"Yes, monsieur, Mees Rushford," and Pelletan stepped to one side, disclosing Sue. CHAPTER XX The Dowager's Bombshell She came no farther than the threshold and looked only at her father, though her eyes were shining with the consciousness of some one else's presence in the room--some one whom she had not in the least expected to find there. "Come, dad," she said. "Don't waste your time here. They're not worth it," and she held out her hand to him. But Vernon flung himself between them. "He shall not go," he cried, "until he has heard me. It is all a mistake--I see now where this detestable adventure in diplomacy has led me. My dear sir, if I were what you think me, I should deserve every word you have uttered to me--and more. But I am not married--I have never been married--I had hoped--" "Wait a minute," interrupted Rushford. "Don't go too fast. Come here, Susie, and help me to understand." Could Sue, as she came forward, have seen the gaze which Prince Frederick bent upon her, her heart might have relented a little toward him; but she did not see--she had eyes only for her father. "Now go ahead," said he, when he had his arm safely around her, "and be careful, sir," he added. "We want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." "That is what you shall have," said Vernon, and passed his hand across his forehead. "It occurs to me," put in Collins, icily, "that the story is not wholly yours to tell." "It isn't?" cried Vernon, turning upon him fiercely. "I suppose I'm to permit myself to remain in this damnable position for the sake of a lot of third-rate diplomats in our foreign office! They can go hang, for all I care. I chuck the whole thing! Do you hear? Do you understand? The whole thing!" Collins turned away with a shrug of despair. The situation had got beyond his control. "It is an explanation which I owe to the Prince of Markeld as well as to yourself, Mr. Rushford," went on Vernon, more slowly, speaking calmly by a great effort, "and which I was just about to make to him when you came in. I am not Lord Vernon--I am merely his younger brother. I bear a certain resemblance to him, and a lot of paper-diplomats persuaded me to impersonate him here in order to leave him free to carry out the negotiations for the succession to Schloshold-Markheim without being embarrassed by the representations of either side. I recall how half-heartedly he approved of the scheme, which had its origin in the fertile brain of Mr. Collins there. I see the reason now, though I didn't suspect it then. As to the succession, Monsieur le Prince, for all I know, the whole thing may by this time be settled. Collins could probably tell you, if he would--" "It is not settled,'' muttered Collins. "So you see," went on Vernon without heeding him, "I have done you an even greater wrong than you imagined." "Yes," said the Prince, in a hoarse voice, "you have." "But settled or not," said the other, "I wash my hands of it! I've had enough!"