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And yet fate willed that he was to have the chance, for half an hour later, after a short conference with Monsieur Pelletan, a gentleman whom we have met before in the apartment of Lord Vernon approached him where he sat in the smoking-room, drew up a chair, and sat down beside him. "This is Mr. Rushford, isn't it?" he asked.
We've been like the audience at a show we haven't had any part in it. And it's so much more interesting behind the scenes!" "It's dull enough from in front, heaven knows!" agreed Rushford. "If I had my way, I'd ring down the curtain and close the show up this minute. It's the worst I ever saw! And I very much doubt if a respectable American family has any business behind the scenes!"
To Archibald Rushford, sitting ruminant in his room, staring absently out at the dunes and the sea, his paper forgotten, there entered presently Susie a rather subdued Susie, as he noted from the corner of his eye who drew up a chair very close to his and sat down and propped her chin in her hands and looked up at him.
"First, if you don't mind," said the Englishman, looking about him, "I think we'd better get out of this crowd." "Suppose we go up to my rooms," suggested Rushford, rising. "We'll be free from interruption there, and can thresh the whole thing out." "Thank you," assented Collins.
"If this is the note you wrote those Rushford girls, I must say I think you've done a mighty wise thing to get it back. It was a dangerous thing to have lying around. Have you had a quarrel?" and he grinned a little maliciously. "Collins," said Vernon, coldly, "you have the poorest conception of good taste of any man I know, and I know some awful bounders.
"Take a breath, dad," she cautioned him. "Take a breath. Those were mighty long words." "As I was about to remark," continued Rushford, calmly, taking the hand away, "I am, of course, a doting parent who would not be with two such children? But, candidly, I don't just see where I come in. I tell you, girls, I've got to have some excitement." "There's plenty of excitement at the Casino, dad."
Then, being persistent and not easily snubbed, he sent up a note which asked 'Are the Misses Rushford acquainted with the gentleman who came to their assistance this afternoon? To which the Misses Rushford added a line, 'They are not, and sent it back to him. It was too absurd. It reminded me of the agony column in the Herald." "The agony column?"
"I'm very glad to see you." "Oh, you are?" inquired the American, keeping his own hands firmly behind his back. "I suppose you're glad to see me, too?" he added, turning to the Prince. "I know of no reason why I should avoid you," returned the Prince, proudly. "Perhaps not," assented Rushford, drily. "The standards of gentlemanly conduct seem to be different in the Old World and in the New.
At the same moment, to Archibald Rushford, sitting immersed in his morning newspaper, wholly unsuspicious of all this, the Prince of Markeld's card was handed. It may be noted in passing that, with the influx of patrons to the house, the American had found it necessary to retire to the privacy of his own apartment in order to enjoy the paper undisturbed.
"No," said Rushford, "I've never seen him. But we'll have to treat him well. He's the head of the British foreign office, Pelletan; and one of the high nobility. Beside him, Zeit-Zeit will look like thirty cents!" Distinguished arrivals at Weet-sur-Mer Even at this unaccustomed hour of the morning, the beach was black with people.
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