such an
excellent performance."

"I must talk to Mary," he added, "see if we can't get you off on some
promising young Under Secretary."

"Don't give me ideas above my station," laughed Joan. "I'm a
journalist."

"That's the pity of it," he said. "You're wasting the most important
thing about you, your personality. You would do more good in a drawing-
room, influencing the rulers, than you will ever do hiding behind a pen.
It was the drawing-room that made the French Revolution."

The firelight played about her hair. "I suppose every woman dreams of
reviving the old French Salon," she answered. "They must have been
gloriously interesting." He was leaning forward with clasped hands. "Why
shouldn't she?" he said. "The reason that our drawing-rooms have ceased
to lead is that our beautiful women are generally frivolous and our
clever women unfeminine. What we are waiting for is an English Madame
Roland."

Joan laughed. "Perhaps I shall some day," she answered.

He insisted on seeing her as far as the bus. It was a soft, mild night;
and they walked round the Circle to Gloucester Gate. He thought there
would be more room in the buses at that point.

"I wish you would come oftener," he said. "Mary has taken such a liking
to you. If you care to meet people, we can always whip up somebody of
interest."

She promised that she would. She always felt curiously at home with the
Greysons.

They were passing the long sweep of Chester Terrace. "I like this
neighbourhood with its early Victorian atmosphere," she said. "It always
makes me feel quiet and good. I don't know why."

"I like the houses, too," he said. "There's a character about them. You
don't often find such fine drawing-rooms in London."

"Don't forget your promise," he reminded her, when they parted. "I shall
tell Mary she may write to you."

She met Carleton by chance a day or two later, as she was entering the
office. "I want to see you," he said; and took her up with him into his
room.

"We must stir the people up about this food business," he said, plunging
at once into his subject. "Phillips is quite right. It overshadows
everything. We must make the country self-supporting. It can be done
and must. If a war were to be sprung upon us we could be starved out in
a month. Our navy, in face of these new submarines, is no longer able to
secure us. France is working day and night upon them. It may be a
bogey, or it may not.