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BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK
By George Barr McCutcheon.
Author of "Graustark"
Copyright, 1 904, Dodd, Mead & Co,
"AsK Uilii v.uj lie ii.t,v 1.3. .i0i,c.i
ed the Iron Count sitiviisi.i-ally.
"We can expect but one answer to
that question." said I.j.it. "lUid that
is the one wlitcli he i-lioosc.4 to give."
"My name Is BalJos-l'aul Baldos,"
said the guard, but lie said it In such a
way that no one could mistake his ap
preciation of the fact that he could give
one name as well an uuother and still
serve his own purposes.
"That is lie number one." observed
Marians loudly. Every eye was turned
upon Baldos, but his face did uot lose
Its half mocking expression of seren
ity. "Proceed with the examination, Mr.
Lorry," sal J Count Halfout, Interpret
ing a quick glance from Yetive.
"Are you willing to answer any and
all questions we may ask in connection
with your observations since you be
came a member of the castle guard?"
asked Lorry.
"I am."
"Did you take especial care to study
the interior of the fortress when you
were there several days ago?"
"I did."
"Have you discussed your observa
tions with any one since that time?"
"I have."
"With whom?"
"With her highness the princess,"
said Baldos without a quiver. There
was a moment's silence, and furtive
looks were cast in the direction of Ye-
st ranger v.-S.Ii i::si:if:t.g ;t:o.itioi;s, each
calm answer i;::ik:.;g him mare furious
than before. At last, iu sheer impo
tence, he relapsed into silence, waving
his hand to Lorry to Indicate that ho
might resume.
"You will understand. Baldos, that
we have some cause for apprehension,"
said I.orry, Immensely gratified by the
outcome of the tilt. . "You are a stran
ger, and. whether you admit it or not,
there Is reason to believe that you are
not what you represent yourself to
be."
"I am a humble guard at present, sir,
and a loyal one. My life Is yours
should I prove otherwise."
Yetive whispered something In Lor
ry's ear at this juncture. She was vis
ibly pleased and excited. He looked
doubtful for an instant and then ap
parently followed her suggestion, re
gardless of consequences.
"Would you be willing to utilize your
knowledge as an engineer by suggest
ing means to strengthen the fortress?"
The others stared in fresh amazement.
Marians went as white as death.
"Never!" he blurted out hoarsely.
"I will do anything the princess com
mands me to do," said Baldos easily.
"You mean that you serve her only?"
"I serve her first, sir. If she were here
she could command me to die, and
there would be an end to Baldos." And
he smiled as he said it. The real prln
Ically observed that the equipment
was years behind the times. To the
amazement of the oiiicials, he was
able to talk Intelligently of forts In
all narts of the world, revealing a
wide and thorough knowledge and ex
tensive Inspection. He had seen Anier
lean as well as European fortiflcations,
The Graustaik engineers went to work
at once to perfect the simple changes
he advised, leaving no stone unturned
to strengthen the place before an ut
tack could be made.
Two, three 'weeks went by, and the
new guard was becoming an old story
to the cnstle and army folic. He rode
with Beverly every fair day, and he
looked at her window by night from
afar off In the somber barracks. She
could not dissipate the feeling that he
knew her to be other thau the princess,
although he betrayed himself by no
word or sign. She was enjoying the
fun of It too intensely to expose It to
the risk of destruction by revealing
her true Identity to him. Logically
that would mean the end of everything.
No doubt he felt the same and kept
Ms counsel, but the game could uot
last forever, that was certain. A
month or two more and Beverly would
have to think of her return to Wash
ington. His courage, his cool impudence, his
subtle wit, charmed her more than she
could express. Now she was begin
ning to study him from a standpoint
peculiarly and selfishly her own. Where
recently she had sung his praise to Ye
tive and others she now was strangely
reticent. She was to understand an
other clay why this change had come
over her. Stories of his cleverness
came to her ears from Lorry aud An
guish and even from Daugloss. She
was proud, vastly proud, of him lu
these days.
The Iron Count alone discredited the
ability and the conscientiousness of
the "mountebank," ns he named the
man who had put his noso out of joint.
