I have little fancy for nocturnal
escapades two nights together. As for you, Nella, off with you to
bed. The Prince and I will have a yarn over such fluids as can be
obtained in this hole.'
'Papa,' she said, 'you are perfectly horrid to-night.'
'Perhaps I am,' he said. 'Decidedly I am very cross with you for
coming over here all alone. It was monstrous. If I didn't happen to
be the most foolish of parents - There! Good-night. It's nine
o'clock. The Prince, I am sure, will excuse you.'
If Nella had not really been very tired Prince Aribert might have
been the witness of a good-natured but stubborn conflict between
the millionaire and his spirited offspring. As it was, Nella departed
with surprising docility, and the two men were left alone.
'Now,' said Racksole suddenly, changing his tone, 'I fancy that after
all I'm your man for a little amateur investigation to-night. And, if
I must speak the exact truth, I think that to sleep on this affair
would be about the very worst thing we could do. But I was
anxious to keep Nella out of harm's way at any rate till to-morrow.
She is a very difficult creature to manage, Prince, and I may warn
you,' he laughed grimly, 'that if we do succeed in doing anything
to-night we shall catch it from her ladyship in the morning. Are
you ready to take that risk?'
'I am,' the Prince smiled. 'But Miss Racksole is a young lady of
quite remarkable nerve.
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