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  CHAPTER II

  BY SPECIAL DESPATCH

  In all eras and all climes a woman of great genius or beauty has done what she chose.--_Ouido_.

  "Nicholas," said Calhoun, turning to me suddenly, but with hisinvariable kindliness of tone, "oblige me to-night. I have written amessage here. You will see the address--"

  "I have unavoidably heard this lady's name," I hesitated.

  "You will find the lady's name above the seal. Take her this messagefrom me. Yes, your errand is to bring the least known and most talked ofwoman in Washington, alone, unattended save by yourself, to agentleman's apartments, to his house, at a time past the hour ofmidnight! That gentleman is myself! You must not take any answer in thenegative."

  As I sat dumbly, holding this sealed document in my hand, he turned toDoctor Ward, with a nod toward myself.

  "I choose my young aide, Mr. Trist here, for good reasons. He is justback from six months in the wilderness, and may be shy; but once he hada way with women, so they tell me--and you know, in approaching thequestion _ad feminam_ we operate _per hominem_."

  Doctor Ward took snuff with violence as he regarded me critically.

  "I do not doubt the young man's sincerity and faithfulness," said he. "Iwas only questioning one thing."

  "Yes?"

  "His age."

  Calhoun rubbed his chin. "Nicholas," said he, "you heard me. I have nowish to encumber you with useless instructions. Your errand is beforeyou. Very much depends upon it, as you have heard. All I can say is,keep your head, keep your feet, and keep your heart!"

  The two older men both turned now, and smiled at me in a manner notwholly to my liking. Neither was this errand to my liking.

  It was true, I was hardly arrived home after many months in the West;but I had certain plans of my own for that very night, and although asyet I had made no definite engagement with my fiancee, Miss ElisabethChurchill, of Elmhurst Farm, for meeting her at the great ball thisnight, such certainly was my desire and my intention. Why, I had scarceseen Elisabeth twice in the last year.

  "How now, Nick, my son?" began my chief. "Have staff and scrip been yourportion so long that you are wholly wedded to them? Come, I think thenight might promise you something of interest. I assure you of onething--you will receive no willing answer from the fair baroness. Shewill scoff at you, and perhaps bid you farewell. See to it, then; dowhat you like, but bring her _with_ you, and bring her _here_.

  "You will realize the importance of all this when I tell you that myanswer to Mr. Tyler must be in before noon to-morrow. That answer willdepend upon the answer the Baroness von Ritz makes to _me_, here,to-night! I can not go to her, so she must come to me. You have oftenserved me well, my son. Serve me to-night. My time is short; I have nomoves to lose. It is you who will decide before morning whether or notJohn Calhoun is the next secretary of state. And that will decidewhether or not Texas is to be a state." I had never seen Mr. Calhoun sointent, so absorbed.

  We all three now sat silent in the little room where the candlesguttered in the great glass _cylindres_ on the mantel--an apartmentscarce better lighted by the further aid of lamps fed by oil.

  "He might be older," said Calhoun at length, speaking of me as though Iwere not present. "And 'tis a hard game to play, if once my lady Helenatakes it into her merry head to make it so for him. But if I sent oneshorter of stature and uglier of visage and with less art in approachinga crinoline--why, perhaps he would get no farther than her door. No; hewill serve--he _must_ serve!"

  He arose now, and bowed to us both, even as I rose and turned for mycloak to shield me from the raw drizzle which then was falling in thestreets. Doctor Ward reached down his own shaggy top hat from the rack.

  "To bed with you now, John," said he sternly.

  "No, I must write."

  "You heard me say, to bed with you! A stiff toddy to make you sleep.Nicholas here may wake you soon enough with his mysterious companion. Ithink to-morrow will be time enough for you to work, and to-morrow verylikely will bring work for you to do."

  Calhoun sighed. "God!" he exclaimed, "if I but had back my strength! Ifthere were more than those scant remaining years!"

  "Go!" said he suddenly; and so we others passed down his step and outinto the semi-lighted streets.

  So this, then, was my errand. My mind still tingled at its unwelcomequality. Doctor Ward guessed something of my mental dissatisfaction.

  "Never mind, Nicholas," said he, as we parted at the street corner,where he climbed into the rickety carriage which his colored driver heldawaiting him. "Never mind. I don't myself quite know what Calhoun wants;but he would not ask of you anything personally improper. Do his errand,then. It is part of your work. In any case--" and I thought I saw himgrin in the dim light--"you may have a night which you will remember."

  There proved to be truth in what he said.