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r .' " .\fvV :'A;Vl"/!:' ? V-' """* :** ','.;V{* ? ! ; v?/V.VvV?,i f p 'Beverly c ^/<'t I?.", -* ; - ,* ,. / "* "My?iny kindnesses?" cried Marlanx. "What do you mean, sir?" "I moau tills. Count Mnrlanx," said Baklos, looking steadily Into the eyes of the head of the army. "It "was kind and considers^ of you to admit nie to the fortress, i.j matter in what eapael- | ty. ?*speclally at a critical time like this. Yg^dh^iot know me, you lind no way ck whether my Intentions were lio.^s^w otherwise, and yet I was permitted to go through the fort from end to end" No spy could wish for greater tek generosity than that." U An almost Imperceptible smile went j around the tuhle, and every listener out one ureatnod more rreely. The candor and boldness of the guard won the respect and confidence of nil except Mnrhiux. The Iron Count was white 1 with anger, lie took the examination I out of Lorry's hands and plied the j stranger with Insulting questions, each ] calm answer making him more furious : than before. At Inst, In sheer lmpo- ! teuce, he relapsed iuto silence, waving 1 his hand to Lorry to Indicate that he might resume. "You will understand. Baldos. that we have some <rau.se for apprehension." said Lorry. Immensely gratified by the outcome of the tilt. "You are a stran- I ger, and, whether you admit It or uot, them is reason to believe that you are not what you represent yourself to be." "I am a humble guard nt present, sir. ; mml a loyal one. My life Is yours should I prove otherwise." " Yetlve whispered something in Lorry's ear nt this Juncture. She was visibly pleased and excited. lie looked doubtful for an instant and then apparently followed her suggestion, re Kamiess or consequences. "Would you be vllling to utilize your knowledge as an engineer by suggest- i ing moans to stre-ythen the fortressV" I'lir others stared 1:1 fresh amazement. Marianx went as white as death. "Never!" he blurted out hoarsely. "I will do anything the prineess commands me to do." said Haldos 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 Lc smiled as he said it. The real princess looked at him with a new, eager 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 humor, and the laugh was general. Y'etive resolved to talk prlvntely with this excellent wit before the hour was over. She wus confident that he knew her to be the princess. "I would like to ask the fellow another question," said Marlanx, finger nig ni:* sword Iillt nervously. "You say you serve the princess. Do you mean by that that you Imagine your duties us a soldier to comprise dancing polite attendance within the security of these walls?" "I believe I enlisted as a member of the castle guard, Hlr. The duty of the guard is to protect the person of the ruler of Graustark and to do that to the death." "It Is iny belief that you are a spy. ^ You can show evidence of good faith by enlisting to tight against Dawsbcr1 gen and by shooting to kill," said the count, with a sinister gleam In his eye. "And if I decline to serve in any other capacity than the one I now"? "Then 1 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 me add. If you call me a coward. I refuse to take up arms against either Ihiwsbergen or Axphaln." The remark created a profound sensation. "Then you are employed by both Instead of one!" shouted the Iron Count gleefully. "I am employed as n guard for hej* royal highness," said Ruldos, with a square glance at Yotive, "and not as a fighter in the rnnks. I will fight till death for her, hut not for Graustark." UIIAI'TKU XVI. "f ' lY Jove. I like that fellow's coolness," said Lorry to llarII ry Anguish, after tin nieet__J Ing. "lie's after r.iy own heart. Why, he treats us us though we were the suppliants, ho the aluisgivcr. He is playing a game, I'll admit, hut he does it with un assurance that delights me." "Ho Is right about that darned ojd fort," sahl Anguish. "Ills knowledge of such things proves conclusively tnut he is no ordinary person." "Yetive had a bit of a talk with him Just now," sakl Lorry, with a reflective smile. "She asked him point blank if he knew who she was. He did not hesitate a second. 'I remember seeing you in the audience chnml>er recently.' That was a facer for Yetive. 