"Herr Bastable!" and he drew himself up to his full height.
"To place one woman in danger merely for another woman's caprice is cowardly, Prince von Graven. And you are chiefly responsible."
"Do you speak in this way with Fräulein Althea's sanction?"
"On the contrary, she is all too willing to sacrifice herself."
"Then it is scarcely pertinent to the matter."
"Pertinent or impertinent, it is the truth," I declared bluntly, disgusted at his indifference to Althea's welfare.
"Are you seeking to force a quarrel upon me, sir?"
"No. I am merely trying to rouse you to do what you ought to do."
"I am the best judge of that."
"Then we may as well end the interview"; and I threw open the door.