The half dozen “regulars,” lounging on the big leather chairs before the fireplace in the Club reception-room, waiting for the dinner hour, gave me the usual familiar yet half indifferent greeting, as I took my place among them and lit a cigar.

“Mighty sorry we’re to lose you, Major,” said Marmont.  “Dinner won’t seem quite right with your chair vacant.”

“I’ll come back occasionally to fill it,” I answered.  “Meanwhile there are cards awaiting all of you at the Metropolitan or the Army and Navy.”

“Then you don’t look for an early assignment to the White Elephant across the Pacific?” inquired Courtney.

“Good Lord!” exclaimed Hastings, “did you apply for the Philippines?”

“What ails them?” I asked.

“Everything—­particularly Chaffee’s notion that white uniforms don’t suit the climate?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Is that a criticism of your superior officer?” Marmont demanded.

“That is never done in the Army,” I answered.

“Which being the case let us take a drink,” said Westlake, and led the way to the cafe.

“Looks rather squally in Europe,” Courtney observed, as the dice were deciding the privilege of signing the check.

“It will blow over, I fancy,” I answered.

“Have you seen the afternoon papers?”

“No.”

“Then you don’t know the Titian Ambassador has been recalled.”

“Indeed!  Well, I still doubt if it means fight.”

Courtney stroked his grey imperial.  “Getting rather near one, don’t you think?” he said.

“No closer than France and Turkey were only a short while ago,” I answered.  “Moreover, in this case, the Powers would have a word to say.”

“Yes, they are rather ready to speak out on such occasions; but, unless I’m much mistaken, if the Titians and the Valerians get their armies moving it will take more than talk from the Powers to stop them.”

“And it’s all over a woman,” I observed carelessly.

Courtney gave me a sharp glance.  “I thought that was rather a secret,” he replied.

I laughed.  “It’s one, at least, that the newspapers have not discovered—­yet.  But, where did you get it?”

“From a friend; same as yourself,” he said, with the suggestion of a smile.

“My dear fellow,” I said.  “I know more about the Kingdom of Valeria than—­well, than your friend and all his assistants of the State Department.”

“I don’t recall mentioning the State Department,” Courtney replied.

“You didn’t.  I was honoring your friend by rating him among the diplomats.”

He ignored my thrust.  “Ever been to Valeria?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Recently?”

“About six years ago.”

“Is that the last time?”

“What are you driving at?” I asked.

He answered with another question:  “Seen the last number of the London Illustrated News?”