rotested; his eyes were very
bright and he was bending down a little that he might the better see the
face under the broad hat.

"The view from here, I think, is very beautiful," she remarked,
incoherently.

"No doubt," agreed the Prince, but he didn't take the trouble to look at
it.

"He's a survival of the dark ages," said Susie to herself, "when they
just snatched up girls and ran off with them!" Then aloud, "Have you
ever been here before?"

"Never before."

"Do you like it?"

"Oh, very much!" His eyes would have told her why; but she could guess
without looking.

"I suppose you usually go to one of the larger places?"

"It is one of the traditions of our family that at least a month must be
spent at Ostend."

"What a shame that the tradition should be broken!"

"On the contrary, I bless the circumstance that shattered it. Do you
know, Miss Rushford, I have never before realised what a tremendously
lucky fellow I am? I must pour a libation to the god of chance!"

"It's a goddess, isn't it?" she asked, and regretted the question the
next instant.

"You are right," he agreed, his eyes blazing. "A goddess! You have
found the word. A goddess! And such a goddess!"

Fortunately, they had reached the end of the promenade, and as they
paused at the balustrade, Nell and Lord Vernon joined them, saving Susie
from a situation which had slipped entirely beyond her control.

Evidently Nell, too, had been having her difficulties, for she
telegraphed her sister a desire to change places. So, on the homeward
journey, despite the very apparent unwillingness of the men, Sue walked
beside the invalid chair and Nell accompanied the Prince; and while both
seemed gay enough--even unnaturally gay, perhaps--I dare say they found
that the situation had lost a certain interest; for every danger has its
fascination, every hazard its piquancy.

"I am not sure," observed Susie, reflectively, as they went up the stair
together, "that I approve of princes. They are too self-assured; they
carry things with too high a hand. They are evidently too much
accustomed to having their own way."

"It seems to be a characteristic of lords, also," said Nell, with a
little sigh.

"What they need is a vigorous calling down. Well, that ought not to be
so difficult!" and the dark eyes snapped ominously.

"Though, perhaps, it's hardly worth the trouble," suggested Nell.

"Perhaps not," assented her sister; but half an hour later she wayl