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CHAPTER I.
EAR off In tin' mountain land*,
somewhere to the oust of the
setting sun. Ilea tin* principali
ty of lirauatark. serene relic of
rnro old feudal days. Thi> trnvelt'r
reaches tin* little domain after un ar
dlloua, sometimes perilous. Journey
front the grout European capitals,
whether they l>e north or south or west
?never east. He crosses great rivers
and wide plains: he winds through fer
tile valleys and over barren plateaus,
he twists and turns and clituhs among
soinlter (forges and rugged mountaius;
he touches the cold clone J in one day
and the placid warmth uf the valley In
the next. One does not go to tiraustark
for a pleasure Juunt. It is too far from
the rist of the world, and the ways are
often dangerous because of the strife
among the tribes of the Intervening
mountains. If one hungers for excite
ment and peril, he linds It In the Jour
ney front the north or the south Into
the land of the Oraustarklaiis. From
Vienna and other places almost direct
ly west the wny la not so full of thrills,
for the railroad skirts the darkest of
the danger lands.
Once in the heart of tiraustark, how
ever, the traveler Is charmed Into
dreams of peace and happluess and?
paradise. The peusants and the poets
sing in one voice and accord, their
psalm being of never ending love,
IlowD In the lowlands and up In the
hills the simple worker of the soli re
joices that he lives In Oraustiuk; in the
towns nnd villages the humble mer
chant and bis thrifty customer uulte
to slug the song of peace und content
ment; in the pu laces of tin* noble the
same patriotism warms its heart with
thoughts of tiraustark, the ancient.
Prince und pauper strike hands for the
love of the land, while outside the
great, heartless world goes rumbling
on without u thought of the rare little
principality among the eastern mouu
tains
lu point of area tlruustark Is but a
uilte in the great galaxy of nutiona.
Glancing over the map of the world,
one is almost sure to miss the iutluites
linal patch of green that marks Ita lo
cution. One could not lie blamed If
he regarded the spot as a typograph
ical or topographical Illusion. Yet the
people of this quaint little lund hold
lu their hearts a love and -a confidence
that are not surpassed by any of the
lordly inonurehs who measure their
patriotism by miles and millions. The
Graustarkluns area sturdy, courageous
race. From the faraway century when
they fought themselves clear of the
Tartar yoke to this very hour they
have been warriors of might and valor.
The boundaries of their tiny domain
were kept Inviolate for hundreds of
years, iiud but one victorious foe had
come down to lay siege to' Kdelwelss,
the capital. Axphain. a powerful prin
cipality In the north, had conquered
Graustark lu the latter part of the
nineteenth century, but only after a
bitter war lu which starvation and
famine proved far more destructive
tliau the arms of the victors. The
treaty of peace and the indemnity that
fell to the lot of vanquished tiraustark
have lieen discoursed upon at length
In at least one history.
Those who hnve followed that his
tory must know, of course, that the
reigning prim-ess, Yetive, was married
to a young American at the very tag
end of the nineteenth century. This
admirable couple met in quite romantic
fashion while the young sovereign was
traveling Incognito through the United
States of America. The American, a
splendid fellow named Ix>rry, was so
persistent in the subsequent attack
upon ber heart that all ancestral preju
dices were swept away, and she be
came iiis urine wmi me 11111 consent or
tier entranced subjects. Tbe manner
In which he wooed and won thia yonnn
and adorable ruler forms a very at
tractive chapter in romance, although
unmentioned in history. This being
tbe tale of another dny. It Is not timely
to dwell upon the interesting events
which led up to the marriage of the
Princess Yetlve to Grenfall Ixirry. Suf
fice it to say that I.orry won his bride
against ail wishes and odds and at
the same time won an endless love and
esteem from the people of the little
kingdom among the eastern hills Two
years have imssed since that notable
wedding in Edelweiss.
I/orry and his wife, the princess,
made their home in Washington, but
spent a few months of each year in
Edelweiss. Iiuring the periods spent
In Washington and in travel ber affairs
In Graustark were In the bands of a
capable, austere old diplomat, ber
uncle. Count Caspar Halfont. Princess
Volga reigned as regent over the prln
cipallty of Axphaln. To the south lay
the principality of Dawsbergen, ruled
by young Prince DaDtan, whose half
brother, the deposed Prince Gabriel,
had been for two years a prisoner in
Graustark, the convicted assassin of
Prince Ixuvnz of Axphain, one time
suitor for the hand of Yetlve.
