As I was in the act of crossing the
hall which led to the ballroom, I was stopped. It was the Prince.
"Well," he said, smiling ironically, "the matter is, sadly for you,
definitely settled. Your friend may in truth be a Princess, but there
are no proofs. In the eyes of men they are sisters; in the eyes of the
law they are total strangers. I shall not ask you to congratulate me
upon my success. I shall now wed the Princess Hildegarde with a sense
of security. Come--have you seen her yet? She does not know that you
are here. It will be a surprise and a pleasure. As to that other
matter, I shall send a gentleman around to your rooms in the morning to
arrange the affair."
I shivered. I had forgotten that I had accepted a challenge.
"Take me to her," said I. "She will be happy indeed to see me, as you
know." I laughed in his face. "How convenient it would be for both of
us--her and me--should my bullet speed to the proper place! Believe
me, I shall be most happy to kill you. There are many things on the
slate to wipe out."
"I see that you are a gentleman of spirit," said he, smoothing the
scowl from his brow.
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