“What the devil are you up to?” I demanded.

“Wait and see; wait and see.  Come, let us receive them in the hall.  The affair must be conducted on the line of court etiquette.  First, we shall try to avert hostilities by the aid of diplomacy; if that fails the Princess herself will be made to vindicate us.  And why not?”

“You are not going to drag her in!” I exclaimed.

“My dear Jack, of course not.  The Prince and the Count will do that for us.  You understand that she is concerned in all that is to take place, do you not?  Well, then, it will cost her but little.”

“But this fellow, the Prince!” I cried.  “Let us get out while there is time.”

Dan regarded me seriously.

“You aren’t afraid of him; what do you want to run away for?  My son, there will be some very good sport before this is done.  You will miss it by running away.”

“It’s meeting the man who is to marry her—­the woman I love.  That is the reason.”

“To marry her—­the woman I love!” he repeated softly.  “Yes, it is hard.  But it isn’t any worse for you than for me.”

“Forgive me, Dan!  You know—­”

“Yes, yes; I know,” crossly.  “Hang it! can’t I punch it into your head that I am taking all this trouble on your account?  If it were not for you, do you suppose I’d wait?  The Prince shall never marry the Princess.  Will that satisfy you?  Now, look pleasant, as the photographer says, for here they are.”

The Count entered first, then the Prince, who was followed by two cavalrymen.  Hillars and I stood silently by our chairs, and waited.  The Prince, a man with a hooked nose, black eyes with half-shut lids, regarded me curiously.  He had the air of one amused.

When his eyes grew accustomed to the semi-darkness of the room, the Count sounded a note of satisfaction.

“Ah! so you are here?  You have given me a devil of a chase.”

“I return the compliment, Herr General,” said Hillars, with a good-humored smile.  “But, may I ask, what the devil have you been chasing me for?”

For reply the Count turned to the cavalryman.

“Arrest that man and bind him,” he said.

“You might make the order wholesale,” said I stepping over to the side of Hillars.

“I told you there would be some sport,” whispered Dan.  He put his arm across my shoulders.

“And who, in the name of Weimer, are you?” bawled the Count.  He scrutinized me intently; then a light of recognition broke over his face.  “The other one!  A nest of them!”

“Count,” interposed the Prince, seating himself at the table, “let me have a short talk with them before you act.  There may be extenuating circumstances.  Anything of this sort amuses and interests me.  Let us use a little diplomacy in the matter.”

“Yes,” said Hillars; “let us lie a little.”

“And who can do it better than a journalist?” the Prince laughed.