id before," he said to me, but I could see a
smile of pride making a lightning of the gloom in his countenance over
the trouble of his affairs of state. "You keep away from--"

"Robert," was the interruption made by my great beloved Gouverneur
Faulkner, "upon you will fall the task of making the plans for the
entertainment of this countryman of yours. The General and I will be
too busy getting-ready-to-meet-them-on-their-own-grounds to give any
time to that. Remember, they will have to be shown the best grazing
land in the valley, in motor cars. When they are done sizing us up,
we'll be ready for them. The Count and his secretaries will, of
course, be entertained at the Mansion and you can make arrangements at
the hotel for the rest of the suite. Also will you please instruct my
servants, from Cato down, how to make them comfortable and, Robert,
will you confer with Mrs. Whitworth, who, as the wife of the Treasurer
of the State of Harpeth while neither the General nor I have wives,
must be considered as the official social representative of the State,
as to what form the official entertainments must take?" And as he
asked that question of me my Gouverneur Faulkner did not so much as
glance at my Uncle, the General Robert, who gave an exclamation of
contempt in his throat as he began a reading of the two papers which I
had handed to him.

"Also I suppose this means I must give up all hope of services from
that fly-up-the-creek, Clendenning," he grumbled as he read.

"I will do as you bid me, my Gouverneur Faulkner, in all things, and I
will be much helped by both my excellent Buzz and the beautiful Madam
Whitworth," I made answer to the question and command given to me by
the Gouverneur Faulkner, and as I mentioned the name of that lady I
lowered my eyes to the floor and waited for my dismissal. I did not
want to look into his eyes, for I did not know even then if I might
not find that Madam Whitworth there. I only knew that whatever she did
or was to him, his honor was inviolable.

"Well, get to it all," commanded my Uncle, the General Robert. "Get
vouchers for what you spend and pay with State Department checks.
Don't blow in a fortune, you young spendthrift, you, but also remember
that the State of Harpeth is one of the richest in America and knows
how to show France real hospitality."

"That State of Harpeth has shown that hospitality to one humble youth
of France, my Uncle Robert, who has a great gratitude," I