"And, after all," continued Susie, "our reply was the exact and literal truth--of a kind which, I should imagine, is well known to diplomats." The occupant of the chair had quite made up his mind that Susie was the prettier. "It is their favourite kind," he assured her; "nothing delights them more than to lie while telling the truth." "Them? But aren't you a diplomat?" "There are many who doubt it. Perhaps they will doubt it more than ever before we are out of this tangle. It's awfully good of you and your sister to take an interest in it." "But of course we'd take an interest!" "And keep a secret." "Ah--well, perhaps that _is_ a little unusual." "Especially after my rudeness," he added. "Your rudeness?" "In running away and hiding behind my paper. What did you think of me?" "We didn't know what to think," admitted Susie, candidly; "though, of course, afterwards we were able to guess." "And I am pardoned?" "Oh, quite; you had to escape, you know. It's a perfectly delightful muddle, isn't it? Dad understood it at once." "Did he?" The occupant of the chair moved a little uneasily. "Yes--we talked it over, you know, after Mr. Collins left. But then dad is up on politics and we are not. Only it's a little rough on the Prince of Markeld, don't you think?" "Yes, it _is_ rough on him, but--well, it would be rougher to turn him down--rougher on all concerned!" "You'd have to turn him down? But there; I mustn't meddle with affairs of state!" "Sentiment hasn't much show in the foreign office," said Vernon, with some bitterness; "not even the sentiment of friendship. We're trying to find the easiest way out." Susie nodded, her eyes sparkling. This was a new and delicious experience, this weighing the fate of nations, as it were. She even skipped a little, unconscious of Lord Vernon's eyes upon her glowing face. "Of course," she agreed, judicially, "I suppose one must always try to find the easiest way out. Only dad seemed to think--" She hesitated. "Go ahead," he encouraged her. "I don't doubt that your father was entirely right." "Well, then, dad seemed to think that Prince Ferdinand is much the better of the two men." "There is no question of that," assented Lord Vernon, gloomily. "But let me put a case, Miss Rushford. Suppose your best friend were set upon by thieves and just as you started to help him, another thief came up behind you and, putting a pistol to your head, commanded you to stand still. What would you do?" "I'd stand still," laughed Sue. "Yes; but your friend can't see the thief behind you, and when he sees you standing there, not offering to help him, he thinks you are a coward and a traitor. Perhaps he tells you so in the most emphatic language at his command." "It would be a very difficult position," agreed Sue, still laughing at the picture presented by the words. "On second thought, I don't believe I'd stand still for long; I'd try to give my thief a knock-out blow and then go help my friend."