Beverly, seeing much of Maiianx,
made the mistake of chiding him
frankly and gayly about this aversion.
She even argued the guard's case be
fore the head of the army, Imprudently
to give the place a wide bertn. wow swerai so fairly ttiat
they were nuuting mc u-i v umu uuusneu "r 'Wib
journey to Serros, where they expected loyal to the heart's corIL to N!
better success, ue prouueeu '"jui 10 mat tinhnnnv 'Hi,
itpers of identification, which as you choose to call of
..vamiued and approved, much , my friends. You are i Th(,jS
but little
certain paper
The elgn."
iiiw slums.
The party rode forth at an early hour
Iu the morning. It was hot In the city,
but It looked cold and bleak on the
heights. Comfortable wraps were tak-
i , .,,,,1 ni-nvisinn was made for Quinnox examl:
... i,, l.nifwnv un the to Beverly's secret amazement.
slope. Quinnox regaled Beverly with princess and the colonel exchanged
stories in which Greufall Lorry was glances and anerwaru a ew wurua uerween you?" sne TT Tx
. hern and Yetive the heroine. He in subdued .tones, letlve looked fur- this epigrammatic rll aQSeN b,
told her of the days when Lorry, a fu- tively at Beverly and then at Baldos, I cannot and be true n
gitive with a price upon his head, as if to inquire whether these men "Oh, you are a gi0Za
-1. -.1 -.m. ti, .lugs nut nn or were tue Koai uuuiera mm uu wviiuo w ciuimea. n- tv, -num " &.
Prince Lorcuz. then betrothed to the know by word of mouth. The two voice. "You speak of 8hffaS'n la W
princess, lay hidden In the monastery races were uviwbij ,.u..v.v BU'''e you m the verv r . ue I
while Yetive's own soldiers hunted Suddenly Baldos' horse reared and "Stay, your hlghne"- i
high and low for nun. The narrator began to plunge as if In terror, so that ly. "You are about to -.1? m
- ... i 1 i. nnn null Y niAann Jt -A . . . fcU IHII hiA
dwelt glowingly upon the trip from tne tue riuer tepi u. i j " a traitor. spare me , Bp,
monastery to the city , walls one dark of adept horsemanship, ltavoue leaped that humiliation. I have'iw
night when Lorry came
render himself In ord
ue down to sur- forward and at the risk of Injury you faithfully aud lovmi 0!er
er to shield the clutched the plunging steed by the bit. deceived vou. n.ui i y:. 1 baveM
- ..i.t j . . . - ' i Mini "
woman he loved, and Quinnox hlmseir Together tncy paruany suuuueu me uawos has wronged no n,
piloted him through the underground animal and Baldos swung to the ground an. What passed betw Jn n
passage Into the very heart of the cas- at ltavone'a side. Miss Calhoun's horse myself concerns us onlv u ,
tive, whose face was a study. Almost cess loo,ked at h'm witn, a ne,w- eaSer pointing out many of his superior qual
instantaneously the entire body of lis
teners understood that he referred to
Beverly Calhoun. Baldos felt that he
had been summoned before the board
at the instigation of his fair protect
ress. "And your Impressions have gone no
farther?"
"They have not, sir. It was most
confidential."
"Could you accurately reproduce the
plans of the fortress?"
"I think so. It would be very sim
ple." "Have you studied engineering?"
"Yes."
"And you could scientifically enumer
ate the defects In the construction of
the fort?"
"It would not be very difficult, sir."
"It has come to our ears that you
consider the fortress weak in several
. particulars. Have you so stated at
any.tlme?
"I told the princess that the fortress
is deplorably weak. In fact. I think
I mentioned that It could be taken with
ease." He was not looking at Count
Marlanx, but he knew that the oh
man's eyes were flaming. Then he
proceeded to tell the board bow he
could overcome the fortress, elabora'
Ing on his remarks to Beverly. The
ministers listened In wonder to the
words of this calm, lr,j;Treut youiy
man.
"Will you oblige us by making a
rough draft of the fort's luterlor?" ask
' ed Lorry after a solemn pause. Bal
dos took the paper and lu remarkably
quick time drew the exact lay of the
fortress. The sketch went the rounds
aud apprehensive looks were exchang
ed by the ministers.
