"The view from here, I think, is very beautiful," she remarked, incoherently. "No doubt," agreed the Prince, but he didn't take the trouble to look at it. "He's a survival of the dark ages," said Susie to herself, "when they just snatched up girls and ran off with them!" Then aloud, "Have you ever been here before?" "Never before." "Do you like it?" "Oh, very much!" His eyes would have told her why; but she could guess without looking. "I suppose you usually go to one of the larger places?" "It is one of the traditions of our family that at least a month must be spent at Ostend." "What a shame that the tradition should be broken!" "On the contrary, I bless the circumstance that shattered it. Do you know, Miss Rushford, I have never before realised what a tremendously lucky fellow I am? I must pour a libation to the god of chance!" "It's a goddess, isn't it?" she asked, and regretted the question the next instant. "You are right," he agreed, his eyes blazing. "A goddess! You have found the word. A goddess! And such a goddess!" Fortunately, they had reached the end of the promenade, and as they paused at the balustrade, Nell and Lord Vernon joined them, saving Susie from a situation which had slipped entirely beyond her control. Evidently Nell, too, had been having her difficulties, for she telegraphed her sister a desire to change places. So, on the homeward journey, despite the very apparent unwillingness of the men, Sue walked beside the invalid chair and Nell accompanied the Prince; and while both seemed gay enough--even unnaturally gay, perhaps--I dare say they found that the situation had lost a certain interest; for every danger has its fascination, every hazard its piquancy. "I am not sure," observed Susie, reflectively, as they went up the stair together, "that I approve of princes. They are too self-assured; they carry things with too high a hand. They are evidently too much accustomed to having their own way." "It seems to be a characteristic of lords, also," said Nell, with a little sigh. "What they need is a vigorous calling down. Well, that ought not to be so difficult!" and the dark eyes snapped ominously. "Though, perhaps, it's hardly worth the trouble," suggested Nell. "Perhaps not," assented her sister; but half an hour later she waylaid her father to give him her commands. "Dad," she said, "if the Prince of Markeld asks you for permission to call, you'll tell him he may. It's just one of these odious Old World customs." "So I judged," smiled her father. "He seems a nice fellow, and so when he asked me ten minutes ago, I told him we'd be glad to see him." "Did--did he mention any particular time?" faltered Sue. "Why, yes, now I think of it, I believe he said something about this evening." "Oh!" gasped Susie, and then closed her lips tightly together. "Well," she said to herself, as she turned away, "he hasn't lost any time, to be sure! I'm afraid he's worse than I thought!" CHAPTER XII