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T1E SE oEJrR Eutered April 23, 1903 tit.Pickens. 1. 0." se eeooud lass matter, under act of Cougress of Mwrch 8, 1879. VOL . * AIA,7 1001 MLIA, TBURSDAY, FE-UY .co Ain't T Two of the% ( Bab, THESE ARE BRIGHT F) BEVERLY OF GRAVSTARK By GEORGE BARR MCUTCHEON. Author of "Graustark" Copytrght, 1901, by Dodd. Mead and Cmipan like. Yo' iaf is ready. MIss~~Bv'ly." Beverly splashed the water with u reasonable ferocity foil a few minutc -trying to enjoy a diversion that hr not failed her until this morning. "Aunt Fanny." she announced aft looking darkly through her windo Into the mountains above, "If yc can't brush my halr-ouch!-any easi than this I'll have some bne else it. that's all. You're a regular o hear." "Po' IWI" honey." was all the cox -placent bear said in reply, without's tering hr methods In the least. "Well" said Beveriy threateningi with a shake ot'fier head. "be careft that's all. Have you heard the newsI "Wha' news, I lses Bev'lyr' "W're going back to Washin'ton." "Thnnk de Lawd! When?" "I don't know. I've just this instai -made up my mnild. I think we'll sta --let's see, this 18 the Oth of Augue -snt it? Well, look and see if y< don't know, stupidl The 10th? 19 goodness! Where has the time gon .anyway? Well, we'll start some tIn ;betwveen the 11th and the 12th." "Of dis ,mionf, M'fas Bev'1y?" "No. Secptembor. I wanit you look up i time tablQi for me today. 1T must ad b bout the trains." "Dey' f on'y one leavin' hesh daily, a hit goo at 0 In do mo'nin'. One tra * a day! JAIn' dat sean'Ious?" "I'm I ure. Aunt Fanny, it is th< busIness, not ourst" sakd Beverly * verely. "P'raps dey mought be runnin' e'xcuhslon roun' 'bout Septombeh, Mi Bev'ly," speculated Aunt Fanny Co solngly. "Dey gen'ly has 'em in Se "You 01(1 goose," crled Beverly spite of herself. "Amn' yo' habin' er good tir "No. I am not." "Fo' de Ian' sake. Ahm would - s'picioned hit to' a minnit. It's .. gayest place Ah mas' eveh saw-'ee Wash'ton an' Lex'ton an' VIcksbu'g.' "Well; you don't know everythling .said B~everly crossly. "I wish you take tbat red feather out of my h1 right away." i ''Shmall Ahm frow hit away, MI Blev'ly?" "We-lt, no. You needn't do tha said Beverly. "Put It on my dressi table. I'll attend to it." "Wha's beeomie o' do gemman 'at 1 GaiI0Eit nace2. Ait ain wm k 'hey Cate. )lftestants in our yr Show. :V:.' \CED YOUNG AMERICANS. - fo' two-three (lnys." "I'm sure I don't know. He's proba by asleep. That class of people never 'lose sleep over anything." "'E's or pow'ful good lookin' pus. son," suggested Aunt Fanny. Beverly's eyes brightened. "Oh, do you think so?" she said, quite Indifferently. "What are you doing *ith that hat?"' "Takin' out do feathch-Jes' as" "Well, leave it alone. Don't disturb my things, Aunt Fanny. How many times must I tell you" "Good Lawd!" was all that Aunt Fanny could say. - "Don't forget about the time tables," n- said Beverly as sue sallied forth for 's, her walk In the park. Id In tho afternoon she went driving witl Princess Yotivo and the young r Duke of Mizrox, upon whose innocent W and sufficiently troubled head she was u heaping secret abuse because of the lr news he brought. Later Count Mar 1o lanx appeared at the eastle for his first Id lesson in poker. le looked so sure of himself that Beverly hated him to the " point o'Z desperation. At the same-thno * she was eager to learn how matters stood *1t1 Balde. The count's threat e still hung over her head, veiled by its ridiculous shadow of mercy. She knew him well enough by this time to feel convinced that Baldos would have to accodnt for his temerity sooner or later. It was like the cat and the help i less mouse. t "It's too hot," she protested, when he announced himself ready for the game. u~ "Nobody plays poker when it's 02 In Y 'the shade." e, "lut, your highness," complained the: e count, "war may break out any day. I cannot concede delay." "I think there's a game called 'shoot *ing craps,' " suggested she serenely. "It seenis to 'me it would' be paf'tles. ,larly good for warriors. You could be shootingssopnething all the time." n e went 'away in a decidedly Irasei rble frame of mind. She did not know it, but Balos was soon afterward set to work In the garrison stables, a mnost aloathsome occupation, in addition to his duties as a guard by nIght. .After mature deliberation Beverly set: .