“What? ‘Clipper’ Cluff? I knew I’d seen him before!” cried Miss Polly. “He got his start in the New York State League. Why, we’re quite old friends, by sight.” 

 “As for Galpy, he’s an underbred little cockney bounder.” 

 “With the most naive line of conversation I’ve ever listened to. I want all of them.” 

 “Let me bring Sherwen first,” pleaded the suitor, and was presently introducing that gentleman. “Mr. Sherwen is in charge here of the American Legation,” he explained. 

 “How does one salute a real live minister?” queried Miss Brewster. 

 “Don’t mistake me for anything so important,” said Sherwen. “We’re not keeping a minister in stock at present. My job is being a superior kind of janitor until diplomatic relations are resumed.” 

 “Goodness! It sounds like war,” said Miss Brewster hopefully. “Is there anything as exciting as that going on?” 

 “Oh, no. Just a temporary cessation of civilities between the two nations. If it weren’t indiscreet—” 

 “Oh, do be indiscreet!” implored the girl, with clasped hands. “I admire indiscretion in others, and cultivate it in myself.” 

 Mr. Carroll looked pained, as the other laughed and said:— 

 “Well, it would certainly be most undiplomatic for me to hint that the great and friendly nation of Hochwald, which wields more influence and has a larger market here than any other European power, has become a little jealous of the growing American trade. But the fact remains that the Hochwald minister and his secretary, Von Plaanden, who is a very able citizen when sober,—and is, of course, almost always sober,—have not exerted themselves painfully to compose the little misunderstanding between President Fortuno and us. The Dutch diplomats, who are not as diplomatic in speech as I am, would tell you, if there were any of them left here to tell anything, that Von Plaanden’s intrigues brought on the present break with them. So there you have a brief, but reliable ‘History of Our Times in the Island Republic of Caracuña.’” 

 “Highly informative and improving to the untutored mind,” Miss Brewster complimented him. “I like seeing the wires of empire pulled. More, please.” 

 “Perhaps you won’t like the next so well,” observed Carroll grimly. “There is 

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