“But, Peter,” queried the woman, “if you are the leader, why do you let them get so?”

“So as to remain the leader,” said Peter, smiling quietly.

“Now that’s what comes of ward politics,” cried Mrs. Pell, “You are beginning to make Irish bulls.”

“No,” replied Peter, “I am serious, and because people don’t understand what I mean, they don’t understand American politics.”

“But you say in effect that the way you retain your leadership, is by not leading.  That’s absurd!”

“No.  Contradiction though it may seem the way to lose authority, is to exercise it too much.  Christ enunciated the great truth of democratic government, when he said, ’He that would be the greatest among you, shall be the servant of all’”

“I hope you won’t carry your theory so far as to let them nominate Maguire?” said Mr. Pell, anxiously.

“Now, please don’t begin on politics,” said the woman.  “Here is Van, whom I haven’t seen for nine weeks, and here is Peter whom I haven’t seen for time out of mind, and just as I think I have a red-letter evening before me, you begin your everlasting politics.”

“I merely stopped in to shake hands,” said Peter.  “I have a call to make elsewhere, and can stay but twenty minutes.  For that time we choose you speaker, and you can make us do as it pleases you.”

Twenty minutes later Peter passed into the D’Alloi drawing-room.  He shook Mrs. D’Alloi’s hand steadily, which was more than she did with his.  Then he was made happy for a moment, with that of Leonore.  Then he was introduced to a Madame Mellerie, whom he placed at once as the half-governess, half-companion, who had charge of Leonore’s education; a Mr. Maxwell, and a Marquis de somebody.  They were both good-looking young fellows; and greeted Peter in a friendly way.  But Peter did not like them.

He liked them less when Mrs. D’Alloi told him to sit in a given place, and then put Madame Mellerie down by him.  Peter had not called to see Madame Mellerie.  But he made a virtue of necessity, and he was too instinctively courteous not to treat the Frenchwoman with the same touch of deference his manner towards women always had.  After they had been chatting for a little on French literature, it occurred to Peter that her opinion of him might have some influence with Leonore, so he decided that he would try and please her.  But this thought turned his mind to Leonore, and speaking of her to her governess, he at once became so interested in the facts she began to pour out to him, that he forgot entirely about his diplomatic scheme.