e table with interest. She recognised a well-known Cabinet Minister
and a bishop. Next to her on the other side was a man with hungry,
searching eyes, whose fair hair was cropped so closely to his head as
to be almost invisible. Later she learned that he was a Serbian
patriot, who had prepared a wonderful map of New Serbia, which he
always carried with him. Elton had described it as "the map that
passeth all understanding."

It embraced Bulgaria, Roumania, Transylvania, Montenegro, Greece,
Albania, Bessarabia, and portions of other countries.

"It's a sort of game," Lady Peggy explained later. "If you can escape
without his having produced his map, then you've won," she added.

At first the Duke devoted himself to Patricia, obviously with the
object of placing her at her ease. She was fascinated by his voice.
He had the reputation of being a brilliant talker; but Patricia decided
that even if he had possessed the most commonplace ideas, he would have
invested them with a peculiar interest on account of the whimsical
tones in which he expressed them. He was a man of remarkable dignity
of bearing, and Patricia decided that she would be able to feel very
much afraid of him.

In answer to a question Patricia explained that she had only met Lady
Peggy that morning.

"And what do you think of Peggy's whirlwind methods?" asked the Duke
with a smile.

"I think they are quite irresistible," replied Patricia.

"She makes friends quicker than anyone I ever met and keeps them
longer," said the Duke.

Presently the conversation turned on the question of the
re-afforestation of Great Britain, springing out of a remark made by
the Cabinet Minister to the Duke. Soon the two, aided by a number of
other guests, were deep in the intricacies of politics. During a lull
in the conversation the Duke turned to Patricia.

"I am afraid this is all very dull for you, Miss Brent," he remarked
pleasantly.

"On the contrary," said Patricia, "I am greatly interested."

"Interested in politics?" questioned the Duke with a tinge of surprise
in his voice.

Gradually Patricia found herself drawn into the conversation. For the
first time in her life she found her study of Blue Books and her
knowledge of statistics of advantage and use. The Cabinet Minister
leaned forward with interest. The other guests had ceased their local
conversation to listen to what it was that was so clearly interesting
their host and the Cabinet Ministe