It was after the second visit of tbe
Lorry* to Edelweiss that a serious turn
of affairs pvsenled itself. Gabriel hnd
succeeded In i scaping from his dun
geuiiH His frierils In Dawsbergen
stilted i;j. :? i - '? . and Dautau was
driven fr.:.. t' ? ? ? at Serros. Ca
the nrrlvul of Oabriol at the capital
the army of Itawslstrgen espoused the
cause of the prince It hail spurned, anil,
three days after til* escape, he tru on
hla throne, defying Vetlve and offering
a price for the head of the unfortunate
Ltautun, now a fugitive ill the hills
along the tiraustark frontier.
CHAITElt II.
|UOK OEOIUJE CALHOUN Was
a member of congress from one
of the aoiitlieru states. His
| l__J forefathers tiad represented the
same commonwealth, and so, it was
likely, would his descendants, If there
Is virtue in the illness of things and
the heredity of love. While Intrepid
frontiersmen were opening the trails
through the fertile wilds west of the
Allcghaiilcs u strong hrunch of thet'al
liouu family followed close In their
footsteps. The major's great-grand
fattier saw the glories Hiid the possl
hi lit les of the new territory. He struck
holdly forward from the old Bovolu
tlonary grounds, abandoning the Itixu
rlet: and trsditlons of the I'arollnas for
a fresh, wlhl life of promise. Ills sons
and daughters Itocauie solid stones In
the foundation of a commonwealth,
and Ids grsiidclilldren are still at work
on the structure. State and national
legislatures had known the Calhouna
from the ts-glniilng Battlefields had
tested their valor, nnil drawing rooms |
had proved their gentility.
Major t'alhotui had fought with
Stouewall Jackson and won bis spurs,
and lit the same time the heart and
hand of lletty Huswell, the stancbest
Confederate who ever made tlugs.
handages and iirayers for the boys In j
grsy. When the reconstruction came
he wont to congress, and later on lie
came prominent In the United States
consulsr service, for years holding an
important European post. Congress
claimed him once more in the early
nineties, and there he Is at this very i
time.
Everybody In Washington's hoc in I I
anil diplomatic circles admired the |
beautiful Beverly Calhoun. According j
to his own loving term of Identifies j
tlou. she was the major's "youngest."
The fair southerner had seen two sea
sons In tlii> nation's capital. Cupid,
standing directly in front of her, had |
shot his darts ruthlessly and resist
lessly Into the passing hosts, and mas
eullne Washington looked huiuhly to
her for the Imliii that might soothe Its !
pains. The wily god of love was fair
enough to protect the girl whom he
forced to lie his unwilling, perhups un
conscious, ally, lie held his Impeue
treble shield between her heart and j
the nssaults of a whole urtuy of suit
ors, high and low, great and small. It
was not idle rumor that said she had
declined a coronet or two, that the
millions of more than one American
?Mldns had been offered to her and that
she had dealt gently but firmly with a
score of hearts which had nothing but
love, ambition and poverty to support
them in the conflict.
The Cnlhouiis lived in a handsome
home not far from the residence of Mr
and Mrs. (Ironfall lairry. It seemed
but natural that the two beautiful
young women should become constant
and loyal friends Women as lovely
as they have no reason to be Jealous
It la only the woman who does not feel
secure of her |iersonnl charms that
cultivates envy. At the home of (Iran
stark's princess Beverly met the dukes
and barons from the far east. It was
In the warmth of the Calhoun hospital
Ity that Yetlve forined-ber dearest love
for the American people.
Miss Beverly was neither tall nor
short. She was of that divine and In
definite height known as medium: slen
der, but iwfectiy ">oldcd; strong. lint |
graceful nu absolutely healthy young
person, whose beauty knew well how ]
to take care of Itself. Being quite j
heart whole and fancy free, she slept
well, ate well and enjoyed every min
ute of life. In her blood ran the warm,
eager impulses of the south; hereditary
love of ease and luxury displayed Itself
in every emotion;, the perfectly normal
demand ti|>nn men's admiration was us
characteristic in her as it Is In any
daughter of the land whose women
are lairn to expect chivalry and liom
age.
