'That is not true,' Washington Otis said loudly; 'Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up easily'.

The housekeeper was very scared, but before she could do anything, Washington fell to his knees, and quickly cleaned the floor with a small black stick. After a few seconds, the blood-stain had completely gone.

'I knew that my cleaner would clean it,' said Washington happily to his family.

But as soon as he said these words, there was a terrible flash of lightning which lit up the dark room, and a frightning bang of thunder made them all jump to their feet. Mrs Umney fainted.

'What a bad climate there is in England!' said the American Ambassador calmly. He lit a long cigar for himself. 'I think that there are so many people in England that they don't have enough good weather for everybody. I have always thought that the best thing that people can do to help England is to leave the country.'

'My dear Hiram,' said Mrs Otis, 'Mrs Umney has fainted. What can we do about a woman who faints?'