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"You have already told me what a little place Schloshold-Markheim is." "It is little; but so is the pivot that a great piece of machinery swings on. Collins said yesterday that the peace of Europe may hang upon this question. I laughed at him then, but it's not at all impossible that he may be right. Of course, with a little thing like the peace of Europe, every schoolgirl has the right to meddle!
Permit me to add that you have not seen the girl either girl though I don't suppose that would make the slightest difference." "May I inquire what you propose to do?" asked Collins, flushing a little. "I propose to cultivate the acquaintance of the beautiful Americans in every way I can. After all, what does it matter to me who rules over a little twopenny duchy called Schloshold-Markheim?"
"Dad," began Susie Rushford, that evening, gently but firmly taking away the paper over which her father was engaged, "I wish you would devote that massive brain of yours to this Schloshold-Markheim muddle for a few moments, and give me the benefit. It's quite beyond me, and I'm nearly worried to death over it. I want your advice. Now, in the first place, why should Lord Vernon play off sick?
Suppose we meddle in this affair of Schloshold-Markheim, which is really his dependency don't you see, he might easily, and quite logically, claim that as a precedent for meddling in the affairs of the Transvaal, which we claim as our dependency. Now I hope that you perceive the pistol, and see, too, that it isn't in the least a toy affair, but a very dangerous and effective weapon."
"Who iss eet will arrive, monsieur?" questioned Pelletan faintly. "His Highness, Prince Frederick of Markeld, ambassador from the court of Schloshold-Markheim," answered Rushford, dwelling upon every word. "We will give him apartment B." An Adventure and a Rescue
Not so much to me, personally, as to our people. I believe that I am speaking only the exact truth when I say that it will be much better for the people of Schloshold-Markheim if our branch of the house is recognised and not the other. Our branch has been, in a way, for many years, progressive; the other is and always has been well conservative."
"I do see," said Susie, quickly. "Besides," Vernon added, anxious to vindicate himself still further, since, after all, Susie was Nell's sister, "Schloshold-Markheim is a very insignificant corner of this earth; not so big, in fact, as many of our English shires. Self-preservation is the first law of nations. Why should England imperil herself?
I bear a certain resemblance to him, and a lot of paper-diplomats persuaded me to impersonate him here in order to leave him free to carry out the negotiations for the succession to Schloshold-Markheim without being embarrassed by the representations of either side. I recall how half-heartedly he approved of the scheme, which had its origin in the fertile brain of Mr. Collins there.
"And the one which the people of Schloshold-Markheim prefer." "That, too, is very probably the case. We threshed all that out yesterday, didn't we?" "Not so thoroughly as I should like to do," said Susie. "I've been thinking over the story you told me yesterday, and I believe I've guessed who the man with the pistol is." "I thought very probably you would guess." "Did you?
"It happens," answered Collins, "that, by chance, they hold in their hands the key to a very important affair of state nothing less than the succession to Schloshold-Markheim. They could, if they wished, involve the government in difficulties of the most serious nature." Rushford stared at him yet a moment. Then he settled back in his chair. "Have a cigar?" he asked. "No?