The great house in Curzon Street awoke, the following morning, to a state of intense activity.

Taxi-cabs and motor-cars were lined along the street; a stream of callers came and went.

That part of the establishment of which little was seen by the casual caller, the rooms where half a dozen secretaries conducted an immense correspondence, presided over by Li Wen, was working overtime at full pressure.

In his reception room, Prince Shan saw a selected few of the callers, mostly journalists and politicians, to whom Li Wen gave the entree.

One visitor even this most astute of secretaries found it hard to place.