A couple of years In a New York
"finishing school" for young ladies had
served greatly to modify Miss (*al
boon's colloquial charms. Mauy of her
delightful "way down south" phrases
and mannerisms were blighted by the
cold, unromantlc ntjnoaphere of a sem
luary conducted by two ladies from
Boston who .were too old to marry, too ;
penurious to love and too prim to think
that other women might care to do
both. There were times, however?if
she were excited or enthusiastic? when
pretty Beverly so fur forgot her train
ing as to break forth with a very at
tractive "yo' all," "suab 'nough" or "go
'long naow " And when the bands
played "Dixie" she was not afraid to
stand up and wave her handkerchief
The northerner who happened to be
with her on such occasions usually !
found himself doing likewise before he
could escape the Infection.
Miss Calhoun's face was one that
painters coveted deep down In their
artistic souls, ll never knew a Coil lu
stant; there was expression In every
lineament, lu every look; life, genuine
life, dwelt In the mobile countenance
that turned tbe bead of every uian and
woman who lookisl upon it. Her hair
was dark brown and abundant; her |
eyes were n deep gray and looked j
eagerly from between long huhes of
bluek; her lip* were red and ever
willing to smile or turn plaintive a* oc
casion required; ber brow wu* broud
and fair, and ber frown was a* danger
ant a* a smile.
As to her age, if tlie major admitted,
tomewbat Indiscreetly. that all blschU
ilren were old enough to vote, her
mother, with the reluctance horn lu
women, confessed that she was past
twenty, ao a year or two either way
will determine Miss Beverly'* age so
far as the telling of this story la con
cerned. Ilcr eldest brother, Keith Cul
lioitn (the one with the congressional
heritage), thought she was too young
to marry, while her second brother.
Dun, held that she hooii would he too
old to uttract men with inutriuioulal
intentions. I.t'.ey, the only sister, hav
ing I een happily wedded for ten years,
advised her not to think of marriage
until she was old enough to know her
own miud.
Toward the close of one of the most
brilliant seasons the cupltal had ever
known, less than a fortnight before
congress was to adjourn, the wife-si f
Grcnfall I.orry received the news
which spread gloomy disappointment
over the entire social realm. A dozen
receptions, teas and balls were dps
tined to loae their richest attraction,
and hostesses were in despair. The
princess bud been called to Gransturk.
Beverly Calhoun was miserably un
happy. She bad heard tbe story of Ga
briel's escape and the consequent prob
ability of a conflict with A\phalli It
dlil not require a great stretch of iuiag
Inatlon to convince her that tbe 1 sirrys
were hurrying oft to scenes of Intrigue,
strife and bhxstsbed, and thut not only
Grausturk, but its princess, was Id
Jeopardy.
Miss Calhoun's most cherished hopes !
faded with the announcement that
trouble, not pleasure, called Vetlve to
Edelweiss. It had been their plan that
Revert; should spend the delightful
summer mouths in Cirausturk, a guest
at the royal pulace. The original ar
rangements of the Isirrys were hope
lessly disturbed by the late news from
Count Ilalfont. They were obliged to
leave Washington two months earlier
than they intended, and they could not
take Bever'y Calhoun Into danger rid
den Graustark. The contemplated visit
to St. Petersburg and other pleasures
bad to he abandoned, and they were in
tears
Yetlve'tf utnids were packing the
trunks, and Lorry's servants were in
i wild state of haste preparing for the
departure on Saturday's ship. On Fri
day afternoon Beverly was naturally
where site could do the inost*good and
be of the least help?at the Lorry a\
Self confessedly she delayed the
preparations. Respectful maidservants
and respectful manservants came of
ten to the princess' boudoir to ask
questions. and Beverly Just as fre
quently made tearful resolutions to
leave the household In peace If such
a hullabaloo eould lie ealled peace.
Callers cauie by the dozen, bnt Yetive
would see no one. letters, telegrams
ami telephone calls almost swumped
her secretary; the footman nnd the
butler fairly gasped uudef the strain
of excitement. Through it all the two
friends sat despondent and alone In
the drear room that once had lieen the
abode of pure delight. (Irenfall Lorry
was off In town closing up all matters
of business that could lie dispatched at
once. The princess and her Industri
ous retinue were to take the evening
express for New York, and the next
day would find them at sea.