"It is accurate, by Jove," exclaimed
Lorry. "I doubt If a dweller In the
fort could do better. You must have
been very observing."
"And very much Interested," snarled
Maiianx.
"Only so far as I Imagined my ob
servations might be of benefit to some
one ftse," said Baldos coolly. Again
silence was like death.
"Io you know what you are say
ing,' Baldos?" asked Lorry after a mo
ment. "Certainly, Mr. Lorry. It Is the duty
of any servant of her highness to give
her all that he has In him. If my ob
servations can be of help to her I feel
In duty bound to make the best of
them for her sake, not for my own."
"Perhaps you can suggest modifica
tions In the fort," snarled Marlanx.
"Why don't you do It. sir, and let us
have the benefit of your superior intel
ligence? No, gentlemen, all this prat
ing of loyalty need not deceive us," he
cried, springing to his feet. "The fel
low Is nothing more nor less than an
Infernal spy, aud the Tower Is the place
for him! He can do no harm there."
'.'If It were my Intention to do harm,
gentlemen, do you Imagine that I
should withhold my Information for
days?" asked Baldos. "If I am a spy
you may rest assured that Count Mar
lanx's kindnesses should not have been
so long disregarded. A spy does not
believe in delays."
"My my kindnesses?" cried Mar
lanx. "What do you mean, sir?"
"I mean this. Count Marlanx," said
Baldos, looking steadily into the eyes
of the head of the army. "It was kind
and considerate of you to admit me to
the fortress, no matter in what capaci
ty, specially at a critical time like this.
You did not know me, you had no way
of telling whether my intentions were
honest or otherwise, and yet I was per
mitted to go through the fort from end
to end. No spy could wish for greater
generosity than that."
An almost Imperceptible smile went
around the table, and every listener
but one breathed more freely. The
candor and boldness of the guard won
the respect and confidence of all except
Marlanx. The Iron Count was white
with anger. He took the examination
expression, as if something had just
become clear to her. There was a
chorus of coughs and a round of sly
looks.
"She could hardly ask you to die,"
said Yetive, addressing, him for the
first time.
"A princess is like April weather,
madam," saiu Baldos, with rare hu
mor, and the laugh was general. Ye
tive resolved to talk privately with this
excellent wit before the hour was over.
She was confident that he knew her to
be the princess.
"I would like to ask the fellow an
other question," said Marlanx, finger
ing his sword hilt nervously. "You say
you serve the princess. Do you mean
by that that you imagine your duties
as a soldier to comprise dancing polite
attendance within the security of
these walls?"
"I believe I enlisted as a member of
the castle guard, sir. The duty of the
guard Is to protect the person of the
ruler of Graustark and to do that to
the death."
"It is my belief that you are a spy.
You can show evidence of good faith
by enlisting to fight against Dawsber-
gen and by shootlug to kill," said the
count, with a sinister gleam In his
eye.
"And If I decline to serve in any
vther capacity than the one I now"
"Then I shall brand you as a spy and
a coward."
"You have already called me a spy,
your excellency. It will not make it
true, let nie add, if you call me a cow
ard. I refuse to take up arms against
either Dawsbergen or Axphain."
The remark created a profound sen
sation. "Then you are employed by both in
stead of one!" shouted the Iron Coun
gleefuly.
"I am employed as a guard for her
royal highness," said Baldos, with a
square glance at Yetive, "and not as a
ngnter In the ranks. will fight till
death for her, but not for Graustark."
ciiai vni: xvi.
Y Jove, I i'.:e that fellow's
coolness," said Lorry to Har
ry Anguish, after the meet
ing. "He's after mv own
bw rmr
B
itles in advocating his cause. The
count was learning forbearance In his
old ago. He saw the wisdom of pro
crastination. Baldos was in favor, but
some day there would come a time for
his undoing.
In the barracks he was acquiring
fame. Reports went forth with unbias
ed freedom. He established himself as
the best swordsman in the service, as
well as the most efficient marksman.
