s."

The occupant of the chair had quite made up his mind that Susie was the
prettier.

"It is their favourite kind," he assured her; "nothing delights them
more than to lie while telling the truth."

"Them? But aren't you a diplomat?"

"There are many who doubt it. Perhaps they will doubt it more than ever
before we are out of this tangle. It's awfully good of you and your
sister to take an interest in it."

"But of course we'd take an interest!"

"And keep a secret."

"Ah--well, perhaps that _is_ a little unusual."

"Especially after my rudeness," he added.

"Your rudeness?"

"In running away and hiding behind my paper. What did you think of me?"

"We didn't know what to think," admitted Susie, candidly; "though, of
course, afterwards we were able to guess."

"And I am pardoned?"

"Oh, quite; you had to escape, you know. It's a perfectly delightful
muddle, isn't it? Dad understood it at once."

"Did he?" The occupant of the chair moved a little uneasily.

"Yes--we talked it over, you know, after Mr. Collins left. But then dad
is up on politics and we are not. Only it's a little rough on the
Prince of Markeld, don't you think?"

"Yes, it _is_ rough on him, but--well, it would be rougher to turn him
down--rougher on all concerned!"

"You'd have to turn him down? But there; I mustn't meddle with affairs
of state!"

"Sentiment hasn't much show in the foreign office," said Vernon, with
some bitterness; "not even the sentiment of friendship. We're trying to
find the easiest way out."

Susie nodded, her eyes sparkling. This was a new and delicious
experience, this weighing the fate of nations, as it were. She even
skipped a little, unconscious of Lord Vernon's eyes upon her glowing
face.

"Of course," she agreed, judicially, "I suppose one must always try to
find the easiest way out. Only dad seemed to think--"

She hesitated.

"Go ahead," he encouraged her. "I don't doubt that your father was
entirely right."

"Well, then, dad seemed to think that Prince Ferdinand is much the
better of the two men."

"There is no question of that," assented Lord Vernon, gloomily. "But let
me put a case, Miss Rushford. Suppose your best friend were set upon by
thieves and just as you started to help him, another thief came up
behind you and, putting a pistol to your head, commanded you to stand
still. What would you do?"

"I'd stand still," laughed Sue.

"Yes; but your friend can't see the thief behind yo