or embarrassed。 That was the situation on the morning when the
Treaty of London was to be signed and sealed。
In spite of the publicity given to the conference by the Times；
however； what the terms of the treaty might be no one knew。 If
Adrianople were surrendered； if Salonika were given to Greece； if
Servia obtained a right…of…way to the Adriaticpeace was assured；
but； should the Young Turks refuseshould Austria prove obstinate…
not only would the war continue； but the Powers would be involved；
and that greater； more awful warthe war dreaded by all the Christian
worldmight turn Europe into a slaughter…house。
Would Turkey and Austria consent and peace ensue？ Would they
refuse and war follow？ That morning those were the questions on
the lips of every man in London save one。 He was Sam Lowell； and
he was asking himself another and more personal question： 〃How
can I find five pounds and pacify Mrs。 Wroxton？〃
He had friends in New York who would cable him money to pay his
passage home； but he did not want to go home。 He preferred to
starve in London than be vulgarly rich anywhere else。 That was
not because he loved London； but because above everything in life
he loved Polly Sewardand Polly Seward was in London。 He had
begun to love her on class day of his senior year； and； after his
father died and left him with no one else to care for； every day
he had loved her more。
Until a month before he had been in the office of Wetmore &
Hastings； a smart brokers' firm in Wall Street。 He had obtained
the position not because he was of any use to Wetmore & Hastings；
but because the firm was the one through which his father had
gambled the money that would otherwise have gone to Sam。 In
giving Sam a job the firm thought it was making restitution。 Sam
thought it was making the punishment fit the crime； for he knew
nothing of the ways of Wall Street； and having to learn them bored
him extremely。 He wanted to write stories for the magazines。 He
wanted to bind them in a book and dedicate them to Polly。 And
in this wish editors humored himbut not so many editors or with
such enthusiasm as to warrant his turning his back on Wall Street。
That he did later when； after a tour of the world that had begun
from the San Francisco side； Polly Seward and her mother and
Senator Seward reached Naples。 There Senator Seward bought
old Italian furniture for his office on the twenty…fifth floor of the
perfectly new Seward building。 Mrs。 Seward tried to buy for Polly
a prince nearly as old as the furniture； and Polly bought picture
post…cards which she sent to Sam。
Polly had been absent six months； and Sam's endurance had been so
timed as just to last out the half…year。 It was not guaranteed to
withstand any change of schedule； and the two months' delay in
Italy broke his heart。 It could not run overtime on a starvation
diet of post…cards； so when he received a cable reading； 〃Address
London； Claridge's；〃 his heart told him it could no longer wait…
and he resigned his position and sailed。
On her trip round the world Polly had learned many things。 She
was observant； alert； intent on asking questions； hungering for
facts。 And a charming young woman who seeks facts rather than
attention will never lack either。 But of all the facts Polly collected；
the one of surpassing interest； and which gave her the greatest
happiness； was that she could not live without Sam Lowell。 She
had suspected this； and it was partly to make sure that she had
consented to the trip round the world。 Now that she had made
sure； she could not too soon make up for the days lost。 Sam had
spent his money； and he either must return to New York and earn
more or remain near Polly and starve。 It was an embarrassing
choice。 Polly herself made the choice even more difficult。
One morning when they walked in St。 James's Park to feed the
ducks she said to him：
〃Sam； when are we to be married？〃
When for three years a man has been begging a girl to marry him；
and she consents at the exact moment when； without capitulation
to all that he holds honorable； he cannot marry anybody； his
position deserves sympathy。
〃My dear one；〃 exclaimed the unhappy youth； 〃you make me the
most miserable of men！ I can't marry！ I'm in an awful place！ If I
married you now I'd be a crook！ It isn't a question of love in a
cottage； with bread and cheese。 If cottages were renting for a
dollar a year I couldn't rent one for ten minutes。 I haven't cheese
enough to bait a mouse…trap。 It's terrible！ But we have got to wait。〃
