and Rushford laughed again; it was not the first time his
partners in business had been afraid to do without him! "Let it be that
way, then. Have you got that agreement with you?"

"Yess, monsieur; eet iss here," and he produced it from an inner
pocket.

"Let me have it a minute."

Pelletan gave it to him with trembling hand. His partner opened it, got
out his fountain-pen, and changed a word in the contract.

"There," he said, "that's more fair, Pelletan."

Pelletan paled as he looked at the paper and his eyes grew misty.
Instead of one hundred francs daily, he would receive two hundred. Ah,
these magnificent Americans!

The interview to which the _Times_ looked forward with so much
apprehension was, it seemed, indefinitely postponed. The Prince of
Markeld had, indeed, immediately upon his arrival, caused his presence
to be formally announced to Lord Vernon, but the latter had responded
that he was, for the present, under the orders of his physician, who
forbade him to see any one or to transact business of any kind. Whereat
the Prince had twisted his mustachios fiercely (with an accompaniment,
no doubt, of sub voce profanity) and had proceeded to amuse himself
until luncheon with an exceedingly ugly bulldog he had brought with him.

He had luncheon in his apartment, smoked a cigarette or two, despatched
a telegram describing the state of affairs to Prince Ferdinand, and
then, looking from his window and perceiving that all the world was
abroad, prepared for a walk along the beach. At the door, he happened to
look back and caught his dog's eyes fixed wistfully upon him.

"Ah, Jax, old boy," he said, "it is unfair to leave you shut up here
with only Glueck for company. Like to come along?"

Jax wriggled his delight.

"And you'll behave yourself?"

Jax promised as clearly as a dog could.

"Very well, then," and the Prince went down the stair, with Jax,
half-delirious with joy, behind him.

Now the Prince was a very good-looking fellow, erect and clean, as
German noblemen have a way of being--besides, he was a Prince, a
commander of favours from the world and women, not a mere suitor for
them as most poor mortals are--and more than one pair of eyes gazed at
him languishingly from under pencilled brows as he strolled moodily
along the beach, golden yellow in the sunlight; more than one crimson
mouth shaped itself to an entrancing smile; more than one sullied heart
beat high at thought of a brilliant future.