Prime Minister's request, Nigel remained behind. They both looked
at the door through which Prince Shan had passed. Mr. Mervin Brown
metaphorically pinched himself. He was still feeling a little dazed.

"Is that man real flesh and blood?" he demanded.

"He is as real and as near the truth," Nigel replied solemnly, "as the
things of which he has told us."

CHAPTER XXXI

That night, Nigel gave a dinner party on Maggie's account at the
fashionable London hotel of the moment. Invitations had been sent out by
telephone, by hurried notes, in one or two cases were delivered by word
of mouth. On the whole, the acceptances, considering the season was in
full swing, were a little remarkable. Every one was anxious to come,
because, as one of her girl friends put it, no one ever knew what Maggie
was going to be up to next. One of the few refusals came from Prince
Shan, and even he made use of compromise:

_My dear Lord Dorminster, will you forgive me if in this instance I
do not break a custom to which I have perhaps a little too rigidly
adhered. The Prime Minister telephoned, a few minutes after we left
him, asking me to meet two of his colleagues from the Foreign
Office to-night, and I doubt whether our conference will have
concluded at the hour you name._

_However, if you will permit me, I will give myself the pleasure of
joining you later in the evening, to make my adieux to those of my
friends whom I am quite sure I shall find amongst your company._

_Sincerely yours_,

SHAN.

Maggie passed the note back with a little smile. She made no comment
whatever. Nigel watched her thoughtfully.

"I have carried out your orders," he observed. "Everything has been
attended to, even to the colour of your table decorations. Now tell me
what it all means?"

She looked him in the face quite frankly.

"How can I?" she answered. "I do not know myself."

"Is this by way of being a farewell party?" he persisted.

"I do not know that," she assured him. "The only thing is that if I do
decide--to go--well, I shall have had a last glimpse of most of my
friends."

"As your nearest male relative, in fact your guardian," Nigel went on,
with a touch of his old manner, "I feel myself deeply interested in your
present situation. If a little advice from one who is considerably your
senior would be acceptable--"

"It wouldn't," Maggie interrupted quietly. "There are just two