ugh?"

"Leave that to me. I've got out of tighter places than this one. And,"
he added, turning to Vernon, "if you ever looked ill in your life,
prepare to do it now."

Vernon was looking dreamily over Markeld's note.

"He uses adjectives well, doesn't he?" he asked. "'Such a course would
be neither ingenuous nor fair.' 'Pon my word, I quite agree with him!"

"Remember, you're under orders," said Collins, sternly.

"Under reasonable orders, perhaps," admitted Vernon, quietly, with a
little tightening of the muscles of the face. "I don't admit that either
you or Blake is infallible. What is it you propose to do?"

"We propose, in the first place, to send Markeld this note."

Vernon took it and read it at a glance.

"A note which is, of course, a lie," he observed, dispassionately, as he
handed it back.

"It is not a lie!" retorted Collins, flushing hotly. "It is, on the
contrary, the absolute truth."

"There are many ways of lying," remarked Vernon, still more coolly. "It
isn't so much the letter as the spirit which constitutes a lie."

"This is scarcely the time," put in Blake, "for a lecture upon ethics."

"And it would, in any event," added Vernon, "be entirely wasted upon the
present audience. Well, what next?"

"I think you understand your part," answered Collins, curtly. "The only
question is, are you prepared to play it?"

Vernon hesitated for an instant, his hands trembling slightly.

"I feel the veriest scoundrel," he said, bitterly. "It sickens me--but
you've got me fast."

"Yes," agreed Collins, with a malicious grin, "we've got you fast."

"Though not quite as fast as you think, perhaps," added Vernon,
quietly. "I warn you that I will break the bonds if they become too
galling. I see that I'm going to owe Prince Frederick a hearty apology
before this thing is over."

"Oh, I shan't interfere with your apology when the time conies,"
retorted Collins.

"I should hope not," said Vernon, still more quietly; then he turned and
entered the inner room.

"You mustn't push him too hard, Arthur," said Blake, in a low tone, "or
he'll kick over the traces. Remember, he is devilish high-spirited. And
he won't lie."

"It takes a firm hand to keep him under control; but I'll be careful.
And he won't have to lie. It's confoundedly unfortunate Markeld couldn't
have left his dog at home! Just see how small a thing may affect the
fate of nations!"

"Don't get philosophical," advised Blake. "There isn'