e Duke, 'that in those South American Republics,
as in the United States, a man has to be born in the country to attain
to its highest office.'

'That is so,' said Hiram. 'Though I fancy his friends in Gloria wouldn't
have stuck at a trifle like that just then. But as a matter of fact he
was actually born in Gloria.'

'Was he really?' said Sir Rupert. 'How curious!' To which Mr. Selwyn
added, 'And how convenient;' while Mrs. Selwyn inquired how it happened.

'Why, you see,' said Hiram, 'his father was English Consul at Valdorado
long ago, and he married a Spanish woman there, and the woman died, and
the father seems to have taken it to heart, for he came home, bringing
his baby boy with him. I believe the father died soon after he got
home.'

Sir Rupert's face had grown slightly graver. Soame Rivers guessed that
he was thinking of his own old loss. Helena felt a new thrill of
interest in the man whose personality already so much attracted her.
Like her, he had hardly known a mother.

'Then was that considered enough?' the Duke asked. 'Was the fact of his
having been born there, although the son of an English father, enough,
with subsequent naturalisation, to qualify him for the office of
President?'

'It was a peculiar case,' said Hiram. 'The point had not been raised
before. But, as he happened to have the army at his back, it was
concluded then that it would be most convenient for all parties to yield
the point. But a good deal has been made of it since by his enemies.'

'I should imagine so,' said Sir Rupert. 'But it really is a very curious
position, and I should not like to say myself off-hand how it ought to
be decided.'

'The big battalions decided it in his case,' said Mrs. Selwyn.

'Are they big battalions in Gloria?' inquired the Duke.

'Relatively, yes,' Hiram answered. 'It wasn't very much of an army at
that time, even for Gloria; but it went solid for him. Now, of course,
it's different.'

'How is it different?' This question came from Mr. Selwyn, who put it
with an air of profound curiosity.

Hiram explained. 'Why, you see, he introduced the conscription system.
He told me he was going to do so, on the plan of some Prussian
statesman.'

'Stein,' suggested Soame Rivers.

'Very likely. Every man to take service for a certain time. Well, that
made pretty well all Gloria soldiers; it also made him a heap of
enemies, and showed them how to make themselves unpleasant. I thought it
wasn't a goo