"And yet," he insisted, with swift violence, "it is your sympathy which I desire more than anything in the world--your sympathy, your help, your companionship; a little--a very little at first--of your love." "I am afraid that I am not a very satisfactory person from that point of view," Pamela confessed. "I have a great sympathy with every man who is really out for the great things, but so far as you are concerned, Mr. Fischer, or any one else," she went on, after a moment's hesitation, "I have no personal feeling." "That shall come," he declared. "Then please wait a little time before you talk to me again like this," she said, rising and holding out her hand. "At present there is no sign of it." "There is so much that I could offer you," he pleaded, gripping the hand which she had given him in farewell, "so much that I could do for your country. Believe me, I am not talking idly." "I do believe that," she admitted. "You are a very clever man, Mr. Fischer, and I think that you represent all that you claim. Perhaps, if we really do negotiate--" "But you must!" he interrupted impatiently. "You must listen to me for every reason--politically for your country's sake, personally because I shall offer you and give you happiness and a position you could never find elsewhere." For a moment her eyes seemed to be looking through him, as though some vision of things outside the room were troubling her. Her finger had already touched the bell and a servant was standing upon the threshold. "We shall meet in Washington," Mr. Fischer concluded, with an air of a prophet, as he took his leave. CHAPTER XXVIII It was within half an hour of closing time that same afternoon when Lutchester walked into James Van Teyl's office. The young man greeted him with some surprise. "Will you do some business for me?" Lutchester asked, without any preliminaries. "Sure!" "How many Anglo-French will you buy for me? I can obtain credit by cable to-morrow through any bank for twenty or thirty thousand pounds." "You want to buy Anglo-French?" Van Teyl repeated softly. His visitor nodded. "Any news?" Lutchester hesitated, and Van Teyl continued with an apologetic gesture. "I beg your pardon. That's not my job, anyway, to ask questions. I'll buy you twenty-five thousand, if you like. Guess they can't drop much lower." Lutchester sat down. "Thank you," he said, "I will wait." A little ripple of excitement went through the office as Van Teyl started his negotiations. It seemed to Lutchester that several telephones and half a dozen perspiring young men were called into his service. In the end Van Teyl made out a note and handed it to him. "I could have done better for you yesterday," he observed. "The market is strengthening all the time. There are probably some rumours." A boy went by along the pavement outside waving a handful of papers. His cry floated in through the open window: REPORTED LOSS OF MANY MORE GERMAN BATTLESHIPS. BRITISH CLAIM VICTORY.