And he went towards the lady and man who had just entered.

"Here, Monty, you're wanted at once," Harkness heard him say to the
youth, who appeared to be a few years younger than his beautiful
companion.

He spoke a few words to the lady, who replied laughingly, and the
British Attache came towards Harkness.

"Harkness," he said; "want to introduce you to Lady Storrel."

The American followed with a smile on his lean face. He knew that
he was being introduced to Lady Storrel merely because there
happened to be no one else at hand and her cavalier was wanted
elsewhere.

"Lady Storrel, let me present to you Admiral Harkness, the man," he
added, over his shoulder, "who is going to make the United States
the first Naval Power in the world."

And with a good-natured laugh the two men went off, speaking
hurriedly together.

"Is that true?" asked the lady, smiling with that mixture of
girlishness and English grand-ladyism, which was so new to Caleb S.
Harkness.

"Quite," he answered; "but I am not going to tell you how."