'I assure you that It was no fault of mine that i you saw me,' she replied. 'Then it must 4 have been your friend who rustled the curtains?* said the confounded bluffer. Yetive couldn't keep a straight face. She laughed, and thee be laughed. * 4 if ill GEORGE BARR f?f F| M'GUTGHEON, i?M r 'M ggl Hwj and Con-wor > :..-V'. " <<:. ?;: *-. /v; :f ni' ! > ? Vi r iilnW uiiai m" t Some day you majL learn more about mo,* she said to hinT* '1 sincerely trust that 1 may, madaiJBrsaid lie, and I'll bet my bat he was enjoying it better than either of us. Of course he knows Votive is the princess. It's his intention to serve Beverly Calhoun, and he couldn't do it If lie were to confess that lie knows the truth, lie's no fool." Baldos wus not long iu preparing plans for the changes in the fortress. They embodied a temporary readjustment of the armament and alterations iu the ammunition house. The gate leading to tlie river was closed, and the refuse from the fort was taken to the barges by way of the main entrance. There were other changes suggested for immediate consideration, liul - 1 - ' " ....xx ?..<_ix vii.rtu u genera i piaii 101* tfie modernizing of llio fortress at some more convenient time. Baldos laconically observed that the equipment was years behind the times. To the amazement of the othclals. he was able to talk Intelligently of forts In all parts of the world, revealing a wide und thorough knowledge and extensive inspection. He had seen American as well as European l'ortilieations. The Graustark engineers went to work at once to perfect the simple changes lie advised, leaving no stone unturned to strengthen the place before an attack could lie made. Two, three weeks went by, and the new guard was becoming an old story to the castle and army folk. lie 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 than the princess, although he betrayed himself by uo word or sign. She was enjoy lug the fun of it too intensely to expose It to the risk of destruction by revealing her true Identity to him. Logicully that would mean the end of everything. No doubt ho felt the same and kept his counsel, but the game could not last forever, that was certain. A month op t?-n mnrn 01..i u........i.. .......1.1 ? w. ... w uw ? ui I j ?WUIU have to think of her return to Washington. Ills courage, his cool impudence, his subtle wit, charmed her more than she could express. Now she was beginning to study him from a standpoint peculiarly and selfishly her own. Where recently she had sung his praise to Yotive and others she now was strangely reticent. She was to understand another day why this change hud come over her. Stories of his cleverness came to her oars from Lorry and Anguish and even from Dangloss. She was proud, vastly proud, of him in those days. The Iron Count alone discredited the ability and the conscientiousness of the "mountebank," as he named the man who had put his nose out of joint. Beverly, seeing much of Marlanx, made the mistake of chiding him frankly and gayly about this aversion. She even argued the guard's case before the head of the army. Imprudently pointing out many of his superior qualities in advocating his cause. The ! count was learning forbearance In his , old age. He saw the wisdom of proi crastlnation. Baldos was in favor, but ! some day there would come a time for 1 his undoing. In the barracks he was acquiring fame. Reports went forth with unblasj ed freedom. He established himself as the best swordsman in the service, as well as the most elHcleut marksman. With the foils and sabers he easily vanquished the foremost fencers in high and low circles. He could ride ; like a Cossack or like an American cowltoy. Of them all. his warmest admirer was Haddan, the man set to watch him far the secret service. It | may he timely to state that Iladdan 1 watched in vain. 1 The princess, humoring her own fancy, as well as Beverly's foibles, took to riding with her high spirited young guest op, many n little Jaunt to the tills. She usually rode with Lorry o~ Anguish, cheerfully assuming the subI dued position befitting a lady-ln-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 lieing Lorry's wife. "IIow can you expect the paragon to make love to you, dear, if he thinks I you are another man's wife?" Yctlve asked, her blue eyes lieaming with tne I fun of It