ip for which
you cabled your Secretary of State makes herself to arrive?"

At the other end of the 'phone, although restrained by the confines of
the booth, Billy danced joyously. But his voice was stern.

"Naturally," he replied. "Where is she now?"

An hour before, so the field-marshal informed him, the battleship
_Louisiana_ had been sighted and by telegraph reported. She was
approaching under forced draught. At any moment she might anchor in the
outer harbor. Of this President Ham had been informed. He was grieved,
indignant; he was also at a loss to understand.

"It is very simple," explained Billy. "She probably was somewhere in the
Windward Passage. When the Secretary got my message he cabled
Guantanamo, and Guantanamo wirelessed the warship nearest
Port-au-Prince."

"President Poussevain," warned the field-marshal, "is greatly
disturbed."

"Tell him not to worry," said Billy. "Tell him when the bombardment
begins I will see that the palace is outside the zone of fire."

As Billy entered the room of St. Clair his eyes shone with a strange
light. His manner, which toward a man of his repute St. Clair had
considered a little too casual, was now enthusiastic, almost
affectionate.

"My dear St. Clair," cried Billy, "_I've fixed it_! But, until I was
_sure_, I didn't want to raise your hopes!"

"Hopes of what?" demanded the actor.

"An audience with the president!" cried Billy. "I've just called him up
and he says I'm to bring you to the palace at once. He's heard of you,
of course, and he's very pleased to meet you. I told him about 'The Man
Behind the Gun,' and he says you must come in your make-up as
'Lieutenant Hardy, U. S. A.,' just as he'll see you on the screen."

Mr. St. Clair stammered delightedly.

"In uniform," he protested; "won't that be--"

"White, special full dress," insisted Billy. "Medals, side-arms,
full-dress belt, _and_ gloves. What a press story! 'The King of the
Movies meets the President of Hayti!' Of course, he's only an ignorant
negro, but on Broadway they don't know that; and it will sound fine!"

St. Clair coughed nervously.

"_Don't_ forget," he stammered, "I can't speak French, or understand it,
either."

The eyes of Billy became as innocent as those of a china doll.

"Then I'll interpret," he said. "And, oh, yes," he added, "he's sending
two of the palace soldiers to act as an escort--sort of guard of honor!"

The King of the Movies chuckled excitedly.

"Fine!" h