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CHAlTEll XXI.
mUK next morning Aunt Fanny
had a liarit time of it. Her
mistreat was |**ulant; there
was no sunshine iu the bright
August day as It np|icared to her. To
ward dawn, after she had counted
many millions of black sheep Jumping
backward over a fence, she had fallen
asleep. Aunt Fanny clayed her usual
Instructions on this luckless morning
It was Beverly's rule to be called ev
ery morning at 7 o'clork. But how
was 1st attendant to know that the
graccftil young creature, who had kick
ed the counterpane to the foot of the
bed aud had mauled the pillow out of
all shape, had slept for less than thirty
minutes? Ilow was she to know that
the flushed face and frowu were lorn
In the course of a night of distressing
perplexities? She knew only that the
sleeping beauty who lay before her
was the fairest creature In all the uni
verse For some uilau'.ee Aunt Fanny
stood off and admired the rlch youthful
glory of the s'ee|>er. prophetically re
lurtant to disturb tier happiness. Then
wbe obeyed the Impulse of duty and
'spoke the summoning words.
"Wha?wlmt time Is If?" demanded
the newcomer from (lie land of Nod,
stretching her flue young body with a
splendid but discontented yawn
"Bctveu, Miss Bev'ly. Wha' time do
yo' s'pose hit Is? lilt's d' reg'lah time,
o' co'se. Did po' nil have a idee sleep,
honey?" and Aunt Fanny went bliss
fully about the business of the hour.
"I didn't sleep a wink, confound It."
grumbled Beverly, riibltfug her eyes
and turning on her back to glare up ut
"the tapestry aliove the coach.
"Yo' wb wlnkln' any when Ah
fust con * > de room, letnme tell
yo'," cm led \unt Fanny, with caus
tic frecdo: i %
"See here now Aunt Fanny, I'm not
going to i 1 uny lecture from you
this pier tin- When a fellow hasn't
slept a"
"Who's a lecturln' anybody, Ah'd Ink
?to know '.' Ali'm Jes' tellln' yo' what
yo' was a-doin' when Ah came into do
room. Yo' was n sleepln' p'ctty dog
gone tlgjit, lemme tell yo'. Is yo' golu'
out fo' yo' walk l?fo' b'eakfus', honey?
'Cause If yo' is. yo' all 'II be oblecged
to cliinb out'n dat baid maghty quick
like. Yo' baf Is ready. Miss Bev'ly."
Beverly splashed the water with un
reasonable ferocity for a few minutes,
trying to enjoy a diversion that had
not failed her until this morning.
"Aunt Fanny." she announced after
looking darkly through her wludow
Into the mountains above, "If you
can't brush tny linlr?ouch!- any easier
than this I'll have some one else do
It, that's all. You're a regular old
bear."
"Po' HI' honey," whs all the com
placent hear said in reply, without al
tertng her methods In the least.
"Well." said Beverly threateningly,
with a shake of her head, "be careful,
that's all. Have you heard the news?"
"W'ha" news. Miss Bev'ly?"
"We're going back to Washlu'tou."
"Thank de Iaiwd! When?"
"I don't know. I've Just this instant
made up my tnlud. I think we'll start
?let's see. tills Is the Oth of August,
Isn't It? Well, hwk and see If you
don't know, stupid! The litth? My
goodness! Where tins the time gone,
tnyway? Well, we'll start some time
tat*Mil the 11th ami the 12th."
"Of dis tuouf, Miss Bev'ly.?"
"No. September. I want you to
look up a time table for tne today. Wo
must see about the trains."
"1 ley's on'y one leaviu' heah dally, an'
hit goes at ti in de ino'nln*. One train
a day! Aln' dat scan'lous?"
"I'm sure, Aunt Fanny, It Is their
business, not ours," said Beverly so
verely.
"P'raps dey mought be runuin' a
?ejcuhslon rotin' 'U>ut Sejitembeh, Miss
Uev'ly," speculated Aunt Fauny con
solingly. "Hey gen'ly has 'em In Sep
? teinbeh."
"You old goose," cried Beverly in
gplte of herself
"Aln' j*)' babln' er good time.
f v honey ?"
