Page:Pleased to Meet You (1927).pdf/81

 "I don't suppose that matters," said Nyla, "as long as it repeats pleasant things."

Somehow they had embarked upon palmistry, which the Colonel said was often a valuable aid to statesmanship.

"This is so much pleasanter than the League headquarters at Geneva," he averred. "A dull place, full of card indexes and diplomatic dossiers, Now your hand, Fräulein, is obviously that of a loyal, frank and affectionate nature, full of generous impulses that should be encouraged. What a pity I could not have studied it long ago. I could have told that you were destined for high things. See how the life-line slants upward. I see a long life. There are at least sixty happy years before you, full of interest."

"Just about long enough to pay off the American debt," said the President. "You don't see anything there about a rate of interest higher than one per cent., do you? Because if so, we're done for."

"I see surprises caused by strangers from