"You and I both know, Lutchester," he said, "that the last thing we want is to find America dragged into this war. Such a happening would be nothing more nor less than a catastrophe in itself, to say nothing of the internal dissensions here. On the other hand, as things are now, Washington is becoming a perfect arena for diplomatic chicanery, and I have just an instinct--I can't define it in any way--which leads me to believe that some fresh trouble has started within the last twenty-four hours." Lady Ridlingshawe motioned to her husband with her fan, and he rose at once to his feet. "I must leave you to look after yourself for a time, Lutchester," he concluded. "You'll find plenty of people here you know. Don't go until you've seen me again." Lutchester wandered off in search of Pamela. He found her with Mrs. Hastings, surrounded by a little crowd of acquaintances. Pamela waved her fan, and they made way for him. "Mr. Lutchester, I have been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed. "What a secretive person you are! Why couldn't you tell me that Lady Ridlingshawe was your cousin? I want you to take me to her, please, I met her sister out in Nice." She laid her fingers upon his arm, and they passed out of the little circle. "All bluff, of course," she murmured. "Find the quietest place you can. I want to talk to you." They wandered out on to a balcony where some of the younger people were taking ices. She leaned over the wooden rail. "Listen," she said, "I adore this atmosphere, and I am perfectly certain there is something going on--something exciting, I mean. You know that the Baron von Schwerin has a dinner-party?" "I know that," he assented. "Uncle Theodore is going with Mr. Fischer. He was invited at the last moment, and I understand that his presence was specially requested." Lutchester stood for a short time in an absorbed and sombre silence. In the deep blue twilight his face seemed to have fallen into sterner lines. Without a doubt he was disturbed. Pamela looked at him anxiously. "Is anything the matter?" she asked. He shook his head. "Nothing definite, only for the last few hours I have felt that things here are reaching a crisis. There is something going on around us, something which seems to fill Fischer and his friends with confidence, something which I don't quite understand, and which it is my business to understand. That is really what is worrying me." She nodded sympathetically and glanced around for a moment.