'"No, I um not"
' 'Fo' de lan' sake. Ah woigdn'
s'plcloned hit fo' a uiinnit Hit's de
gayest place Ah mos' cveh saw-'oept
Wash'ton an' Lex'ton an' VJeksbu'g.'1
"Well, you dont know ererytJflng,"
said Bcvoiy crossly. "I wish you'd
take that red feather out of my hat
right away ."
"Shall Ah frow hit away. Miss
Beviy?"
"We-tl, no. You needn't do that,"
said Beverly. "Put It on my dressing
table. I'll attend tix it."
"Wha's become o' de gimman "tit wo"
hit In de fust place? Ah a In" seen .him
fo' two?three days."
"I'm sure I don't know. He's <u?t>h
bly asleep. That class of people\?ever
lose sleep over anything."
" 'E's er powful good lookln' pus
son," suggested Aunt Fanny. Beverly"s
eyes brightened.
"Oh. do you think so?" fejie ffg^d, unite
Indifferently. "What ftrf yoo dofng
with that hat?"
"Takin' out de featheh?Jes' as"?
"Well, leave it alone. Don't disturb
v?y th: Aunt Fanny. IIow many
times must I tell you"?
"Good Laird I" was all that Aunt
l-'anny could any.
"Oon't forget about tlic time tables,"
said Beverly r s sue sallied fortti for
her walk lu the park.
iii the afternoon she went driving
with 1'rlnceoi Yetlve and the young
Duke of Mlzrox, upon whose Innocent
ami aulHelently troubled head she was
heaping secret abuse because of the
news lie brought. latter Count Mar
ians appeared at the castle for his first
lesson In poker. lie looked so sure of
himself that Beverly Initial hlui to the
point of desjieratlon. At the same time
the was eager to learn how matters
stood with Ituldos. The eount's threat
still hung over her head, veiled liy Its
ridiculous shadow of mercy. She knew
liiui well enough hy this time to feel
convinced that Itahlos would have to
account for his temerity sooner or
later. II was like the cat and the help
less mouse.
"It's too hot." she protested, when Iip
announced Idmaclf ready for the game.
"Nobody plays poksr when it's IVJ In
III*' shade."
"But, your highness," complained the I
count, "war may break out any day. I I
cannot concede delay."
"I think there's a game called 'shoot
ing craps,"" suggested she serenely.
"It seems to me It would be particu
larly good for warriors. You could be
shooting something ail the time."
lie went away In a decidedly Irasci
ble frame of mind. She did not know
It, but Itahlos was soon afterward set
to work in the garrison stables, a most
loathsome occupatlou, lu uddltlon to his
duties as a guard by night.
After mature deliberation Beverly set
herself to the task of writing borne to
her father. It was her supreme In
teiitlou to convince him that she would
lie off for the States in an amazingly
short time. The major upon receiving
the letter three weeks Inter found tiolh
lug ill It to warrant the belief that she
was ever coming home, lie did ob
serve, however, that she had but little
use for the army of Graustark and
was especially disappointed In tlie get
of men Yetlve retained as her private
guard. For the life of her Beverly
could not have told why she dlsap
proved of the guard In general or In
particular, hut she was conscious of
the fart after the letter was posted
that she had said many things that
might have been left unwritten. Be
sides. It was not Baldos' fault that she
could not sleep. It was distinctly
Iter own. He had nothing to do with
| It
"I'll hot father will he glud to hear
Hint I hiii coming home." she said to
Votive nfter the letter was gone.
"Oh, Beverly. dour. I hnte to lienr of
your going." cried the princess. "When
did you tell him you'd start?"
"Why oh- or let me see. when did
I wiy? I>ash me. ns Mr. Anguish
would s?y, I don't helleve I gave a
date. It seems to uie I said soon;
flint's all."
"You don't know how relieved I am."
exclaimed Yetlvo rapturously, and Itev
erly was In high dudgeon lieeause of
the implied reflection. "I lielleve you
are In a tit? with Buldos," went on Ye
tlve airily.
"Goodness! How foolish you can tie
at times, Yetlve!" was what Beverly
gave buck to her highness the princess
of tirnuatatk
Isite In the evening couriers came tn
from the Ila waiiergen frontier with re
ports which created considerable ex
ctteuient In castle and army circles.
Prince Gabriel himself had been seen
In the northern part of his domain, ac
companied by a large detachment of
pii'ked soldiers. I.orry set out that
very night for the frontier, happy lu
the belief that something worth while
was about to occur General Marlanx
issued orders for the Edelweiss uriny
corps to mass beyond the southern
gates of the city the next morning.