With the foils and sabers ho easily
vanquished the foremost fencers in
high and low circles. He could ride
like a Cossack or like an American
cowboy. Of them all, his warmest ad
mirer was Iladdan, the man set to
watch him for the secret service. It
may be timely to state that Iladdan
watched in vain.
The princess, humoring her own fan
cy, as well as Beverly's foibles, took ta
riding with her high spirited young
guest on many a little jaunt to the
hills. She usually rode with Lorry or
Anguish, cheerfully assuming the sub
dued position befitting a lady-in-waiting
apparently restored to favor on
probation. She enjoyed Beverly's
unique position. In order to maintain
her attitude as princess the fair young
deceiver was obliged to pose In the
extremely delectable attitude of being
Lorry's wife.
"How can you expect the paragon to
make love to you, dear, if he thinks
you are another man's wife?" Yetive
asked, her blue eyes beaming with tne
fun of It all.
"Pooh!" sniffed Beveriy. "You have
only to consult history to find the ex
cuse. It's the dear old habit of men to
make love to queens aud get beheaded
for It. Besides, he Is not expected to
make love to me. How in the world
did you get that Into your head?"
On a day soon after the return of
Lorry and Anguish from a trip to the
frontier Beverly expressed a desire to
Visit the monastery of St. Valentino,
high on the mountain top. It was a
long ride over the circuitous route by
which the steep incline was avoided,
and it w:as necessary for the party to
make an early start. Yetive rode with
Harry Anguish and his wife the count-
tie. Then came the exciting scene lu
which Lorry presented himself as a
nrlsnner. with the denouement tnat
saved the princess and won for the
imllniit: American the desire of his
o-. .......
heart.
"What a brave fellow he was!" cried
Beverly; who never tired of hearing
the romantic story.
"Ah, he was wonderful, Miss Cal
houn. I fought him to keep him from
surrendering. He beat me, aud I was
virtually his prisoner when we appear
ed before the tribunal."
"It's no wonder she loved him aud
married him
"He deserved the best that life could
give, Miss Calhoun."
"You had better not call me Miss
Calhoun, Colonel Quinnox," said she,
looking back apiweheuslvely. "I am a
highness once In awhile, don't you
know?"
"I Implore your highness' pardon,"
said he gayly.
The riders ahead had come to a
standstill and were pointing off Into
the pass to their right. They were
In the meantime had caught the fever.
He pranced off to the roadside before
she could get him under control.
She was thus In a position to observe
the two men on the ground. Shielded
from view by the body of the horso
they were able to put the finishing
touches to the trick Baldos bad cleverly
worked. Beverly distinctly saw the
guard and the beggar exchange bits of
paper, witn glances uint meant more
than the words they were unable to
utter.
Baldos pressed Into Ravone's hand a
note of some bulk and received In ex
change a mere slip of paper. The pa
pers disappeared as If by magic, and
the guard was remounting bis horse be
fore he saw that the act had been de
tected. The expression of pain and de
spair In Beverly's face sent a cold chill
over him from head to foot.
She turned sick with apprehension.
Her faith had received a stunning blow.
ntt p.,,.
10 Br.i
Havana,,..,
"Of course you wnm,i
wouldn't be fool cnotu , t T7 Yo
truth" i..j ... """'el to to I ft.
truth," cried Bhe
hotly.
you would not" v.
srn. '
fool I I hnvA t., ' "m tts
tdng goes wrong ;;Crt
for exposing poor Graustark tn V
Oh, why didn't I crv T
noon!" " ' ter-
"I knew
with cool unconcern.
Insolence! What do t,
that?" she cried In confu b
'In your heart you knew .', i
no wrong. You shielded n e
youhave shielded me from tft;
"I don't see why I 8It here and w
you talk to me like that." she I
tag the symptoms of collapse -?!
have not been fair with nie R.J
. muring ai me now .
Mutely she watched the vagabonds J "l"itlef lttle 'ooL You-,
withdraw in peace, free to go where 7'h , mat mj
they pleased. The excursionists turn- t11Q(. ' , ' U(mn- I never cao
. At. i . i . I. ., .1 v. j vu (i i-.il i Li . i, (inn n nn ,
uey were eu to me muiu roau. tsuiuos reii oacK to conips t t """Wi i t
eight or ten miles from the city gates to his accustomed place, ijls Imploring nnt hnna. ,, w uu mat you
and more than halfway up the winding
road that ended at the monastery gates.