all. r "Pooh!" sniffed Beverly. "You hnvo only to consult history to find the excuse. It's the dear old habit of men to make love to queens and get beheaded for it. Besides, he Is not expected to : make love to mo. IIow In the world did you get that Into your head?" On a day soon after the return of L^>rry and Anguish from a trip to the Jjroutier Beverly expressed a desire to i' visit the monastery of St. Valentine, high on the mountain top. It was a ' long ride over the circuitous route by which the steep Incline was avoided I and It was necessary for the party te | make an early start. Yetlve rode wltli Harry Anguish and his wife the count, ess, while Beverly's companion was the | gallant Colonel Qulnuox. Buldos, rolej gated to)the background, brought an I ' I 1 the roar with Huddnn. For u weok or moro Beverly had boon ' behaving toward Haldos in the most . cavalier fashion. Her friends had j ' been teasing her, and, to her own Ini tense amazement, she resented it. The ; fact that she felt the sting of their sly taunts was suiHclent to arouse in her the distressing conviction that lie had become important enough to prove cm- 1 barrassing. While confessing to her- j self that it was a hit treacherous and i 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 eonlldent. lie occasionally forgot his deferential air and relaxed into a very pleasing but highly reprehensible state of friendliness. A touch of the old jauntiness crop- j ped out hero and there, a tinge of the old irony marred Ids otherwise perfect mien as a soldier. Ilis laugh was freer, his i eyes less under subjugation, his entire ! personality more arrogant. It was , i time, thought she resentfully, that his temerity should meet some sort of ;heck. And. moreover, she had dreamed of him two nights in succession. IIow well her plan succeeded may best be illustrated by saying that she ! now was in a most uncomfortable frame of in I ml. Baldos refused to be properly depressed by his misfortune, i lie retired to the oblivion she provided and seemed disagreeably content. Ap' pa rent ly it made very little difference to him whether he was in or out of favor. Beverly was in high dudgeon and low spirits. The party rode forth at an early hour in the morning. It was hot In the city, j but It looked cold and bleak on the j heights. Comfortable wraps were tak- I en along, and provision was made for [ ' luncheon at an Inn halfway up the I slope. Quinnox regaled Beverly with ' stories in which (Ironfall Lorry was j the hero and Votive the heroine. lie j | told her of the days when Lorry, a fu-1 gitive with a price upon his head, j ] charged with the assassination of! 1 i'rinee Lorenz, then betrothed to the | princess, lay hidden In the monastery I while Yetlve's own soldiers hunted i high and low for him. The narrator I dwelt glowingly upon the trip from the monastery to the city walls one dark night when Lorry came down to surrender himself in order to shield the ' woman he loved, and Quinnox himself piloted him through the underground | ! passage into the very heart of the ensi tie. Then came the exciting scene in which Lorry presented himself as a prisoner, with the denouement that I saved the princess and won for the gallant American the desire of his { j heart. "What a brave fellow he was!" cried Beverly, who never tired of hearing \ the romantic story. i ! "Ah, lie was wonderful. Miss Calhoun. I fought him to keep him from I surrendering. He beat me, and I was j i j virtually his prisoner when we appear- ; , ed before the tribunal." "It's no wonder she loved him and , married him." "lie deserved the best that life could 1 give. Miss Calhoun." J ? "You had better not call nie Miss ; Calhoun, Colonel Quinnox," said she, I looking back apprehensively. "1 am a highness once in awhile, don't you know?" "I Implore your highness' pardon," 1 I said he gayly. The riders ahead had come to a ; standstill and were pointing off into the pass to their right. They were eight or ten miles from the city gates and more than halfway up the winding road that ended at the monastery gates. Beverly and Quinnox came up with . them and found all eyes centered on a small company of men encamped in the rocky dctile a hundred yards from the main road. It needed but a glance to tell her who comprised the unusual