Commands were also sent to the out
lying garrisons. There was to he a
general movement of troops lief ore the
rnd of the week. Graustark was not
to tie caught napping.
i-ong aner uie ueparrure ui i-orry
and Anguish tln> princess not 011 the
balcony with Beverly and Hie Count
i'sh Paginal. Tliey itid not talk much.
The mission of these venturesome
young American husbands vr-? full of
danger. Something In the ttlr-tjad told
tlielr wives that the first blows of war
were to be struek before they looked
again upon the men they'loved.
"1 think we have been betrayed by
some one," said I >agm?r after an al
most Internilualdb alienee. Her com
panion did not reply. "Xho couriers
say that Oubrlel knowa s uorc we are
weakest at thefront and that he knows
our every movement. Votive, there Is
a spy here after all."
"And that spy lias access to the very
heart of our deliberations," added Bev
erly pointedly. "I say this In behalf of
the man whom you evidently suspect,
countess. He could not know these
things."
"I do not say that ho does know.
Miss Calhoun, but It is not beyond rea
son that he may be the go-between, the
means of transferring Information from
the main traitor to the messengers who
await outside our walls."
"Oil, I don't lielieve It!" cried Beverly
hotly.
"I wonder if these (bines would have
' happened If Baldos liud never come to
Edelweiss," mused the princess. As
though by common Impulse, hoth of
the Grnusturk women placed their
arniH ahout Beverly.
"It's because we have so much at
stake, Beverly, dear." whispered Dug
mar. "Forgive mc If I have hurt
you."
Of course Beverly sobbed a little In
the effort to convince them that she did
not cure whom they accused if he
proved to he the right man In the end.
They left her alouo ou the balcony.
For an hour after midnight she sat
there ami dreamed. Every one was
ready to turn against Baldos. Even
she had been harsh toward him. for
hn<l she not seen him relegated to the
most obnoxious of duties after promis
ing him a fur different life? And now
what was be thinking of her? His dc
scent from favor had followed upon
the disclosure* which made plain to
each the identity of the other. No
douht he was attributing his degrada
tion In a sense to the fact thut she no
longer relished Ills services, having
seen a romantic little Ideal shattered
by his 11 rm assertions Of course she ;
knew that General M.irlanx was alone
instrumental In assigning him to the ;
unpleasant duty lie now observed, but
how was Its'dos to know that she was
net the real power liehlud the Iron
fount?
A light dri/.zle began to fall, cold and |
disagreeable. There were 110 stars, no
n.oon. The ground below was black
with shadows, but shimmering In spots
touched hy the feeble park lamps. She
retreated through her window, deter
mined to go to bed. Her rebellious
brain, however, refused to hantsh him
from her tic agbts. Shu wondered If
lie were patrolling the castle grounds In
the rain in all that lonely darkness.
Sclzisl by a sudden Inspiration she
threw a gossamer about her, grasped
an umbrella ami ventured out upon the
balcony once oiun Guiltily she search
ed the night through the fine, drizzling
rain. Her eurs listened eagerly for
tho tread wdileli was so well known to
her.
.*t last he strode beneath a lamp not
far away He looked up. but of course
could not see Iter against the dark wall.
For a long time lie stood motionless be
neath the light She could not help see
ing that he was dejected, tired, unhap
py. Ills shoulders drooptsl, and there
was a general air of llstlassness about
the figure which hud once been so full
of courage and of hope. The post light
fell directly upon his face. It was
somber, despondent, strained. He wore
the air of a prisoner. Her heart went
out to hint like c flash. The debonair
knight of the black patch was no more.
In h s place there stood a sullen slave
I ? discipline.
"Baldos!" she called softly, her voice
penetrating the dripping air with the
clearness of a bell. He must have been
longing for the sound of It, for he start
ed and locked eagerly In her direction.
His tall form straightened as he passed
his baud over his brow. It was but a
voice from his dream, he thought.
"Aren't you afraid you'll get wet?" ask
ed the same low, sweet voice, with the
suggestion of a laugh liehiml it. With
long si rides he crossed the pavement
and stood almost directly beneath her
"Your highness!" he exclaimed gen
tly. Joyously. "What are you doing out
there?"