Beverly aud Quinnox came up with
them and found all eyes centered on a
small company of men encamped In the
rocky defile n hundred yards from the
main road
It needed but a glance to tell her
who comprised the unusual company.
The very raggedness of their garments,
the unforgettable disregard for conse
quences, the impudent ease with which
they faced poverty and wealth alike,
belonged to but one set of men the
vagabonds of the Hawk and Raven.
Beverly went a shade whiter. Her In
terest In everything else flagged, and
she was lost lu bewilderment. What
freak of fortune had sent these men
out of the fastnesses Into this danger
ously open place?
She recognized the ascetic ltavoue,
look wasted. She was strangely, in
explicably depressed for the rest of the
day.
CHAPTER XVII.
HE was torn by conflicting emo
tions. That the two friends
had surreptitiously exchanged
messages, doubtless by an ar
rangement perfected since he had en
tered the service possibly within the
week could not be disputed. When
and how had they planned the acci
dental meeting? What had been their
method of communication? And, above
all, what were the contents of the mes
sages exchanged? Were they of a
are
heart. Why, he treats us as though we ess while Beverly's companion was the
were the suppliants, he the almsglver.
He Is playing a game, I'll admit, but
he does It with an assurance that de
lights me."
"He is right about that darned old
fort, said Anguish. "His kuowledge
gallant Colonel Quinnox. Baldos, rele
gated to the background, brought up
the rear with Iladdan.
For a week or more TJeverly had been
behaving toward Baldos in the most
cavalier fashion. Her fripnrls imd
f such things proves conclusively that beeu teasing her, aud, to her own in
he Is ro ordinary person." teuse amazement, she resented it. The
"Yetive had a bit of a talk with him fact tuat she Mt the sting of their sly
Just now," said Lorry, with a retlec- tauuts was sufficient to arouse in her
tive smile. "She asked him point blank tue distressing conviction that he had
if he knew who she was. He did not Beconie important enough to prove em-
hesltate a second. 'I remember seem? uarrasslng. bile confessing to her-
not honest,
"Your highness!" he Implored, ooffl.
lug close to the chair and bending over
her. "Before God I am honest 2
you. Believe me when I say ,
have done nothing to Injure Graustark.
I cannot tell you what It was that
passed between Ravone and me but
swear on my soul that I have not been
disloyal to my oath. Won't you truat
me? Won't you believe?" m8 bre6ttl
was fanning her ear, b!8 voice wai
eager. She could feel the Intensity of
his eyes. .
"Oh, I dou't-dou't know what ton,'
to you," she murmured. "I have im
so wrought up with fear aud disap-
purely personal nature or did they com- "u"eui- aumit that It waa
prehend Injury to the principality of vfry 8U8Pclous. won't you?" she cried,
Graustark? Beverly could not, In her ,8t Pleadlng'y-
heart, feel that Baldos was doing any- , yes" ,le answered. His hand
thina- Inimical to th cnmitrv ho aorvod loucneu nor arm. perhaps unconscious.
with his student's face and beggar's and yet her duty and loyalty to Yetive !y,' Sue turew back her head to give
uiw a iook or reouKe. Tuelr eyes met,
and after a moment both were full of
pleading. Her lips parted, but the
words would not come. She was after
ward more than thankful for this, be
?ause his eyes impelled her to give
roice to amazing things that suddenly
rushed to her head.
"I want to believe you," she whis
pered softly.
"You must you do! I would give
rou my life. You have It now. It li
In your keeping and with It my honor,
Trust me, I beseech you. I have trust
ed you."
"I brought you here" she began, do
fending him Involuntarily. "But, Bal.
dos, you forget that I am the prin
cess!" She drew away In sudden shy
ness, her cheeks rosy once more, her
eyes filling with the most distressingly
unreasonable tears. He did not move
for what seemed hours to her. Sbi
heard the sharp catch of his breath
and felt the repression that was mat
tering some unwelcome emotion In him.
Lights were springing Into existent!
