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AFFAIRS OF STATE

Being an Account of Certain Surprising Adventures Which

Befell an American Family in the Land of Windmills

BY

BURTON E. STEVENSON

AUTHOR OF "THE MARATHON MYSTERY," "THE HOLLADAY CASE," ETC.

With Illustrations by F. VAUX WILSON

1906




TO G. H. T.:

OLD FRIEND




CONTENTS


CHAPTER

    I. THE WILES OF WOMANKIND

   II. THE ROLE OF GOOD ANGEL

  III. DISTINGUISHED ARRIVALS AT WEET-SUR-MER

   IV. AN ADVENTURE AND A RESCUE

    V. TELLIER TAKES A HAND

   VI. THE PATH GROWS CROOKED

  VII. AN APPEAL FOR AID

 VIII. PRIDE HAS A FALL

   IX. PELLETAN'S SKELETON

    X. AN INTRODUCTION AND A PROMENADE

   XI. THE PRINCE GAINS AN ALLY

  XII. EVENTS OF THE NIGHT

 XIII. THE SECOND PROMENADE

  XIV. A BEARDING OF THE LION

   XV. "BE BOLD, BE BOLD"

  XVI. A PRINCE AND HIS IDEALS

 XVII. THE DUCHESS TO THE RESCUE

XVIII. MAN'S PERFIDY

  XIX. AN AMERICAN OPINION OF EUROPEAN MORALS

   XX. THE DOWAGER'S BOMBSHELL

  XXI. PARDON




ILLUSTRATIONS


"EEF MONSIEUR PLEASE"

"IT WAS MY GREAT GOOD FORTUNE," SAID THE STRANGER, BOWING, "TO BE OF
SERVICE TO A COMPATRIOT"

"OH!" SHE CRIED, WITH A LITTLE START, "THERE HE IS NOW, ALMOST NEAR
ENOUGH TO HEAR!"

"WHAT IS IT?" SHE DEMANDED. "DON'T YOU SEE WE ARE ALL WAITING?"




AFFAIRS OF STATE




CHAPTER I


The Wiles of Womankind

Archibald Rushford, tall, lean, the embodiment of energy, stood at the
window, hands in pockets, and stared disgustedly out at the dreary vista
of sand-dunes and bathing-machines, closed in the distance by a stretch
of gray sea mounting toward a horizon scarcely discernible through the