"Wondering. Baldos. Wondering
what you were thinking of as you
stood under the lamp over there."
"I was thinking of your highness," he
<-ailed up softly.
"No, no!" she protested.
"I, too, was wondering wondering
what you "were dreaming of us you
sl<l>t, for ypu should he asleep at this
hour, your highness, Instead of stand
ing out there in the rain."
"Baldos," she called down tremulous
ly, "you don't like this work, dp you ?"
"It has nothing but darkness In It for
me I never see the light of your eyes.
1 never feel the"-?
"Sh! You must not talk like that.
It's not proper, and besides some one
may be listening. The nlgbt has a
thousand ears or Is It eyes? But lis
ten. Tomorrow you shall be restored to
vour old duties. You surely cannot be
lieve that 1 had anything to do with
the order which compels you to work
at this unholy hour."
"1 was afraid you were punishing tne
for my boldness. My heart has been
sore?you never can know how sore. I
was disgraced, dismissed, forgotten"?
"No. no; you were not! Yon must not
say that, tio away now, fjaldos. You
will rtde with me tomorrow," she cried
nervously, "l'leeae go to some place
where you won't get dripping wet."
"You forget that I am on guard," he
said, with a laugh. "But you are a wise
counselor. Is the rain so pleasant to
you ?"
"I have an umbrella," she protested
"What are you doing?" she cried In
alarm. He was coming hand over hand
up the trellis work that Inclosed fhe j
lower veranda.
"1 am coming to a place where 1 |
won't get dripping wet," he called I
softly There was a dangerous ring In
hla voice, and she drew hack In a
panic.
"You must not!" she cried desperate
ly. "This Is madness! Go dowm, sir!"
"I am happy enough te fly. but oan
uot. So I do the next best thing?I
climb to you." His arm was across the
stoue railing by this time, and he was
panting from the exertion, uot two
feet from where she crouched. "Just
one minute of heaven before 1 go buck i
to. the shadows of earth. I am happy j
again. Marlanx told me you had dis
missed me. I wouder what he holds In
reserve for tue. I knew he lied, but it j
is not until now that I rejoice. Come,
you are to shield rnc from the rain."
"Oh. oh!" she gasped, overwhelmed I
by his daring passion. "I should die |
if any one saw you here." Yet she |
spasmodical!} c\tended the umbrella
-o that it covered bi/n?m! left her out
In tbe drizzle.
"And ho Hhould I," responded lie
softly. "Listen to ine. For hours and
hour* I liave been longing for tbe dear
old bills In which you found me. I
wanted to crawl out of Edelweiss and
lose myself forever In tbe rocks uud
onus. Tonight when you how me 1
was trying to xny goodby to you for
I ever. I was trying to muke up my
mind to desert 1 could not endure the
r.e?v order of tilings. You bad cast
Lie off. My friends out there were
eager to buve uie with them. In the
city every one is ready to rail me a
spy?even you. I thought. Life was
black and drear. Now, my princess, It
is us bright as heaven itself."
"You must not talk like this." she i
whispered helplessly. "You ure mak- <
ing me sorry I called to you."
"I should have heard you if you bud
only whispered, my rain princess. I
have no right to talk of love?I am a
vagabond, but I have a heart, aud It is
a told one. Perhaps I dream that I am
here Ijeside you?so near that I can
tom b your face?but it is the sweetest
of dreams. But for it I should liave
left Edelweiss weeks ago. I shall uev
er awaken from this dream. You can
not rob me of the Joys of dreaming."
I'niler the spell of his passion she
drew nearer to him as be clung strong
ly to tbe rail. The roses at her throat
came so close that lie could bury Ids
face in them. Iter hand touched his
cheek, and he kissed Its palm again
and again, his wet lips stinging her
blood to the tips of her toes.
"Go away, please." she implored
faintly. "Don't you see that you must
not stay here?now'/"
"A rose, my princess?one rose to
kiss all through the long night." he
"I should die If any one saw j/ou here."
whispered. She could feel his eyes 1
burning Into her heart. With trem
1)1 iuk, hurried fingers she tore loose a
rose. He could not seize It with his
Imnds because of the position he held,
and she laughed tantallzlngly. Then
she kissed it lirst and pressed it against
ids mouth. His lips and teeth closed
over the stem, and the rose was his.