In all parts of the park. Beverly siw
the solitary window In the monastery
far away, aud her eyes fastened on It
as If for sustenance iu this crisis of her
life this moment of surprise, this mo
ment when she felt him laying handi
upon the heart she had uot suspected
of treason. .Twilight was upon tnem.
you In the audience chamber recently,
i.uat was a facer for Yetive. 'I assure
you that it was no fault of mine that
you saw me,' she replied. 'Then it must
have been your friend who rustled the
curtains?' said the confounded bluffer.
Yetive couldn't keep a straight face!
She laughed, and then he laughed.
'Some day you may learn more about
me,' she said to him. 'I sincerely trust
that I may, madam,' said he. and rn
bet my hat he was enjoying it better
man eitner of us. Of course he knows
Yetive Is the princess. It's his inten
tion to serve Beverly Calhoun, and he
couldn't do It if he were to confess that
be knows the truth. He's no fool."
Baldos was not long In preparing
plans for the changes in the fortress.
They embodied a temporary readjust
ment of the armament and alterations
In the ammunition house. The gate
leading to the river was closed, and
the refuse from the fort was taken to
the barges by way of the mahi en
trance. There were other changes sug
gested for Immediate consideration,
aud then there was a general plan for
the modernizing of the fortress at some
more convenient time. Baldos laeon-
self that it was a bit treacherous aud
weak she proceeded to Ignore Baldos
with astonishing persistency. Apart
from the teasing, it seemed to her of
late that he was growing a shade too
confident
He occasionally forgot his deferential
air aud relaxed into a very pleasing but
highly reprehensible state of friendli
ness. A touch of the old jauntiuess crop
ped out here and there, a tinge of the old
Irony marred his otherwise perfect mien
as a soldier. His laugh was freer, his
eyes less under subjugation, his entire
personality more arrogant. It was
time, thought she resentfully, that his
temerity should meet some sort of
check.
And, moreover, she had dreamed of
him two nights in succession.
How well her plan succeeded may
best be Illustrated by saying that she
now was In a most uncomfortable
frame of mind. Baldos refused to be
properly depressed by his misfortune.
He retired to the oblivion she provided
and seemed disagreeably content. Ap
parently it made very little difference
to him whether he w as in or out of fa
vor. Beverly was lu high dudgeon and
garb. Old Frana was there, and so
were others whose faces and hetero
geneous garments had become so fa
miliar to her in another day. The tall
leader with the red feather, the rak
ish hat and the black patch alone was
missing from the picture.
"It's the strangest looking crew I've
ever seen," said Anguish. "They look
like pirates."
"Or gypsies," suggested Yetive. "Who
are they, Colonel Quinnox? What are
they doing here?"
Quinnox was surveying the vaga
bonds with a critical, suspicious eye. .
"They are not robbers or they woffld
be off like rabbits." be said reflective
ly. "Your highness, there are many
roving bands in the hills, but I confess
that those men are unlike any I have
heard about. With your permission, I
will ride down and question them."
"Do, Quinnox. I am most curious."
Beverly sat very still aud tense. She
was afraid to look at Baldos, who rode
up as Quinnox started into the narrow
defile, calling to the escort to follow.
The keen eyes of the guard caught the
situation at once. Miss Calhoun shot
a quick glance at him as he rode up be
side her. His face was Impassive, but
she could see his hand clinch the bridle
rein, and there was an air of restraint
In his whole bearing.
"Remember your promise," he whls
pered hoarsely. "Xo harm must come
to them." Then be was off Into the de
tile. Anguish was not to be left be
hind. He followed, and then Beverly,
more venturesome aud vastly more In
terested than the others, rode reck
lessly after. Quinnox was questioning
the laconic Ravone when she drew
rein. The vagabonds seemed to evince
but little interest In the proceedings.
They stood away in disdainful aloof
ness. No sign of recognition passed
between them and Baldos.
