“You are about to have a war,” Allison advised him.
“I do not believe so,” and the visitor ponderously shook his head.
“I am sorry to correct you, but you yourself will bring it about. You will make, within a month, an unfortunate error of diplomatic judgment, and your old strip of disputed territory will be alive with soldiers immediately.”
“No, it is not true,” and the visitor went so far, in his emphasis, as to unlock his fingers and rest one hand on the back of the other.
“I think I am a very fair prophet,” said Allison easily. “I have made money by my prophecy. I have more money at my command at the present time than any man in the world, than any government; wealth beyond handling in mere currency. It can only be conveyed by means of checks. Let me show you how easy it is to write them,” and drawing a blank book to him, he wrote a check, and signed his name, and filled out the stub, and tore it out, and handed it to the visitor for inspection. The visitor was properly pleased with Allison’s ease in penmanship.
“I see,” was the comment, and the check was handed back. He drew his straight-crowned derby towards him.
“I have made a mistake,” said Allison. “I have left off a cipher,” and correcting this omission with a new check, he tore up the first one.
“I see,” commented the visitor, and put the second check in his pocket.
That had required considerable outlay, but when Allison was alone, he went over to his globe and made another long red mark.
A neat waisted man, with a goatee of carefully selected hairs and a luxuriant black moustache, called on Allison, and laid down his hat and his stick and his gloves, in a neat little pile, with separate jerks. He jerked out a cigarette, he jerked out a match, and jerkily lit the former with the latter.
“I am able to give you some important diplomatic news,” Allison advised him. “Your country is about to have a war with your ancient enemy to the east. It will be declared within a month.”
“It will be finished in a week,” prophesied the neat waisted caller, his active eyes lighting with pleasure.
“Possibly,” admitted Allison. “I understand that your country is not in the best of financial conditions to undertake a war, particularly with that ancient enemy.”