- herself to the task of writing home to* her father. It was her supreme in ntentioun to convince himi that she would be off for the States In an amazingly e hort thue. The major upon receiving '~ the latter three weeks later found noth Ing in It to warrant the belief that she was over coming home, Hie did ob Ic erve, however, that she had bu1t little pt use~ for the army of Graustaurk and , f* men Yetive retained as her private ,'- uard. For th~e life 'ol her Beverly t ould not have told why she disap tproved of the guard4 in general or in :)arteular, but she was congeious of :ho fact after the lttef wau posted that she had said many thgs that "'might have been left tmwvttten. - B ag sides, it was not Blades' fatalt that she could not sleep. It was distinctly isher own.- He.a nothing o do w.th "ih bot father wiff be glad to lie that I aiu coming home." she said Yetive after the letter was gone. "Oh, Ddverl3, dear. I hate to hear < yoUr goine," cried the- rriess. -Wib did-you tell him .you'd' start?" "Why-oh--er--let me' iee, whet i I shy? Dash pm, s 3r. Aivnft, would say. I don't.. beliere- I gave date. It seems to ine I MUi soL that's nl." "You don't know hbow rellertd I am exclaimed Yotive r'n tulrous.r. and Be erly was In high dudgeon iet-nse the implied. reflection. "I infiere yo are In a tiLT with Baldos." we r nY1 tive airily "Goodness! How foolish yoU' en-n. I at times. Yetive!" was what Beverl gave back to her highness the Pt-iircee ol' (Graustark. Late in the evening couriers cain 1 fron the Dawsbergen frontier with rc ports which created considerable. eq citeteut in castle and army circle. Prince Gabriel himself had been see in the northern part of his donain. -ne Collpallied by a large detaihment 0 picked soldiers. Lorry set out thn very night for tho frontier. happy 11 the belief that something worth whil was about to occur. General Marlan; Issued orders for the Edelweiss arm; (-orps to mass beyQnd the southeri gates of the city the next mornin; Commands Were also Rent to the out lyIng garrisons. There was to he genieral moveient -of troops before th end of the week. Graustark was no to. 1) eaught napping. Long -after the departure of Lorr' aind Angulah the prlineois sat on th balcony with Beverly and the Count ess Dagmar. They did not talk mnuchi The mission of these ventuIesom yeng American husbands was full o dianger. Something inI the air had toh their wives that the first blows of wa were to be struck before they looke, again upon the-imen they loved. - "-1 think. we 'hnve ben betrayed b; sone one," said Dagmar after an a! most interminable silence. Ier Corn pnnfon did not reply. "The courier say that afl)iel 'knows where we atr weakest at the front and tiint -he know car every movement. Yetive, there 1 a spy hgre after all." "'And that spy has access to the ver heart of'our deliberations." added Bei erly pointedly. "I say this in behalf c the man whom you evidently suspeci comtess. lie could not know the$ things." " do not say that he does know miee Calhoun, but-it Is not beyond ron son. that he may be the go-between. thi meana of transferripg inforation fron the main traitor to the messengers wh rrwait outside our walls." "Oh. I don't believe it!" cried Beverl: ho0ly. "I wonder it these things would hav happened if Baldos had never come t Edatwetss," mused the princess. Ai though by common impulse, both o0 the Graustark women placed thel lims about Beverly. "It~s because we have so much 1 stake, Beverly, dear," whispered Dag mar. ."Forgive me If I have hur you." -f course Beverly sobbced a little it the effort to convince them that she dk not cre whom they accused if h proved to be the right man in the end They left her alone on the balcony For an hour -after inldnigbt she sm there and dreamed. Every 0110 wuaj ready to turn nyainst Baldos. Evol shte had been'- harsh toward him, foi had she not seen him relegated to thi most obnoxious of duties #fter prois ing him a far different life? And nov whlat was he thinking of her? ils de seent from favor had -followed uppi the diaelosures which made plain t< ene.4 .,tle identlt' Qf the other. N< do$'kwee -atfd'buting his degrada tion in p sense to the fact that she n< longer relished his services, having POeen N r'omange* little Ideal shattere( by his firm nesertions. Of course shi knew that