〃Wait！〃 cried Polly。 〃I thought you had been waiting！ Have I been
away too long？ Do you love some one else？〃
〃Don't be ridiculous！〃 said Sam crossly。 〃Look at me；〃 he
commanded； 〃and tell me whom I love！〃
Polly did not take time to look。
〃But I；〃 she protested； 〃have so much money！〃
〃It's not your money；〃 explained Sam。 〃It's your mother's money
or your father's； and both of them dislike me。 They even have told
me so。 Your mother wants you to marry that Italian； and your
father； having half the money in America； naturally wants to
marry you to the other half。 If I were selfish and married you
I'd be all the things they think I am。〃
〃You are selfish！〃 cried Polly。 〃You're thinking of yourself and
of what people will say； instead of how to make me happy。 What's
the use of money if you can't buy what you want？〃
〃Are you suggesting you can buy me？〃 demanded Sam。
〃Surely；〃 said Polly〃if I can't get you any other way。 And you
may name your own price； too。〃
〃When I am making enough to support myself without sponging on
you；〃 explained Sam； 〃you can have as many millions as you like；
but I must first make enough to keep me alive。 A man who can't do
that isn't fit to marry。〃
〃How much；〃 demanded Polly； 〃do you need to keep you alive？ Maybe
I could lend it to you。〃
Sam was entirely serious。
〃Three thousand a year；〃 he said。
Polly exclaimed indignantly。
〃I call that extremely extravagant！〃 she cried。 〃If we wait until you
earn three thousand a year we may be dead。 Do you expect to earn
that writing stories？〃
〃I can try；〃 said Sam〃or I will rob a bank。〃
Polly smiled upon him appealingly。
〃You know how I love your stories；〃 she said； 〃and I wouldn't
hurt your feelings for the world； but； Sam dear； I think you had
better rob a bank！〃
Addressing an imaginary audience； supposedly of men； Sam
exclaimed：
〃Isn't that just like a woman？ She wouldn't care；〃 he protested；
〃how I got the money！〃
Polly smiled cheerfully。
〃Not if I got you！〃 she said。 In extenuation； also； she addressed
an imaginary audience； presumably of women。 〃That's how I love
him！〃 she exclaimed。 〃And he asks me to wait！ Isn't that just like
a man？ Seriously；〃 she went on； 〃if we just go ahead and get married
father would have to help us。 He'd make you a vice…president or
something。〃
At this suggestion Sam expressed his extreme displeasure。
〃The last time I talked to your father；〃 he said； 〃I was in a position
to marry； and I told him I wanted to marry you。 What he said to
that was： 'Don't be an ass！' Then I told him he was unintelligent
and I told him why。 First； because he could not see that a man
might want to marry his daughter in spite of her money； and
second； because he couldn't see that her money wouldn't make
up to a man for having him for a father…in…law。〃
〃Did you have to tell him that？〃 asked Polly。
〃Some one had to tell him；〃 said Sam gloomily。 〃Anyway； as a
source of revenue father is eliminated。 I have still one chance
in London。 If that fails I must go home。 I've been promised a job
in New York reporting for a Wall Street paperand I'll write stories
on the side。 I've cabled for money； and if the London job falls
through I shall sail Wednesday。〃
〃Wednesday！〃 cried Polly。 〃When you say things like 'Wednesday'
you make the world so dark！ You must stay here！ It has been such
a long six months； and before you earn three thousand dollars I
shall be an old； old maid。 But if you get work here we could see
each other every day。〃
They were in the Sewards' sitting…room at Claridge's。 Sam took up
the desk telephone。
〃In London；〃 he said； 〃my one best and only bet is a man named
Forsythe； who helps edit the Pall Mall。 I'll telephone him now。
If he can promise me even a shilling a day I'll stay on and starve
but I'll be near you。 If Forsythe fails me I shall sail Wednesday。〃
The telephone call found Forsythe at the Pall Mall office。 He would
be charmed to advise Mr。 Lowell on a matter of business。 Would he
that night dine with Mr。 Lowell？ He would。 And might he suggest
that they dine at Pavoni's？ He had a special reason for going there；
and the dinner would cost only three and six。
〃That's reason enough！〃 Sam told him。
〃And don't forget；〃 said Polly when； for the fifth time； Sam rose
to go； 〃that after your dinner you are to look for me at the Duchess
of Deptford's dance。 I asked her for a card and you will find it at
your lodgings。 Everybody will be there； but it is a big place…full
of dark corners where we can hide。〃
〃Don't hide until I arrive；〃 said Sam。 〃I shall be very late； as