"Yes?" her companion encouraged her, his eyes on her face. "I believe that I can help you," she concluded, a little lamely. "I want to help--the people. Of course, we Americans believe that a people ought to choose their own rulers--but where that isn't possible, the next best thing is to give them the best available. I should be proud to help do that!" "But you are taking my word for it," he protested. "You ought to hear the other side. Perhaps they might convince you--" "No, they wouldn't!" cried Susie. "Your word is all I need; you've explained things so clearly." "Thank you," he said, in a vibrant voice, still looking at her. "Besides," she added, with a glance upward, "dad agrees with you, and I've a great deal of faith in dad." "I shall be very glad of your help on any terms," he said, refusing to be cast down. "And you will tell me if anything unexpected happens? I may be able to help you more than you think." "Yes," he promised, "I will tell you the moment I have any news." "You haven't any real news--about the undercurrent, I mean? You don't _really_ know--" "No; it is just in the air; I do not know where the rumours come from, but my aunt has heard them also. There is a vague impression that we are losing." "But you shan't lose!" cried Susie. "You shan't lose; not even if I have to--to--" "Not even if you have to--?" prompted the Prince, eagerly, as she stammered and stopped. "To play my trump card," she finished, with a little unsteady laugh. "Don't ask me what it is, but it's a good one!" * * * * * Meanwhile, as she walked beside the invalid chair, Nell was making her confession. "Lord Vernon," she began, in a low voice, "for a time last night, I feared that I had utterly ruined your cause." He glanced up at her quickly. "In what way?" he asked. "You remember the note you wrote m--us the first day?" "Perfectly," he answered, noting the stammer, and understanding it, with a quick leap of the heart. "I should, no doubt, have destroyed it at once, but I thought it would be perfectly safe in my desk." "And it was stolen? No matter, Miss Rushford. It isn't worth worrying about. I'm sick of the whole affair, anyway--I shall rather welcome the catastrophe. You've lost sleep over it," he continued, looking at her keenly. "It has made you almost ill! I shall never forgive myself!" "Thank you," she said, softly, her lips trembling, her eyes very bright. "It is beautiful of you to be so generous. But fortunately the note was not stolen. I found it afterwards among some note-paper, where it had somehow found its way." "And you destroyed it?" "No," she said, and took it from her bosom. "I thought I would better restore it to you, so that you yourself could destroy it. Here it is," and she held it out to him with fingers not wholly steady. He took it, his eyes still on her face. "It has caused us enough trouble," he said, and made as though to tear it into bits.