In broken, jerky sentences Ravone
explained to the colonel that they were
a party of actors on their way to Edel-
I
... i
made It Imperative that the transac
tion should be reported at once. A
word to Quinnox and Ravone would be
seized and searched for the mysterious
paper. This, however, looked utterly
unreasonable, for the vagabonds were
armed and In force, while Yetive was
accompanied by but three men who
could be depended upon. Baldos, un
der the conditions, was not to be reck
oned upon for support. On the other
hand, If he meant no harm, it would be
cruel, even fatal, to expose him to this
charge of duplicity. And while she
turned these troublesome alternatives
over in her mind the opportunity to
act was lost. Ravone and his men
were gone, and the harm, If any was
intended, was done.
From time to time she glanced back
at the guard. His face was Imperturb
able, even sphinx-like in its steadiness.
She decided to hold him personally to
account. At the earliest available mo
ment she would demand an explana
tion of his conduct, threatening him If
necessary. If he proved obdurate there
was but one course left open to her.
She would deliver him up to the Jus
tice he had outraged. Hour after hour
went by, and Beverly suffered more
than she could have told. The dam
age was done, and the chance to undo
it was slipping jfarther and farther out
of her grasp. She began to look upon
herself as the vilest of traitors Th
was no silver among the clouds that the sun had set, and night was rush
ing up to lend unfair advantage to the
forces against which they were strug
gling. The orchestra In the castle MJ
playing something soft and tender
h, so far away!
"I forget that I am a slave, your
kighness," he said at last, and fils tw
marred her thoughts that afternoon.
It was late in the day when the party
returned to the castle tired out. Bev
erly was the only one who had no long
ing to seek repose after the fatiguing
trip. Her mind was full of unrest. . It
was necessary to question Baldos at
once. There could be no peace for her thrilled her through and through.
until she learned the truth from him. turned quickly and to her utter o
The strain became so great that at last may found his face and eyes still clow
Ihe sent word for him to attend her in to hers, glowing in the darkness,
the park. He was to accompany the "Those men over there," she whls-
men who carried the sedan chair, in pered helplessly "they are lookiug it
Which she had learned to sit with a de- y0U!"
iigntrui feeling of being in the eight- "Now I thank God eternally,
Together they partially subdued Vie an
imaL welss. but that they had been advised
eenth century.
in a far corner of the grounds, now a mo Ood. there Is no
fTn tf It! tHn nnnh Jt !- I
.uc cun, uusk, ueveriy Dade night'"
the bearers to set down her chair and youVOu must not talk like that"
leave her In nnit c xou you musi uui ui
. - . a. vj u irvv iiiiMiiiMH
The two men withdrew to a" respectful
distance, whereupon she called Baldos
to her side. Her face was flushed with
anxiety.
"You must tell me the truth nhw
that transaction with Ravone h.
r . '
Bum, coming straight to the point.
"I was expecting this, vour litolmoaa
said he quietly. The shadows of nie-hf ,.ri0,i in rni-ritv. her heart beatIK
were fallimr. but sh mnM iic,f! iu t ..- ...r vnu are bon-
the look of nnrlotn i i,i i . . taU me Dw
" ma uarK eyes. est. and vet you w
V ell 7" Mm InalofnI , .. .
You saw the notes exchanged?" You are as straight as a ramrod, W
Yes, yes, and I command you to tell know your dignity Is terribly offend
me what they contained.. It wn, th I v h foolish, but I do believe
"Your hlr.h
-- -o'""-, i uuunot ten you
u-uVliaseu Detween us. It would be
ura. ue said firmly. Beverlv
lu sneer amazement.
uerous; uood heaven, sir! To
whom do you owe alleglance-to me or
.tuae ana that band of tramps V
she cried, with eyes afire.
"To both, your highness," he an-
crled softly. "You do not punish me;
BUG CTieU, pUIUUg licnc" n 1 1 .
denly. "I cannot permit It. Baifl
You forget who you are, sir."
"Ah, yes, your highness," ne --
fore he stood erect. "I rorgei u. -was
a suspected traitor. Now i
guilty of leze majesty." new
herself grow hot with confusion.
vvuat am i 10 u
oonsn, uui " M
intend no harm to Grausiui.
cannot lie a traitor."
(to be continued.
..Miu YUP
THE ORIGINAL LAXATIVE c
KENNEDY'S LAXATIVE KOHcPjW
Vlim
Ui Clow BIsimo oJ Bomi -