Edgar Jepson

“ He strolled to his club. There he found his amiable and accomplished friend the Earl of Bastable, the finest gentleman rider in England, in the smoking room, at a loose end. The earl received the news of the prince's holiday with much less enthusiasm than he would usually have shown. He seemed in low spirits, and when they began to discuss how the holiday should be spent, his interest seemed forced.
The prince tried to cheer him by infuriating his cousin, Prince Peter Augustus, whose favorite subject was the wave of socialism. ”

“ He was easy to infuriate, and presented a pleasing spectacle in his rages, for he had a round, round head, a round red face, small light-blue eyes, closely cropped flaxen hair, and a small, very light mustache, on which he could never get a good enough grip to tug hard in moments of emotion. ”

“ They won't know it is hectic. They'll think it's just ordinary cheerfulness. Babble gayety. Begin in the car. If you can talk from here to the palace with hectic gayety to my chuckleheaded substitute, you'll be able to keep it up for twenty-four hours without an effort.”
Sir Horace gasped.
The prince opened the door of the sitting room.
“Come along, Mr. Stuart,” he said. “It's time you were off.”
John Stuart came forth, stiff, upright, smiling a deathly smile. The prince followed them to the front door. Bletsoe, impassive, noncommittal, opened it. ”

“ They did not look bored; they looked like people endeavoring conscientiously to follow a sermon well above their heads. The leaders of the Daily Wire are strong meat.
It is likely that John Stuart would have continued to instruct and impress his patient audience till tea time had not the stern aunt of the prince interrupted him by rising from her chair. ”

“ On the instant, Mrs. Stallworthy-Miller was at the prince's side. On her heels, came the general. With a campaigner's instinct, he perceived that the prince would be given a chance of escape, and he resolved to share it.
“Come along!” said Mrs. Stallworthy-Miller sharply, and she opened a door at the left of the buffet.
They slipped through it quickly, the general on their heels, and found themselves in her bedroom. She locked the door. Some one had brought their hats earlier in the evening, and set them on her toilet table. The general, old campaigner, had his in his hand. Mrs. ”