room. His Highness appeared to be pacing the floor like a caged animal
at the luncheon hour. The resemblance was heightened by the expression
in the royal eye as His Highness swung round at the opening of the door
and faced the financier.

"Why, say, Prince," said Mr. Scobell, "this is lucky. I been looking
for you. I just been to the Palace, and the main guy there told me you
had gone out."

"I did. And I met your stepdaughter."

Mr. Scobell was astonished. Fate was certainly smoothing his way if it
arranged meetings between Betty and the Prince before he had time to do
it himself. There might be no need for the iron hand after all.

"You did?" he said. "Say, how the Heck did you come to do that? What
did you know about Betty?"

"Miss Silver and I had met before, in America, when I was in college."

Mr. Scobell slapped his thigh joyously.

"Gee, it's all working out like a fiction story in the magazines!"

"Is it?" said John. "How? And, for the matter of that, what?"

Mr. Scobell answered question with question. "Say, Prince, you and
Betty were pretty good friends in the old days, I guess?"

John looked at him coldly.