i raustar
.1 .
surreptitiously lifted-were unusually
pensive.
"It Is strange that you live in Grau.
stark and have not seen its princess
before," she said, laying groundwork
for Inquiry concerning the acts and
mhereabouts of the real princess.
"May it please your highness, I have
not lived long in Graustark. Besides,
It Is said that half the people of Gan
look have never looked upon your
ftce."
"I'm not surprised at that. The pro
portion is much smaller than I imag
.lned. I have not visited Ganlook,
strange as it may seem to you."
"One of my company fell in with
some of your guards from the Ganlooki
garrison day before yesterday. He
learned that you were to reach that
elty within forty-eight hours. A large
detachment of men has been sent to
meet you at Labbot."
"Oh, indeed," said Beverly, very
imuch interested.
"They must have been misinformed
as to your route or else your Russian
escort decided to take you through by
the lower and more hazardous *ay.
It was our luck that you dame by the
wrong road. Otherwise we should not
have met each other, and the lion," he
said, smiling reflectively.
"Where is Labbot?" asked she, in
tent upon the one subject uppermost in
her mind.
"In the mountains many leagues
north of this pass. Had you taken that
route Instead of this you would by this
time have left Labbot .for the town of
Erros, a half day's journey from Gan
look. Instead of vagabonds your es
cort would hive been mattide uls of loyal
soldiers, well fed, well clad and well
satisfied with themselves at least."
"But no braver, no truer than p1y
soldiers of fortune." she said earnestly.
"By the way, are you informed as to
the slita of affairs In Dawsbergen?"
"Scearge ly as well as your highness
must h." he replied.
"The young prince - what's his
name?" she paused, looking to him for
the na3me.
"Dantan ?"
"Yes, that's it. What has become of
him? I an terribly interested in iin."
"Ile Is ia fugitive. they say."
"They haven't captured him, then?
Good! I am so glad !"
Baldos exhibieI, little or no interest
In the fresh topic.
"It is strange you should have for
gotten hIs iame," he said wearily.
"Oh, I do so miany ridiculous things!"
com1plined Roeverly, remembering whoi
she was supPOSed to be. "I have never
seen hii, you know," she ad((le(d.
"It Is not strange, your highness. Ie
was edlucatedl in England and had seen
but little of his own country when) he
was called to the throno twvo years ago.
You remember' of course that his moth
er was an Englishw~omnan, Ladiy lida
"I-I think I have heard somec of his
history. A very little, to be sure," she
explained lamely.
"Prince Gabriel, his half brother, is
the son of Prince Louis III. by his
first wife, who was a Polish countess.
After hter death, whten Gabriel was
two years old, the prince married Lady
Ida. Dantan Is their son, Hie has a
sater, Candace, who is but nineteen
years of age." -
"I ant ashamed to-confess that you
know so mucht moro' about my neigh
bors than I," she said.
"I lived in Dawsbergen for a little
while and' w~as ever interested in the
doings or royalty. That is a poor man's
privilege, you know."
"Prince Gabriel must be a terrible
mant," cried Beverly, her heart swelling
with tender thoughts of the exiled Dan
tan and his little sister.
"You have cause to know," saId he
shortly, and she was perplexed until
she.. recalled the stories of Gabriel's
misdlemeantors at the court of Edel
'weisa.
"Is Pritce D~antan as handsome as
they say hte is?" she asked.
"It is entirely a matter' of opinion,"
he replied. "I for ond'do not conaider
him at all prossessing.'"
The day wvent ont, fatiguing, distress
lng it its length and its happenings.
Progrecss was ntecessarily slowv, the
perils of theo roald iucreasing as thte
little ('avalende wound deeper and
dleleer Into the wviiderness. Thero.wore
times when the coacht fairly crawled
along the edge of a preeipiee, a pro
ceedintg so ha'zartdous thtat Beverly
shuddered as if it a ciil. Aunt Fantny
slept seronely most of thte time, antd
Baldos took to dreanuing with his eyes
.wide open. Centrary to her expecta
tions, the Axphainians did not appear,
and if there were robbers in the hills
they thoughtt better thatn to attack' the
Valorous looking party. It dawned
npqn herl.DAally..thuat the Arnh~alnlana
IL -
I ~ GEOROE.: URR ?~
k * Author of "GS Sark"
0 COeWtt. 1904. 6y Dodd. 4
. * Mead and Compay W
were gua-ding the upper route and not
the one over which she was traveling.
Yetive doubtless wag approaching Gan
look over .the northern pass, prpvIded
the enemy had not been encountered
before Labbot was reached. Beverly
soon found herself fearIngptor the
safety of the princesg fea af
last became almost b rd .
Near nightfall they came te
Gtaustark shepherds knd iea d tiat
Ganiook could not be reached before
the next afternoon. The tired, bungry
travelers spent the night in a -snug
little valley through which a rivuLet
'bounded onward to Ahe river below.