"There are thorns," she whispered
ever so softly.
"They are the riches of the poor." be
murmured, with difficulty, but she un
derstood.
"Now. go." she said, drawing reso
lutely away An instant later his head
disappeared below the rail. Peering
over the side, she saw his figure spring
easily to the ground, and then came the ,
rapid, steady tramp as he went away
ou his dreaiy patrol.
"I couldn't help It," she was whisper- I
ing to herself between Joy and shame, j
Glancing instinctively out toward the
solitary lamp, she saw two men stand
lug In its light. One of them was Gen
eral Marlanz; the other she knew to
be the spy that watched Baldos. Her j
heart sunk like lead when she saw 1
that the two were peering Intently to
ward the blacony where she stood and
where Baldos had clung but a moment ;
before.
CHAPTER XXII.
Sr~^ HE shrank hack with a great
dread in her heart. Marlanx.
of all men! Why was he in the
l___J park at this hour of the uight?
There could he but one answer, and
the very thought of it almost suffocat
ed her. He was drawing the net with
his Own hands, he was spying with his
own eyes. For a full miuute it seemed
to her that her heart would stop beat
ing. How long had be been standing
there? What had he seen or heard?
Involuntarily she peered over the rail
for a glimpse of Baldos. He had gone
out into the darkness, missimg the men
at the lamp post either by choice or
through pure good fortune. A throb of
thankfulness assailed her heart. She
was not thinking of her position, but
of his.
Again she drew stealthily away froui
the rail, possessed of a ridiculous feel
ing that her form was as plain to the
vision as if it were broad daylight. The
tread of a man impelled her to glance
bel )w once more before fleeing to her
room. Marlanx was coming toward
the veranda. She fled swiftly, pausing
nt the window to lower the friendly
hut forgotten umbrella. From below
oame the sibilant hiss of a man seek
ing to attract her attention. Once more
she stopped to listen. The "Hist!" was
repeated, and then her own name was
called softly, but imperatively. It was
beyond the power of woman to keep
from laughing. It struck her as Irre
sistibly funny that the Iron Count
should be standing out there in the
rain, signaling to her like a lovesick
boy. Once she was inside, however, It
did not seem so amusing. Still, it gave
her an Immense amount of satisfaction
to slam the windows loudly, as if in
pure deflnnce. Then she closed the
blinds, shutting out the night com
pletel.v.
Turning up the light nt her dressing
table, she sat down in a state of sud
den collapse. For a loug time she
stared at her face In the mirror. She
saw the red of shame and embarrass
ment niouut to her cheeks, ami then
< he covered her eyes with her hands.
"Oh. tvI if a fool you've tus'ii"' she
half ?obl>e<l, shrinking from the mirror
as if it were an accuser.
She pre]?ared for bed with frantic
haste. Just as she was about to scram
ble In and bide her face in the pillows
a shocking thought came to ber. The
next Instant she was at the windows, i
arid the s! its were closed with a rattle
like a volley of firearms. Then she *
Jumped into bed. She wondered If the
windows were locked. Out she sprang
again like a flash, and her little bare
feet scurried across the room, first to
the windows nnd then to the door.
"Now I reckon I'm safe," she mur
mured a moment later, again getting
Into tied. "1 love to go to sleep with
the ruin pattering outside like that.
Ob, dear, I'm so sorry be has to walk
all nlgtit in tlds rain. Poor fellow! 1
wonder where he Is now. Goodness!
It's raining cats and dogs!"
But In spite of the rain she could not
go to sleep. Vugue fears began to take
possession of ber. Something dreadful
told ber that Count Murium was on
the balcony and at her window, not
withstanding the rainpour. The fear
became oppressive, maddening. She
felt the man's presence ulmost as
strongly as if lie were in plain view.
He was there; she knew it.
The little revolver that had served her
so valiantly at the Inn of the Hawk
and Haven lay upon a stool near the
bedside every night. Consumed by the
fear that the window might open slow
ly at any moment she reaehed forth
and clutched the weapon. Then she
shrank bat a la the bed, her eyes fixed
upon the black space across the room.
For hours she shivered and waited for
the window to open, dozing away time
and again, only to come back to wake
fulness with a star^
The next morning she confessed to
herself that her fears had been silly.
