Mrs. Wilson laughed quietly.  “I know Miss Thurston’s sister and her friend, Miss Carter.  Mr. Hamlin let me help chaperon them at a reception yesterday afternoon.  But Miss Moore has been flattering me dreadfully.  I am a very unimportant person, though I happen to have the good fortune to be a friend of Mr. Hamlin’s and Harriet’s.  I am keeping house in Washington at present.  Some day you must come to see me.”

Bab thanked her new acquaintance.  She thought she had never seen a more unusual looking woman.  It was impossible to guess her age.  Mrs. Wilson’s hair was snow-white, but her face was as young as a girl’s and her eyes were fascinatingly dark under her narrow penciled brows.  She was gowned in a pale blue broadcloth dress, and wore on her head a large black hat trimmed with a magnificent black plume.

“The top of the afternoon to you!” declared a new arrival in Bab’s sheltered corner.  “How is a man to find you if you will hide behind curtains?” This time Bab recognized Peter Dillon, her acquaintance of the afternoon before.

Mrs. Wilson, whose manner suggested a charming frankness and innocence, took Peter by the arm.  “Which of the three Graces do you mean to devote yourself to this afternoon, Peter?  You shall not flatter us all at once.”

“I flatter?” protested Peter, in aggrieved tones.  “Why truthfulness is my strong point.”

Marjorie Moore gave a jarring laugh.  “Is it, Mr. Dillon?” she returned, not too politely.  “Please count me out of Mr. Dillon’s flatteries.  He does not include a woman who works in them.”  Marjorie Moore hurried away.

“Whew-w!” ejaculated Peter.  “Miss Moore does not love me, does she?  I came up only to say a few words.  Miss Hamlin is keeping me busy this afternoon.  Come and have some coffee, Miss Thurston.  I am sure you look tired.”

“I would rather not,” Barbara protested.  “I am going to run away upstairs for a minute, if you will excuse me.”

Before Barbara could make her escape from the drawing-room she saw that Peter Dillon and Mrs. Wilson had both lost their frivolous manner and were deep in earnest conversation.

CHAPTER III

MR. TU FANG WU

Bab knew that at the rear of this floor of Mr. Hamlin’s house there was a small room that was seldom used.  She hoped to find refuge in it for a few minutes, and then to return to her friends.

The room was empty.  Bab sank down into a great arm chair and closed her eyes.

A few moments later she opened them though she heard no sound.  A fat little Chinese gentleman stood regarding her with an expression of amusement on his face.

Barbara jumped hastily to her feet.  Where was she?  She felt frightened.  Although the man before her was yellow and foreign, and wore strange Chinese clothes, he was evidently a person of importance.  Had Barbara awakened at the Court of Pekin?  Her companion wore a loose, black satin coat, heavily embroidered in flowers and dragons and a round, close fitting silk cap with a button on top of it.