The supper- was a scait one, the fora
gers having poor lutk in the hunt for
food. Daybreak saw them on their
way once more. Hunger and dread
had worn down Beverly's supply of
good spirits; she ias having difficulty
in keeping the haggard, distressed look
from her face. Her tender, hopeful
eyes were not so bold or so merry as
on the day before; cheerfulness cost
her-an effort, but she managed to keep
it fairly alive. Her escort,, wretched
and half starved, never f4rgot the def
erence due to their charge, but etgode
steadily on with the doggedqess of
martyrs. At times she was impellea (to
disclose her true Identity, but discre
tion told her that deception was her
best safeguard.
Late in the afternoon of the second
day the front axle of the coach snap
ped in two, and a tedious delay of two
h'ours ensued. Baldos was strangely si
lent and subdued. It was not tintil the
misfortune caie that Beverly observ
ed the flushed condition of hIs. face.
Involuntarily and wrh the compassion
of a true woman, slhe touiied his hand
and brow. They were . burning hot.
The wounded mani was In a high fever.
le laughed at her fears and scoffed at
the prospect of blood poisoning and the
hundred otlier possibilities that sug
gested theiselves to her anxious
brain.
"We are close to Ganlook," he said,
with the setting of the sun. "Soon you
may be relieved of your tiresome,
cheerless company, your higlmess."
"You are going to a physilan." she
said resolutely, alive and active once
more, now that the worst part of the
Jiouriey was comilng to an1 end. "Tell
that ian to drive in a gallop all the
rest of the way."
CHAI'TER VIII.
Y tills time they were passing
the queer little huts that mark
ed 1lhe outskirts. of -a habitable
Icommiunity. Thicse were the
homes of shepherds. hunters and oth
er's whosti vocations relatetl esipeelal
iy to the nmountains. Farther on there
were signs of farming interests; the
homes b erenm e more numerous andl
mlor'e preteniou la411 i appuearance. The
rock lined gorge broadened int..a Ier
tile valley; the road was smooth and
level, al condition which afforded re'llaf
to the travelers. Rtavone had once
more diressedi the wolunds infieted by.
the lion,. but he was unable to provide
anhythmu' to subdue the fever. Baldos
was undeniably ill. Heverly, between
her (exclaiatons of joy and relief at
being in sight of Ganlook, was profuse
in her expuresslons of concern for the
hero of tihe Ihawk and Raven. The
feverish gleaml in his dark eyes anmd
the pain that miarked his face touched
her dleeply. HSulferinmg softened his lean,
sua i brlo\vnedC features, obl1iterating tile
mocking linies that had impressed her
so unfavorably at the outset. She was
saying to herself that he was hand
sonme after a most unusual cast; It was
aln uinforgettable face.
"Youmr highness." lhe said earnestly,
after she had looked long and anxious-'
ly at his half closed eyes, "we are with
in an hour of Gaulook. It will be dark
before we reach the gates, I know,
but you have nothing to fear during
the rest of the trip. Franz shall drive
you to the sentry post and turn over
the horses to your own men. My
friends and1( 1 must leave youi at the
endh of the mountain roadl, We are"
"Rtidicuious!" she cried. "I'll not
permit it! You nmust go to a hospital."
"if I enitr tihe (Ganlook gates it will
be the same as entering the gates of
death," lie protested.
"Nonsense! You have a fever or you
wvouldn't talk l'ke thamt. I can promtse
you absolute secnrity."
"You do not undlerstand, your high
Mess."
".Nevertheless, you are going to a
hospital," she 'firmly said. "You would
die out hero in thme wilds, so what are
the odds either way? Aunt Fanny, 'will
you be careful? Don't 'you know that
the least movement of those bags hurts
him?"
"Please do not mind me, your high
ness. I am doing very well,"'llessaid,
'The t u Ii- frot
otodsi1de Sfi 0 time of. Ie
So esbtherS gatl
e Oabot t 0p window. A c(
e e a
1W
"Aunt Fanny, oUm you be carefte?
versation in a tongue utterly incompi
hensible to Beverly took place betwe
Baldos and his followers. The lati
seemed to be disturbed about son
thing, and there was no mistaking I
solicitous air with which they regal
ed their leader. The pseudo prince
was patient as long as possible ai
then broke into the discussion.
"What do they want?" she demar
ed in English.
"They are,, asking for Instructioni
he answered.
"Instruct them to do as I bid," a
said. "Tell them to hurry along a
get you a doctor; that's all."
Evidently his friends w-re of t
samne opinion,for after a long harang
in which he was obdurate to the I
they left the carriage, and he sa
back with a groan of dejection.
"What Is it?" she anxiously demal
ed.
"They also insist that I shall go tc
surgeon." he said hopelessly. Ills ey
were moist, and he could not meet I
gaze. She was full of exultatic
"They have advised me to put myr'
under your protection, shameless
that miy seem to a man. You and y
alone have the power to protect me
I pass beyond the walls of Ganlook.'
"I" she cried, all a-flutter.
"I could not thrust my head into t
jaws of delath unless the princess
Graustark were there to stay th<
fury. Your royal hand alone can tu
aside the inevitable. Alas, I am he
less Aind know iot what to do!"