Her first act after breakfasting alone
In her room was to seek out Colonel
Qulnnox, commander of the castle
guard. In her mind she was greatly
troubled over the fate of the bold
visitor of the night before. There was
a warm, red glow in her face and a
quick beat In her heart as she crossed
the parade ground. Vagabond though
lie was he bad conquered where princes
had failed. Her better Judgment told
her that she could be nothing to this
delionair knight of the road, yet her
heart stubbornly resisted all the argu
ments that her reason put forth.
Colonel Qulnnox was pleasant, hut
he could give Beverly no promise of
leniency in regard to Baldos. Instruc
tions had come to him from General
Marlanx, and he could not set them
aside at will. Her plea that he might
once more be assigned to old time
duties found the colonel regretfully ob
durate. Baldos could not ride with her
again until Marlanx withdrew the or
der which now obtained. Beverly swal
lowed her pride and resentment diplo
matically. smiled her sweetest upon
the distressed colonel and marelied'de
Hautlv hack to the castle. Down in her
rebellious, Insulted heart she was con
cocting all sorts of plans for revenge.
Chief among thein was the terrible
overthrow of the Iron Count. Her wide
scope of vengeance even contemplated
the destruction of Graustark if her end
could be obtained in no other way.
Full of these bittersweet thoughts,
she came to the castle doors before she
saw who was waiting for her upon the
great veranda. As she mounted the
steps, a preoccupied frown upon her
fair brow, General Marlanx, lean, craf
ty and confident, advanced to greet her.
The early hour was responsible for the
bright solitude which marked the place.
But few signs of life were in evidence
about the castle.
She stopped with a sharp exclam'a
tlon of surprisp. Then scorn an l indig
nation rushed In to till the place of as
tonlshment. Htte faced Hie smiling old
man with angw in her eyes.
"Good morning." be said, extending
his hand, which she did not see. She
was woudering how much he had seen
and heard at midnight.
"I thought tlie troops were massing
this morning," she said coldly. "Don't
you riiass too?"
"There is time enough for that, my
dear. I came to have a talk with you?
In private," he said meaningly.
"It is sufficiently private here. Count
Marians. What have you to say to
me?"
"I want to talk about last night. You
were very reckless to do what you
did."
"Oh, you were playing the spy,
then?" she asked scernfetly.
"An Involuntary observer, believe m#
??and a Jealous one. I had hoped to
win the affections of an innocent girl.
What I saw last night locked me be
yond expression."
"Well, you shouldn't have looked."
she retorted, tossing her chin, and the
red feather in her hat bobbed angrily.
"I am surprised that oue as clever
as you are could have carried on an
amour so Incautiously," he said blandly
"What do you meao?"
"I mean that I saw everything that
occurred."
"Well, I'm not ashamed of it," obsti
nately. "Goodby, Count Marlanx."
"One moment, please. I cannot let
you off so easily. What right had you
to take that man into your room, a
place sacred in the palace of Grau
stark? Answer me. Miss Calhoun."
Beverly drew back in horror and be
wilderment.
"Into my room?" she gasped.
"I<et us waste no time in subter
fuge. I saw him come from your win
dow, and I saw all that passed between
you In the baleonv. Love's eyes are
keen. What occurred in your chauiiwr
I can on'v' ?
"Stop! How dare you say such a
thing to me?" she fiercely cried. "You
miserable coward! You know he was
not In my room. Take It back?tako
back every word of that lie!" She
was white wltli passion, cold with ter
ror.
"Bah! This Is childish I am not
the oul.v one who saw him. my dear.
He w:'s la your room?you were In his
arm- It's useless to deny it. And to
thin!: that I have spared him from
death to hive It come to this! You
ii.smI no; look so horrified. Y'our se
cret is s if> with me. I come to make
terms with you. My silence In ex
ilian." for your beauty. It's worth it
to oil. 0.:e word from uie, you are
liisgraeed and lialdos dies. Come, my
fair lady. give uie your promise. It's
u good bargain for both "
Beverly \v a trembling like a leaf
This phase of his viliaiuy had not oe
curred to her. She was like a bird try
ing to avoid the charmed eye of the
serpent.
"Oh. you?you miserable wretch!"
she cried, hoarse with anger and de
"What a eur you are! You
I :o\v you are uot speaking the truth.
IIow can you say sv.ch things to me?