G2eneral Marlans was alone instrumental ift asslgtuing him to thi unpleasant duty he now observed, bul how was Baldos to know that she waa not the real power behind the Iror Count? A light drizzlo began to tall, cold ani disagreeablo. There were no stars, ne mtoon. The ground below was blael with shadows, but shtimmering in spots touched by the feeble park lamps. ShI retreated through her window, deter mied to go to bed, Herw rebellion braIn, however, refused to' banish hitn from her thoulghtg; She wondered 1: ho were patrollahg the castle gr~ountds i tile rain in all that lonely darknesu Seiz~ed by7 a sudden inspiration sit threw a gossamer about her, graspec an umbrella and ventured out upon thb h~alcony once more. Guiltily she search ed the night through the fine, drIitini rain. Her ears listened eagerly to the tread which was so well known t At Iast fe stroje bemr a lamp'not f y Ie ooCed 1t1t. bitt of eour.se cou.not see her.aganste dark wall. For a lon-, tinie he stood'nmtInless be Ineaflth' light. She could' tot help see ng that hie was dejected. tieL nlrilap lPy. HIs shotAlders -drooped:. and there a was a general air of listlessnwss about the figure which had' once beown- so full -of conruge and of hope. The-post- light fell directly upon hIs face. ft was soimber. despondent, strained. IMr wore the air of a prisgner. iler heart went out to himl like: a flnsh. 'Tihe dentiilr i kniglt of the blai,'k patch was nollzo:'e. In his pl)ace therestood a sulleni - bAve to didilpine. '4aldos!" she called softly, her v&bre penetrating the dripping air with t reItrness of a bell. Ile must have been longing for the. sound -of -it, for he stnrt M ed and, looked -engerli- In her direction . His talk form straightened as he passoR. h1is band wter his brow. It was but r% voice froi his dream. he thoughti. *Are-t you tafraid you'll get wet?" ask; ed the spile low, sweet v-oice, with the' suggestion of at laugh behind it.. Witlh t long strides he crossed the pavemxentt " and Rtood almost directly beneath her.. "Your hliess!" he exclaimed gen tly, jo-youi,Y. "What ure you doIng out Nhere4" "Wondiing, BalIdoo. Wondering: what youi were thinking Of as You1 vtood under the lanp over there." "F va thinking of your highness." he Valfed up softly. "'No. no"' she protested. ". to, was wondering-wondering wikrt ybn were dreaming of a you erpt., for you should be asleep at this horr, y-mr highness4. Instead of stand ing out there in the rain." "Daldos," she called down tremulous ly. "you don't like this work, do you?" "It has nothlug but darkness in It- for r e. I. eveP see the light of your eyes. I never feel th" ,'S!it You must not talk like that. st's not proper. and besides some one may be listening. The -iight has a thousand ears-or Is it eyes' B314t ls tenl. Toiorrow you shaill be restored to your -lid duties.. You surely cannot he. lieve that I had anything to do with a the order which comnpels you to work at this unholy hour." frI wa afraid you were punlishlinlg me for my boldness. .\y heart has been sore-you never can know how sore. I was dIsgraced. disinissed, forgotten" S "NI, no; you Were notI You mulst not sa- that. Go away now, Baldo. You wi2 ride with ine tomorrow," she cried nerrously. "Pease go. to soen placeo whe]'e' you won't get dripping wet.". .:. "''Fti forget that I am on guard,". le sai, with a laugh. "But you are a wise comusetor. Is the raia so pleasant to "I have an ambrolin," she protested. "What are yoU doing?" she criod in; ehn. He was coming hand over hand: tmp 'tte trells work that inclosed-l the lbwer voranda. * "I am coming to a place where i wo.'t get dripping wet," he called; softly. There was a dangerous ring ini -1s voke, and she drew back in, as panic. "You must not!" she erled desperate.. S. "Th, is imad nes! Go down, slW"' I "I am happy enough to fly, but'ears P not. So I do the next best thing--I. -lImh to you." Ils arm was across; the stoue ralling by this time. and be - was p)artin troi ihn extion, not- two feet fromr w~here' she crouched. .'"Just one minute of heaven before I Ao, back to the shadows of earth. I an, happe agadin. Marianx told mec you- had die mIssed me. I wonder what he Stoids ini reser-e for* me. I knew he lied. but it Is not until now that I rejok-es Come, you are to shield me from the vain." .'0li, oh!" she gasped, oven-whielnmoi bxhiy