upposing all you say is true? What then?"

"You are a little obtuse, Mr. Ducaine," the Prince said softly. "If
twenty thousand pounds would quicken your understanding--"

I picked up a small inkpot from the side of the table and hurled it at
him. He sprang aside, but it caught the corner of his forehead, and he
gave a shrill cry of pain. He struck a fierce blow at me, which I
parried, and a moment later we were locked in one another's arms. I
think that we must have been of equal strength, for we swayed up and
down the room, neither gaining the advantage, till I felt my breath come
short and my head dizzy. Nevertheless, I was slowly gaining the
mastery. My grasp upon his throat was tightening. I had hold of his
collar and tie, and I could have strangled him with a turn of my wrist.
Just then the door opened. There was a quick exclamation of horrified
surprise in a familiar tone. I threw him from me to the ground, and
turned my head. It was Lady Angela who stood upon the threshold.

CHAPTER XIV

A RELUCTANT APOLOGY

Lady Angela looked at us both in cold surprise.

"Mr. Ducaine! Prince!" she exclaimed. "What is the meaning of this
extraordinary exhibition?"

The Prince, whose sangfroid was marvellous, rose to his feet, and began
to wipe his forehead with a spotless cambric handkerchief.

"My dear Lady Angela," he said, "I am most distressed that you should
have been a witness of this--extraordinary incident. I have been trying
to adapt myself to the methods of your country, but, alas! I cannot say
that I am enamoured of them. Here, it seems, that gentlemen who differ
must behave like dustmen. Will you pardon me if I turn my back to you
for a moment? I see a small mirror, and I am convinced that my tie and
collar need readjustment."

"But why quarrel at all?" she exclaimed. "Mr. Ducaine," she added,
turning coolly to me, "I trust you have remembered that the Prince is my
father's guest."

I was speechless, but the Prince himself intervened.

"The blame, if any," he declared, "was mine. Mr. Ducaine appeared to
misunderstand me from the first. I believe that his little ebullition
arose altogether from too great zeal on behalf of his employers. I
congratulate him upon it, while I am bound to deprecate his extreme
measures."

"And you, Mr. Ducaine," she asked, turning towards me, "what have you
to say?"

"Nothing," I declared, stung by her tone and manner as much as by his
coolness, "except that I found th