For Keineth the simple stateliness of the place had an atmosphere of romance. Staring curiously about her she went slowly through the spacious corridors to an oval-shaped room whose walls and windows were hung in heavy blue silk. The sunlight streamed through the windows across the highly polished floor and glinted through the crystals of the great chandelier hanging from the ceiling. From between the heavy blue curtains Keineth caught a glimpse of the green lawn outside, sloping down to the stretches of the Park--all adot with dandelions. Her father pointed out to her the gold clock on the mantel and told her that it had been presented by Napoleon the First to General Lafayette and by him in turn to Washington. Then as they turned to examine the bronze vases standing on either side of the clock a quiet voice startled them. "And so this is the little soldier girl!" And there across the room, one hand extended, stood the President of the United States! Keineth tried to say something, but found that her tongue would not move. But President Wilson, not noticing her embarrassment, was shaking her hand and talking as though they were old friends. "Of course--after our letters--an introduction is unnecessary! I am delighted, however, to meet in person John Randolph's daughter." He turned then from Keineth to her father and Keineth felt a glow of pride in the tone of intimacy with which the President greeted her father. After they had exchanged a few words he took her hand and drew her towards a divan. "Let us sit down here and have a little talk. I wonder if you know, my dear girl, what a wonderful man your father is." Keineth smiled at this! President Wilson, patting her hand upon his knee, went on: "His work for us is not done, either! And I am going to ask you to help me, Miss Keineth. I want him in my official family--I need his judgment and advice--need it badly! If he tries to refuse me then you must make him do what I want him to do! Wouldn't you like to live in Washington?" "Oh--yes!" cried Keineth, then she stopped short. "But--it wouldn't have to be a secret, would it?" The President broke into a hearty laugh. "No, indeed, my dear!" Then, more seriously, "You were very brave to help us guard so carefully his journeying. It was necessary that it should be kept a secret because in every land where he went there were bitter enemies to the work he was trying to do--enemies who, if they had had one word of the mission upon which he was going about, would have done everything within their power to defeat its purpose, even to taking his life without one moment's hesitation! Keineth, this is a funny world. It is made up of big nations and small nations and they struggle against one another like so many bad, heedless boys fighting in an alley."