"I know I shall cry nil summer."
vowed Miss Calhoun, with conviction
In her eyes. "It's Just too awful for
anything." She was lying back among
the cushions of the divan, and her hat
was the picture of cruel neglect. For
three solid hours she had stubbornly
withstood Yetlve's appeals to remove
her hat. insisting that she could not
trust herself to stay" more than a mln
itte or two. "It seems to me, J'ettve.
that your Jailers must lie very ineom
latent or they wouldn't have let loose
all this trouble U|>oii you." she com
plained.
"Prince Gabriel la the very essence
of trouble," confessed Yetive plain
tively. "He was born to annoy peo
ple, just Ilk* the evil prince In the
fairy tales,"
"I wish we had him over here," the
American girl answered stoutly. "He
wouldn't he such a trouble, I'm sure.
We don't let small troubles worry us
very long, you know."
"But he's dreadfully lmjKirtant over
then', Beverly: that's the difficult part
of It." said Yetive solemnly. "You
see. he Is a condemned murderer."
"Then you ought to hang him or
electrocute him or whatever It Is that
you do to murderers over there." spoke
Beverly promptly.
"But. dear, you don't understand.
He won't permit us either to hang or
to electrocute him, my dear. The sitna
tlon Is precisely the reverse, if he is
correctly quoted by my uncle. tYhen
Uncle Caspar sent an envoy to Inform
Dawshorgen respectfully that Grau
stark would hold It personally respon
sible if Gabriel were not surrendered.
Gabriel himself replied, 'Graustark lie
hanged!'"
"How rude of him, especially when
your uncle was so courteous about It!
He must lie a very disagreeable jier
son," announced Miss Calhoun.
"I am sure you wouldn't like him,"
said the princess. "His brother, who
has been driven from the throne and
from the capital, In fact?Is quite dif
ferent. I have not seen him, but my
ministers regard him as a splendid
young man."
"Oh. how I hope he may ?o back
with his army aud annihilate that old
' Gabriel!" cried Beverly, frowning
' fiercely.
"Alan," sighed tlie princess, "he j
hasn't an Briny, and Itoside.s he is find
ing It extremely difficult to keep from
behig anuiliilated himself. The army )
has gone over to I'rlnce Gabriel."
"I'oob!" scoffed Miss Calhoun, who
was thiukinB of the enormous armies
'he I'nlted States ran produce at a
lay's notice. "What good Is a ridicu
lous little army like his anyway? A
battalion from I-'ort Thomas could
iieat it to"? ?
"lion't boast, dear," Interrupted Ye
tive, with a wan smile. "Dawstorgen
has a standing army of lO.DUO excel
lent soldiers. With the war reserves
she has twice the available force I can
prod Bee."
"But your men are so brave!" cried
Beverly, who had heard their praises
sung.
"True Ibid bless them!?but you for
get that we must attack Gabriel in his
on ii territory. To recapture him
means a perilous expedition into the
niountiilns of Iiawsbergen, and I am
sorely afraid. Oh, dear, I hope he'll
surrender peaceably!"
"And go back to Jail for life?" cried
Miss Calhoun. "It's a good deal to
expect of him, dear. I fancy It's much
belter fun kicking up a rumpus ou the
outside tha i It Is kicking one's toes off
against nil obdurate stone wall from
the Inside. You can't blame him for
fighting a bit."
"No. I suppose not," ugreed the prin
cess miserably. "Gren is actually hap \
py over the miserable affair, Beverly,
lie is full of eutbusiasm and iKwitively
aching to be in Graustilrk?right in the
thick of it all. To bear bim talk one
would think that I'rinee Gabriel has
no show at all. He kept me up till 4
o'clock this morning telling me that
L)awsliergen didn't know what klud of
a snag it was going up against. I have
a vague ideu what he means by that.
Ills manner did not leave mncb room
for doubt He also said that we would
jolt Duwsbergeu off the map. It
sounds encouraging at least, doesn't
lt?"
"It sounds very funny for you to say '
those things." admitted Beverly, "even
though they come secondhand. You
were not cut out for slang."
"Why, I'm sure they are all good
Kngllsh words." remonstrated Yetive.
Het hearers stared at the picturesque re- '
cniit. I
"Oh, dear, I wonder what they are do 3
ing in Uraustark this very instant. '
Are they fighting or"?