daring limaelon. "I- should die ir any one saw you here' Yet she spasmodically extemled the umbrella so .tisat it covered him and left her out Si thLe drizzle. "Anid so should I," responded be softly, "I.sten to me. For hours and hours I havo been longing for the dear old hills in which you found' mec. I wanted to crawl out of Edeiwoiss and hose myself forever in -the rocks and crag8. Tonight wheni you saw mueI I was trying to 'sa'y goodhy to you' for >(ver. , I was try'Ing to make up miy ni mid todsr.I could not enduro tha, Snw orer of tlhiugs. You had cast a ae of., My friends out there were eager to ,hayo me with them. In the city every, one is. ready to call me a: V spy-oven you, E thought. Life was' fblack and drer. Now, my princess. It i . is as bright'as heaven itsolf." -"You must not talk like this," she whispiered helplessly. "You are mnak 1 lng me sorry I called .to you," . 3g "I'should have heard you if yotu had -Only whispered, my rain princess. I I have no rii,ht' to talk of'love-I atn a e vagabond, but I have a heart, anid It is 3 a bold one. Perhaps L dream that I aa bMhda me* m ae ht a foucfr y0err fa'o-but it Is the' sweetest of dreams. But for it I should anve left Edelweiss weeks ago. r shall nev er awaken from thli dream. You can not rob me- of the joys. of dreaming." Under th spell of his passion she, drew nearer to him as he clung s-trong ly to the ralr. The roses at her f'broat came so close' that he could bury 11s face In them. Her hand touched lis cheek, and he- lissed its palm again aid again, his ivet lips stinging her blood to the tips oC he'-toes. "Go away, please." she implored flintly. . "DIon't yo1 sob that you must not stay here,--now?" "A rosc, mny prinaess.-one rose to kiss all through the' long night," ho 161 "1 abould 4e if any one eaw youaere." whibpered. She could feel h-i eyes burning into her heart. Witlb trem bling, hurried fingers she tore loose a rose. lie could not seize it with his hands because of the position he-held, and she laughed tantalizingly. Then she' kissed it first and pressed it against his mouth. is lips and teeth closed over (he stem, and the rose was his. '"6bere are thorns," she whispered evevr so softly. - "'ltey are the riches of the poor.' he nurmured, with diffleiulty, but sheun derstood.. "Xow, go," she said, drawing reso lutety away. An instant later his hona dlsatpeared below 'ke rail. Peering Over the side, she sal.' his figure' spring easily to the ground, ah! then came the rapid. steady tramp ar be went away. on fils dreary patrol. "T: couldn't help It," site was whisper Ing to herself between Joy and ebame. tilancing Instinctively out towad'the eillatary lamp, she saw .two men stand, -lug in its light. One of them waGen 'nmt Marlanx; the other she know to be the spy that watched Baldowi. Her .eart sank like lead when she saw. that the'two were peering inteftly to. ward the blaeony where she.sto4 and; where Baldos had clung but a semeni" before. CHAPTER XXXI. HE shrank back with a great dread in her heart. Marianx, of all men! Why was he. in the park at this hour bf the night? There could be but one answer, and the veiry thought of it almost suffocat ed her. TV- was drawing the net with his own hdnds, ho was spying with his own eyes. F~or a full minute ,it seemed to her that her heart would stop beat lng. How long had he been standing tier'e? What had ho seen or heard? involuntarily she peered over tho rail for a glimpse of Baldos. Hie had gone out Into the darkness, misating 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 phe Crew stealthily away fr'om the rail, possessed of a ridieulous feel lng that her form was as plain to the v'ision as if It were broad daylight. The tread of a man impelled her to glance below once more before fleeing to her room. Marlant was coming toward the veranda. She fled swiftly, pausing at the window to lower the friendly but forgotten umbrella. F~rom below came 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 iaughing. It struck her as iv. sistibly funny that the Iron Count should be standing out there in the Irain, signaling to her like a lovesick Iboy. Once she was inside, however, it did not seem so amusing. Still, it gave Iher ab immnense amount of satisfaction to slam the windows loudly, as i~ in pure defiance. .Tben she closed 'the blinds, shutting out the aught cowe