eomnnnv. ! The very raredness of their garments, the unforgettable disregard for consequences, tlie impudent ease with which they faced poverty and wealth alike, belonged to but one set of men?the i vagabonds of the Ilawk and Haven. Beverly went a shade whiter. Her interest in everything else flagged, and she was lost in bewilderment. What freak of fortune had sent those men ( out of the fastnesses into this dangerously open place V She recognized the ascetic Uavone, with his student's face and beggnr's garb. Old Franz was there, and so were others whose faces and lietero, geneous garments had become so fa- | | miliar to her in another day. The tall leader with the red feather, tlie rakish hat and tlie black patch alone was missing from the picture. "It's tlie strangest looking crew I've ever seen," ssid Anguish. "They look like pirates." "Or gypsies." suggested Y/tive. "Who are thov Colonel lliiliinnv^ Wlinf nrn i they doing here?" Qulnnox was surveying the vagnj bonds with a critical, suspicious eye. "They are not robbers or they would j lx? off like rabbits." he said reflectlveI ly. "Your highness, there are many roving bands in the hills, bet I confess I that these men are unlike any I have beard about. With your permission, I ) will ride down and question them." I "Do, Qulnnox. I am most curious." Beverly sat very still ami tense. She was afraid to look at Baldos, who rode tip as Qulnnox started into the narrow defile, calling to the escort to follow. The keen eyes of the guard caught the 1 situation at once. Miss Calhoun shot Q quick glance at him as he rode up be I side her. His face was Impassive, but 1 j she could see bis hand clinch the bridle ' rein, and there was an air of restraint > In his whole bearing. ' I I [TO BE CONTINtTXD.] There are breakers ahead when the devil sets about proving to you how i smart you are. n &?? Chick Springs Company, Chick Springs, S. C. SkS Gentlemen: ? jgjgj It was a very fortunate selection for n |5?5j "Well, try Chick Springs," She did, wi 2?|j resort (and she has "tried" many)?neve (?2 has she ever received so much benefit as jgg In her case it is remarkable. It gives me ?92 state I am convinced that for indigestion |jgg "run-down and all-gone" feeling of the s gJS no equal. Of the comforts, conveniences Bgg the many courtesies and kindnesses show %?$ pleasant memories long after "The Water' gpg them. Yours tru Us <^Sign( = = H THE PRETTIEST SU I Chick S |?| If you are looking for Health, go |s for Pleasure, go there?If you ar |?j| Among the advantages offered are:?The known to sufferers from Indigestion, Dys 8*5 If you go there and drink the water as yc no pay will be asked. One of the most c mer hotels in the South. Only one mile sps trains. Situated in the foothills of the Bli the nights and davs are cool, and there ar All the popular outdoor sports. Best jfes Music for Concerts and dances. Splendid with Milk, Poultry and Vegetables from tl j|3 Always a congenial crowd of the best pec Srfs nere aaas zest to tne mere consciousness |g2 giving water and breathe the pure mount: vividness of life to your existence. |!| Write for Booklet Schick spring* H Chick Sprim lliMiifflffliii i - The Most Populc There is real enjoyment in chewing u SCHNAPPS tobacco. That's why it n has won millions of chewers every a year, until now more is sold than all similar tobaccos. SCHNAPPS, the most popular prod- ^ uct of the Reynolds factories, is man- u Tit? Claris ? is manufactured by the cleanest and most S \ healthful processes ever devised, under u J the direction of men who have made the o l | chewing tobacco business a life study, S f and who have managed the R. j. Rey- o j nolds Tobacco Company since 1375. tl -j W-jujt Ui UlUi UU^Iliy cured leaf are used in SCHNAPPS, arid g | expert tests prove that this class of n i tobacco requires ar.d takes a smaller amount of sweetening than any other J kind of tobacco grown?and that it has a wholesome, stimulating and satisfying , effect on chewers, besides being the ir most economical. Sl There are a great many imitations claiming to be " just as good " as vt UR. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO < WOFFORD COLLEGE. HENRY N. SNYDER, LL. D., Presi- @ A dent. ^ A Two degrees, A. It. and A. 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