Part 8 (2/2)
The chair went on to the desk, where it paused, while its occupant wrote a hasty sentence on a slip of paper, which he tore from his notebook. A moment later, it was presented to Susie by one of his attendants. She took it mechanically, and, with a low bow, the messenger hurried back to the chair.
”What in the world,” she began dazedly; then she unfolded the paper and read:
”Lord Vernon will be deeply grateful if he is not mentioned in connection with today's adventure.”
CHAPTER V
Tellier Takes a Hand
The Prince continued his walk to the limits of the beach, with Jax trotting humbly at his heels; then he returned slowly to the hotel and mounted to his apartment.
”That will do, Gluck,” he said, as he gave him his hat and gloves.
”Don't let me be disturbed.”
And Gluck, with his imperturbable mahogany face, silently withdrew to mount guard without the door.
The Prince sat down, lighted a cigarette, and stared moodily out of the window, down upon the s.h.i.+fting crowd which still thronged the beach. His hand, hanging inert by his side, became suddenly the receptacle for a moist nose.
”Ah, Jax; and did she pat you on the head, old boy?” he asked. ”And are you properly proud?”
Jax wiggled his remnant of a tail.
”Would you like to belong to her, Jax, and get patted every day? Yet she wouldn't take you--snapped me off short as that stump of yours when I offered you to her. Why was that, Jax?”
Jax couldn't say, not being familiar with the ways of fair Americans, and the Prince patted him softly on his n.o.bbly crown.
”Just the same, she was a beauty, Jax; slim, straight, full of fire--a thoroughbred; and with a sense of humour, my dear, which you will find in not many women. Did you notice her cheeks, Jax, and her eyes? But of course not; you were very properly grovelling before her. And I owe you eternal grat.i.tude, old boy; but for you, I'd have stalked past without seeing her. That would have been a pity, wouldn't it?”
There was a knock at the door and Gluck's head appeared.
”I thought I told you,” began the Prince--
”Your Highness will pardon me,” explained Gluck, quickly, ”but there is a man here who insists that Your Highness will see him.”
”Who is he?”
”This is his card, Your Highness,” and Gluck entered the room. ”I have sent it back once, saying that Your Highness was not to be disturbed. He returned it, insisting--”
Markeld took the card, glanced at it, and read:
_”M. Andre Tellier, Paris. Agent du Service de Surete”_
Beneath this was a pencilled line--”Concerning the question of the succession.”
The Prince stared at it a moment in some astonishment, not unmixed with irritation. What could this fellow know concerning the succession? It was most probably simply an impertinence. The Paris police were famous for impertinences.
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