I have never wronged you"? She was
almost in tears, impoteut with shame
nud fear.
it tiiis tieeu ii pretty game or love
for you and the excellent Baldos. You
have deceived tlms w lio love you liest
and trust you most. What will the
princess say when she hears of last
night's merry escapade? What will
she say when she learns who was host
ess to a common guardsman at the
midnight hour? It is 110 wonder that
you look terrlfled. It is for you to
say whether she is to know or not.
You can hind me to silence. You have
lost Baldos. Tal e u;e and all that I
cnn give you in his stead, uml the
world never shall know the truth. You
love him. I know, and there is but one
way to save him. Say the word and
he goes free to the hills; decline and
his life is uot worth a breath of air."
"And pretending to believe this of
r.te. you still ask me to be your wife.
What kind of a man are you?" she de
manned, scarcely able to speak.
"My wife?" lie said harshly. "Oh,
110. You are not the wife of Baldos,"
he added significantly.
"Heavens!" gasped Beverly, crush
ed by the brutality of it all. "I would
sooner die. Would to h -aveil my fa
ther were here. He would shoot you
as he would a dog! Oh, how I loathe
you! Don't you try to stop me! I
shall go to the princess myself. She
shall know what manner of beast you
are."
She was racing up the steps, darning
with anger and shame.
"Remember, 1 can prove what I have
said. Beware what you do. I love you
bo much that I now ask^011 to become
my wife. Think well over it. Your
honor and his life! It rests with you,"
he cried eagerly, following lior to the
door.
"You disgusting old fool." she hissed,
turning upon liini as she pulled the
big brass knocker on the door.
"I must have m,v answer tonight or
you know what will happen," he snarl
ed, but he feit in his heart that he had
lost through his eagerness.
She Hew to Yetlve's boudoir, consum
ed by rage and mortification. Between
sobs and feminine maledictions she
poured the whole story, in all its ugli
ness, into the ears of the princess.
"Now, Yetive. you have to stand by
me in this," announced the narrator
conclusively, her eyes beaming hope
fully through tier tears.
"I cannot prevent General Marlanx
from preferring serious charges against
Baldos, dear. I know he was not iu
your room last night. You did not
have to tell me that, because I saw
you both at the balcony rail." Bever
ly's face took on such a radiant look of
rejoicing that Yetive was amply paid
for the surprising and gratifying ac
knowledgment of a second period of
eavesdropping. "Yon may dope" 1 up
on me to protect you from Marlanx.
He can make it very unpleas 0' for
Baldos. but he shall pay dearly r this
insult to you. He has joae too far."
"1 don't think he U is any proof
against Baldos," said Beverly, think
Ing only of the guardsman.
"But it is so easy to manufacture ev
idence, tiiy dear. The Iron Count has
set Iks heart upon having ydn,'and he
is not the man to lie turned aside eas
lly." V/;l
"He seems to think he can get wives
as easily as he gets rid of them, I ob
serve. I was going hack to Washing
ton soon, Yetlve, bnt I'll stay ou now
and see this thing to the end. He can't
scare a Calhoun; no sir-ee! I'll tele
graph for tny brother Dan to come over
here and punch his head to pieces."
"Now, now, don't be so high and
mighty, dear. I.et us see how rational
we can he,"'said the princess geutly,
whereupon the hot headed girl .from
Dixie suspended hostilities and became
a very demure young woman. Before
long she was confessing timidly, then
boldly, that she loved Baldos better
than anything in all the world.
"I eau't help It. Yetlve. I knew I
oughtn't to, but what Is there to do
when one can't help it? There would
be an awful row at home if I married
him Of course he hasn't asked me.
Maybe he won't. In fact, I'm sure he
won't. I shan't give him a chance.
But if he does ask me I'll Just keep
putting hlrn off. I've done it before,
you know You see, for a long, long
time I fancied he might be a prince,
but he Isn't at all. I've had Ids word
for it. He's just an ordinary person,
like ? like ? well, like I am, only he
doesn't look so ordinary. Isn't lie hand
some, Yetive? And, dear me, lie is so
Impulsive! If he had asked me to
jump over the balcony rail with liini
last night I believe I would have done
It. Wouldn't that have surprised old
Marlanx?" Beverly gave a merrv
laugh. The troubles of the morning
seemed to fade away uuder the warmth