"No; they are merely talking. Don't 1
you know, dear, that there is never a '
tight until lioth sides have talked them <
selves out of breath? We shall have !
six months of talk and a week or two
of fight, just as they always do now- <
adays." t
"Oh. you Americans have such a (
comfortable way of looking at things." <
cried the princess. "Don't you ever
see the serious side of life?" I
"My dear, the American always lets
the other fellow see the serious side of !
life," said Beverly. I
"You wouldn't, lie so optimistic if a
country much bigger and more power I
ful than America happened to be the
other fellow." 1
"It did sound frightfully boastful,
didn't it? It's the way we've been i
brought up, I rpckon?even we south- ?
erners, who know what it is to be
whipped. The idea of a girl like me
talking about war and trouble and all ,
that! It's absurd, isn't it?"
"Nevertheless, I wish I could see |
tilings through those dear gray eyes of] I
yours. Oh, how I'd like to have you '
with me through all the mouths that
are to come. You would be such a help
to me, such a Joy. Nothing would seem
so hard if you were there to make me
see things through your brave Ameri
can eyes. The princess put her arras "
about Beverly's neck and drew her '
close.
"But Sir. Lorry possesses an excel- 0
lent pair of American eyes." protested c
Miss Beverly, loyally and very happily. a
"I know. dear, but they are a man's f
eyes. Somehow there is a difference,
you know. I wouldn't dare cry when '
he was looking, but I could boohoo all ''
day If you were there to comfert me 1
He thinks 1 am very brave, and I'm 0
not." she confessed dismally. d
"Oh. I'm an awful coward." explain- P
ed Beverly consolingly. "I think you 0
are the bravest girl in all the world," *
she added. "Don't you remember what o
you did at"? and then she recalled the n
stories that had come from Graugtark s
ahead of the bridal party two years be- n
fore. Y'etlve was finally obliged to tl
place her hand on the enthusiastic h
visitor's lips. n
"Peace," she cried, blushing. "You b
make me feel like a?a?what is It you ti
call her. a dime novel heroine?" e
"A yellow back girl? Never!" ex p
claimed Beverly severely. II
Visitors of Importance In admin's' n a
tlon circles came at this moment, and y
Tie princess could not refuse to boo
them. Reverly Calhoun reluctantly de
parted, hut not until after giving a
promise to accompany the lorry* to
the railway atatiou.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
The trunk* hud gone to he checked,
uud the household was quieter than It
hud hecn In many day*. There wait an
air of depress; >n about the place that
hud Its Incept >n lu the room upstairs
where sober faced Hulkins served din
iter for u not overtulkutive young
eoup'.e.
"It will he all right, nearest," said
1.0it), dhliilng his wife's thoughts us
she sut staring rather soberly straight
ahead Of her. "Just us soou us we
get to Edelweiss the whole affair will
iook so simple that we cuu laugh ut
the tears of today. You see, we are a
long way off just now."
"I am only afraid of what may hap
pen before we get there, tlreu," she
said simply, lie leaned over and kiss
ed her hand, stniliug at the emphasis
she uueonsciously placed on the pro
noun.
Beverly Calhoun was announced Just
before coffee was served and a mo
ment later was lu the room. She stop
|ied just Inside the door, clicked her j
little heels together and gravely brought
her baud to "salute." Her eyes were
sparkling uud her litis trembled with
suppressed excitement.
"I think I cau report to you In Edel
weiss next month, general," she un
nounced, with soldierly dignity. Iler
hearers stared at the picturesque re
cruit, arid Hulkins so far forgot him
self us to drop Mr. Lorry's lump of
sugar upon the table instead of into
the cup.
"Explain yourself, sergeant!" finally
fell from lorry's lips. The eyes of
the princess were lieginuing to take on
a rapturous glow.
"\lllv I tlA UO A cur* nf , , IT.... nlaaaa
sir? I've beeu so excited I couldn't
eat a mouthful at home." She grace
fully slid Into the chair Halkina of
fered and broke into an ecstatic giggle
that would bare resulted in a court
martial had she been serving any
commander but Love.
With a plenteous supply of southern
Idioms she succeeded in making them
understand that the major had prom
iaed to let her visit friends in the lega
tion at St. Petersburg In April, a month
>r so after the departure of the Lorrys.
