,
opponent as I am. That's the charge, Persia--and her cats."

The Duchess breathed a sigh of relief; for she knew what Windlehurst had