His wife was giving her third reception of the session to the diplomatic world.
"Washington has certainly shown signs of mistrust lately," he remarked, "but if communications from them are ever tampered with, it is more likely to be on their side than ours.

They have a particularly unscrupulous Press to deal with, besides political intriguers.

If this person you speak of is really the bearer of a letter from there," he added, "I think we can both guess what it is about." The secretary nodded.
"Shall I ring up Mr.Haviland, sir ?" he asked.
"Not yet," Bransome answered.

"It is just possible that this person requires an immediate reply, in which case it may be convenient for me not to be able to get at the Prime Minister.

Bring him along into my private room, Sidney." Sir Edward Bransome made his way to his study, opened the door with a Yale key, turned on the electric lights, and crossed slowly to the hearthrug.