Beverly ('alhoun sat very straight a
silent hes'ide the lnisgui11(ded Balh
After aill, it wats not within her pow\
to protect Ilim. She was not the pr
iess, and she had absolutely no in
enee hi Ganlook. The authorities th
cOuld not beP deIVC(i as had been the
ignorant 111011 of the 11111s. If sie
him Into the city it was decidedly 'prc
able that she nilght he taking him
.a ommangl Onee atpvea
wds cozfident s eould save t 6e-n
.wh'o dia4 done so much for Or,'.,
n U GauoC was many miles from Edel
reiss; and there was no assurance thai
Int'erention could be obtained in time
On the other hand, if he went back to th'
hills hewaq likely to die of the poison
ous fever, irteverly was In a most tn
happy state ot mind. If she confessc(
to him that she was not the princes!
be would refuse to enter the gates o:
Ganlook, and be perfectly justified li
doing so.
"But if I should fall?" she asked a
last, a shiver rushing over her an(
leaving her cold with dread.
"You are the only'hope, your high
ness. You had better say farewell to
Baldos and let him again seek thi
friendly valley," said he wearily. "W,
can go no farther. The soldie:s mus
be near, your highness. It means calp
ture if we go on. I cannot expose m;
friends to' the dangers. Let me be pu
down here and do you drive on t
safety. I shall fare much better thai
you'-think, for I am young and- stroi
and"
PNo! I'll risk iti" she cried. "Yoi
must go into the city. Tell them sc
and say that I will protect you with m;
own life and honor."
,e- Fever made him submissive. He
en eyes gave him confidence. Her voic
er soothed his fears, if he possessed their
ae- Leaning from the window he calle
he his men together. Beverly looked oa
-d. In wonder as these strange men bad
ss farewell to their leader. Many of ther
ad were weeping, and most of them kisse
his hand. There were broken sel
id. tences, tear choked promises, anxiou
inquiries, and the parting was over.
l," "Where are they going?" Beverl;
whispered as they'moved away in th
he dusk.
nd "Back into the mountains .to, starv
poor fellows. God be kind to their
he God be good to them," he half sobbec
u his chin dropping to his breast. H
.st was trembling like a leaf.
nk "Starve?" she whispered. "Have the
no money?"
Id- "We are penniless," came in muffle
tones from the stricken leader.
a B6verly leaned from the window an
,es called to the departing ones. Itavon
er and one other relnctantly approachie(
m. Without a word she opened a sma
c: traveling bag and drew forth a leav
as purse. This she pressed into the hantz
of the student. It was filled wit
Graustark gavvos, for which she ha
exchanged American goltl Ili Rjussia.
"God be with you!" she ferventi
he cried. lie kissed her hand, andi tlh
two stood aside to let the coeh ro
r on into the dusky shadows that sel
arated them from the gates of Gan
look, old Franz still. driving, the ot
one of the .company left to serve hi
I leader to the very end.
)S "Well, we have left then," muttere
Baldos as though to himself. "I mht
never see them agalii-never see thet
again. And how true they have beeni!
W- "I sh'all send for theia the momuen
, I get to Ganlook. a mI I'll promise pai
Sdons for them all!" she cried rashly I
0( her compassion.
"No." e. exlainied fiercely; "vou ar
thUuc-o
thor drew it4
hdhA began to 1
life was in her -wet
and the t .e was' 04
must stant betwOeithint Und .004s.
"Where atre thesd iunted olde0 o A
yours?" lIe suddenly asedd - - a
Irony In his voice.
"My soldiers?" she paid faintly.,
"Isn't it rather unuspal thitt i
of trouble and uucertinty Aie s 61) 1
be able to approach w liin aMie o
t one of your iost Impdtat vtithl", W
out even so much as seeing 4 .. Iet
of Graustark?"
She felt that he was scoffing but It
mattered little to her.
"It is a bit odd, isn't it?" size tgreed
"Worse than that, your hight 0ss."
$"I shall speak to Dangloss abolut It,"
she said serenely, and he looked up In
new surprise. Truly she was ;fn ex
t traordinary princess.
Fully tbree-quarters of an hour pas
ed before the coach was checked. Bey.
.prly, looking from the. windows, had
seen the lighted windows of cottages
growing closer and closer together.
The barking of roadside dogs was the
only sound that could be heard above
the rattle of the wheels. It was too
r dark Inside the coach to see the face
a of the man beside her, but something
told her that he was staring intently
I Into the night, alert and anxious. The
I responsibility of her positton swooped
D down upon 4aer like an avalanche as
i she thought of what the next few mhi
I utes were to bring forth. It was the
sudden stopping of the coach and the
sharp commands from the outside that
told her probation was at an end. She
could no longer speculate; it was high
D time to act.
"The outpost," came from Baldos, in
strained tones.
"Perhaps they won't know us--you. I
mean," she whispered.
L "Baron Dangloss knows everybody."
he replied bitterly.
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