"I repeat, I
am at the Prince's service. I am glad that it is within my power to
offer him this reparation."
"Very well," said the Prince, bowing, and again turned to the door; but
Vernon stopped him with a gesture.
"Before you go, before I can meet you, even," he said, quietly, "there
is a further explanation due you--"
"I have no wish to hear it," the Prince broke in.
"It is one which you must, nevertheless, listen to," went on Vernon,
coldly. "Confession would, perhaps, be a better word for it. Miss
Rushford did not know the whole truth."
"So!" said the Prince, with irony. "You acted unfairly, then, even with
your co-conspirators!"
Vernon flushed hotly, but kept himself in hand.
"The retort is unworthy of you," he said. "I assure you that Miss
Rushford was not in any sense a co-conspirator."
"Do you mean that she was ignorant of the deception you were playing?"
demanded the Prince, quickly.
"No; she was not ignorant of that; but she--"
The Prince held up his hand with an imperious gesture.
"No more," he said; "if this is the explanation--confession--what you
will--I repeat that I do not care to hear it."
"This is not it."
"It cannot, in any event, alter matters."
"I have no wish that it should alter matters, Your Highness!" retorted
Vernon, proudly.
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