Within a week after the rooms had been reserved the invalid drove up to the Legation to thank the Secretary for his kindness.  Now, the Secretary had lived in modern capitals for many years, was trained in diplomacy, and had schooled himself never to appear surprised.  But the Princess Kalora fairly bowled him over.  He had pictured her as a wan and waxen creature, who would be carried to the hotel in a closed carriage or ambulance, there to recline by the windowside and look out at the rustling leaves.  He had decided, after hours of deliberation, that the etiquette of the situation would be for some member of the Legation to call upon her about once a week and take flowers to her.

And here was the invalid, bounding out of a coupe, tripping up the front steps and bursting in upon him like an untamed Amazon from the prairies of Nebraska.  She wore a tailor-made suit of dark material, a sailor hat, tan gloves with big welts on the back and stout, low-heeled Oxfords.  This was the young woman who had come five thousand miles to improve her health!  This was the child of the Orient, and in the Orient, woman is a hothouse flower.  This was the timid young recluse to whom the soft-spoken diplomats were to carry a few roses about once a week.

Why had she called upon the Secretary?  First, to thank him for having engaged the rooms; second, to invite him to take her out to a country club and teach her the game of golf.  She had heard people at the hotel talking about golf.  The game had been strongly commended to her by a congressman’s daughter, with whom she had ascended to the top of the Washington Monument.

When the Secretary, having recovered his breath, asked if she felt strong enough to attempt such a vigorous game, she was moved to silvery laughter.  She told what she had accomplished during three short days in Washington.  She had attended two matinees with Popova, had gone motoring into the Virginia hills, had inspected all the public buildings, and studied every shop-window in Pennsylvania Avenue.  The Secretary knew that all this outdoor freedom was not usually accorded a young woman of his native domain, and yet he felt that he had no authority to restrain her or correct her.  She was a princess, and he was relatively a subordinate, and, when she requested him to take her to the country club, he gave an embarrassed consent.

“You have been in America a long time?” she asked.

“About three years.”

“You have met many people—­that is, the important people?”

“All of them are important over here.  Those that are not very wealthy or very eminent are getting ready to be.”

“I am wondering if you could tell me something about a young man I met abroad.  I met him only once, and I have quite forgotten his name.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t met him.”

“He is rather good-looking and has—­well, red hair; not rusty red, but a sort of golden red.”