"He wanted to know where I'd rath
er spend the spring?Washin'ton or
l.exln'tou?and I told him St. Peters
burg. We had a terrific discussion,
and neither of us ate a speck at din
ner. Mamma said it would be all right
for me to go to St. Petersburg If Aunt
losephine was still of a mind to go too.
Vou set1, auntie was scared almost out
>f her boots when she heard there was
[irospect of war in Graustark, Just as
though a tiny little war like that could
inake any ilitTereuce away up In Rus
sia, hundreds of thousands of miles
iway"?with a scornful wave of the
liand "and then I just made auutie
say she'd go to St. Petersburg in April,
i whole month sooner than she expect
ed to go In the tirst place, and"?
"Vou dear, dear Beverly!" cried Ye
tive, rushing joyously around the table
o clasp her in her arms.
"And St. Petersburg really isn't a
lundred thousand miles from Edel
weiss!" cried Beverly gayly.
"It's much less than that," said Lor- j
?y. smiling. "But you surely don't
txpect to come to Edelweiss if we are
lghting. We couldn't think of letting |
rou do that, you know. Your mother |
could never"?
"My mother wasn't afraid of a much '
Jigger war than yours can ever hoi>e
o lie!" cried Beverly resentfully. "You
?an't stop me if I choose to visit Grau- j
dark."
"Iboes your father know that you j
?ontcmplatc sucli a trip?" asked I-orry,
?eturning her baud clasp and looking
ioubtfully Into the swimming blue I
?yes of his wife.
"No, be doesn't," admitted Beverly a
Ttfle aggressively.
"He could stop you, you know," he
mggested. Yetive was discreetly si
ent.
"But he won't know anything about
t." cried Beverly triumphantly.
"I could tell him, you know," said
!a>rry.
"No, you couldn't do anything so
nean as that," announced Beverly, j
'You're not that sort."
CHAPTER III.
3 PONDEROUS coach lumbered
slowly, almost painfully, along I
the narrow road that skirted
the base of a mountain. It wus
Irawn by four horses, and upon the
eat sat two rough, unkempt Russians, j
ine holding the reins, the other lying
?ack In a lazy doze. The mouth was j
une. and all the world seemed soft
nd sweet and joyous. To the right
lowed a turbulent mountain stream, j
lolling savagely with the alien waters
f the flood season. Ahead of the j
reaktng eoaeh rode four horsemen.
11 heavily armed; another quartette
ollowed some distance in the rear,
tt the side of the coach an officer of i
he Russian mounted police was rtd
ag easily. Jangling his aecouterments
ritli n vigor that disheartened at least
ne occupant of the vehicle. The win
ows of the coach doors were lowered,
erraitting the fresh mountain air to
aress fondly the face of the young j ,
roman who tried to find comfort In
ne of the broad seats. Sim* early
lorn she had struggled with the h&rd
hips of that seat, aud the late after
oon found her very much out of pa
lence. The opposite seat was the rest
tg place of a substantial colored wo
lan and a stupendous pile of bags and
oxes. The boxes were continually
jppling over, anil the bags were for
ver getting under the foot of the once
lacld servant, whose face, quite luck
y, was much too black to reflect the
ngor she was able otherwise, through
ears of practice, to conceal.
"How much farther have we to go,
lieutenant?" asked the girl on the rear
seat plaintively, even humbly. The
man was very deliberate with hia
English. He had been recommended
to her as the best linguist in the serv
ice at llndovltch. and he had a repu
tation to sustain.
"It another hour is but yet," he man
aged to iuform her, with a confident
smile.
"Oh, dear," she sighed, "a whole hour
of this!"
v"We soon be dar. Miss Bev'ly. Jes'
yo' mak' up yo' min' to res' easy-like,
an' we"? But the faithful old colored
woman's advice was lost in the wrath
ful exclamation that accompanied an
other dislodguieut of bags and boxes.
The wheels of the coach had dropped
suddenly Into a deep rut. Aunt Fan
ny's growls were scarcely more potent
thun poor Miss Beverly's moans.
"It Is getting worse and worse," ex
claimed Aunt Fanny's mistress petu
lantly. "I'm black and blue from head
to foot, aren't you. Aunt Fanny?"
