New York City. Think of that!'

'And I,' said Babylon, 'have no friends except the friends of my boyhood
in Lausanne. I have spent thirty years in England, and gained nothing
but a perfect knowledge of the English language and as much gold coin as
would fill a rather large box.'

These two plutocrats breathed a simultaneous sigh.

'Talking of gold coin,' said Racksole, 'how much money should you think
Jules has contrived to amass while he has been with you?'

'Oh!' Babylon smiled. 'I should not like to guess. He has had unique
opportunities--opportunities.'

'Should you consider twenty thousand an extraordinary sum under the
circumstances?'

'Not at all. Has he been confiding in you?'

'Somewhat. I have dismissed him.'

'You have dismissed him?'

'Why not?'

'There is no reason why not. But I have felt inclined to dismiss him for
the past ten years, and never found courage to do it.'

'It was a perfectly simple proceeding, I assure you. Before I had done
with him, I rather liked the fellow.'

'Miss Spencer and Jules--both gone in one day!' mused Felix Babylon.

'And no one to take their places,' said Racksole. 'And yet the hotel
continues its way!'

But when Racksole reached the Grand Babylon he found that Miss Spencer's
chair in the bureau was occupied by a stately and imperious girl,
dressed becomingly in black.

'Heavens, Nella!' he cried, going to the bureau. 'What are you doing
here?'

'I am taking Mis Spencer's place. I want to help you with your hotel,
Dad. I fancy I shall make an excellent hotel clerk. I have arranged with
a Miss Selina Smith, one of the typists in the office, to put me up to
all the tips and tricks, and I shall do very well.'

'But look here, Helen Racksole. We shall have the whole of London
talking about this thing--the greatest of all American heiresses a hotel
clerk! And I came here for quiet and rest!'

'I suppose it was for the sake of quiet and rest that you bought the
hotel, Papa?'

'You would insist on the steak,' he retorted. 'Get out of this, on the
instant.'

'Here I am, here to stay,' said Nella, and deliberately laughed at her
parent.

Just then the face of a fair-haired man of about thirty years appeared
at the bureau window. He was very well-dressed, very aristocratic in his
pose, and he seemed rather angry.

He looked fixedly at Nella and started back.

'Ach!' he exclaimed. 'You!'

'Yes, your Highness, it is indeed I. Father, this is his Serene H