“You have lost sympathy with England, have you not, Prince Shan?” Maggie asked him.

He turned towards her, a faint but kindly smile upon his lips, a light in his eyes which she did not altogether understand.

“Lady Maggie,” he said quietly, “they tell me that you are interested in the political side of my visit to this country.”

“Who tells you that?” she demanded.  “What have I to do with politics?”

“You have been gifted with great intelligence,” he continued, “and you are the confidante of your connection, Lord Dorminster.  Lord Dorminster is one of those few Englishmen who realise the ill direction of the destinies of this country.  You would like to help him in his present very strenuous efforts to ascertain the truth as to certain movements directed against the British Empire.  That is so, is it not?”

“In plain words, you are accusing me of being a spy.”

“Ah, no!” he protested gently.  “No one can be a spy in one’s own country.  You are within your rights as a patriot in seeking to discover whatever may be useful knowledge to the English Government.  That, I fear, is one reason for your kindness to me, Lady Maggie.  I trust that it is not the only reason.”

She knew better than to make the mistake of denial.  After all, it was an absurdly unequal contest.

“It is not the only reason,” she assured him, a little tremulously.

“I am glad.  One word more upon this subject, and we speak of other things.  Please, Lady Maggie, do not stoop to be hopelessly obvious in these efforts of yours.  If I drop a pocketbook, believe me there will be nothing in it to interest you.  If I speak with Immelan or any other, save in the secrecy of my chamber, there will be nothing which it will be worth your while to overhear.  If Lord Dorminster should decide to adopt buccaneering expedients and kidnap me, the attempt would probably fail; and if it succeeded, it would in the end profit you nothing.  As you say over here, for your sake, Lady Maggie, I will lay the cards upon the table.  I am discussing with Oscar Immelan, and indirectly with an emissary from Russia, a certain scheme which, if carried out, would certainly be harmful to this country.  I shall decide for or against that scheme entirely as it seems to me that it will be for the good or evil of my own country.  Nothing will change my purpose in that.  In your heart you know that nothing should change it.  But I bring to the deliberations upon which we are engaged a new sentiment towards your country, since I have known you.  Other things being equal, I shall decline the scheme for your sake, Lady Maggie.”

There was a curious quivering at the corners of her mouth and a lump in her throat.  She was absolutely incapable of speech.  His grave and reasonable words seemed to fill her with a sense of importance.  Her little efforts and schemes seemed puny, almost laughable.