"Ah caln' say as to de blue. Miss
Bev'ly. IFt's a mos' monstrous bad
road, sho 'noug'.i. Stay up dar, will
yo'?" she concluded, jamming a bag
into au upper corner.
Miss Calhoun, tourist extraordinary,
again consult ? 1 the linguist in the sad
dle. She knew at the outset that the
quest would lie hopeless, but she could
think o" no better way to pass the next
hour than to extract a mite of informa
tion from the officer.
"Now for a good old chat," she said,
beaming a smile upou the grizzled Rus
sian. "Is there a deceit hotel In the
village?" she asked.
They were on the edge of the village
before she succeeded in finding out all
that she could, and it was not a great
deal, either. She learned that the tows
of Balak was In Axphaln, scarcely a
mile from the Graustark Hue. There
Wfltl nn Mltinir u nil uIIWWliner hniiuix nn
the main street, and the population of
the place did not exceed 300.
When Miss Beverly awoke the next
morning, sore and distressed, she look
ed back upon the night with a horror
that sleep had been kind enough to in
terrupt only at intervals. The wretched
hostelry lived long In her secret cata
logue of terrors. Her bed was not a
bed; It was a torture. The room, the
table, the?but it was all too odious for
description. Fatigue was her only
friend In that miserable bole. Aunt
Fanny had slept on the floor near her
mistress' cot, and it was the good old
colored woman's grumbling that awoke
Beverly. The sun was climbing up the
mountains In the east, and there was
an air of general activity about the
place. Beverly's watch told her that it
was past 8 o'clock.
"Good gracious!" she exclaimed.
"It's nearly noon. Aunt Fanny. Hurry
along here and get me up. We must
leave this abominable place in ten min
utes." She was up and racing about
excitedly.
"Befo" break fas'?" demanded Aunt
Fanny weakly.
"Goodness, Aunt Fanny, is that all
you think about?"
"Well, honey, yo'Il be thinkin'
moughty serious 'bout breakfas' 'long
to'ahds 'leben o'clock. I>at li'l tum
my o' yourn'll be pow'ful mad "cause
yo' dldn' "?
"Very well, Aunt Fanny, you can
run along and have the woman put up
a breakfast for us, and we'll eat it on
the road. I positively refuse to eat
another mouthful In that awful dining
room. I'll be down in tea minutes."
She was down in less. Sleep, no
matter how hard earned, had revived
her spirits materially. She pronounced
herself ready for anything. There was
a wholesome disdain for the rigors of
the coming ride through the mountains
In the way she gave orders for the
start. The Russian officer met her
just outside the entrance to the inn.
He was less English than ever, but he
eventually gave her to understand that
he had secured permission to escort
her as far as Ganlook, a town in
Graustark not more than fifteen miles
from Edelweiss and at least two days
from Balak. Two competent Axphain
ian guides had been retained, and the
party was quite ready to start. He
had been warned of the presence of
brigands in the wild mountainous
passes north of Ganlook. The Rus
sians could go no farther than Gan
look because of a royi^ edict from
Edelweiss forbidding the nearer ap
proach of armed forces. At that town,
however, he was sure she easily could
obtain an escort of Graustarkian sol
diers.
As the big coach crawled up the
mountain road and farther Into the
oppressive solitudes Beverly Calhoun
drew from the difficult lieutenant con
siderable information concerning the
state of affairs in Grnustark. She had
been eagerly awaiting the time when
something definite could be learned.
Before leaving St. Petersburg early In
the week she was assured that a state
of war did not exist. The Princess
Yetive had been In Edelweiss for six
weeks. A formal demand was framed
soon after her return from America re
quiring Dawsbergen to surrender the
person of Prince Gabriel to the author
ities of Graustark. To this demand
there was no definite response, I>aws
bergen insolently requesting time in
which to consider the proposition.
Axphain Immediately sent an envoy
to Edelweiss to say that all friendly
relations iwtwejn the two govern
ments would cease unless Graustark
took vigorous steps to recapture the
royal assassin. On one side bf the
?nhappy principality a strong, over
bearing princess was egging Graustark
an to fight, while on the other side an
equally aggressive people defied Ye
tive to come and take the fugitive If
she could. The poor princess was be
tween two ugly alternatives, and a
struggle seemed inevitable. At Balak
t was learned that Axphain had re
cently sent a final appeal to the gov
ernment of Graustark, and It was no