Beverly of Graustark

by George Barr McCutcheon

  CHAPTER IX

  THE REDOUBTABLE DANGLOSS

  Beverly's eyes showed her astonishment. Baron Dangloss courteouslyplaced a chair for her and asked her to be seated.

  "We were expecting you, Miss Calhoun," he explained. "Her royal highnessleft St. Petersburg but a few hours after your departure, havingunfortunately missed you."

  "You don't mean to say that the princess tried to find me inSt. Petersburg?" cried Beverly, in wonder and delight.

  "That was one of the purposes of her visit," said he brusquely.

  "Oh, how jolly!" cried she, her gray eyes sparkling. The grim oldcaptain was startled for the smallest fraction of a minute, but at oncefell to admiring the fresh, eager face of the visitor.

  "The public at large is under the impression that she visited the Czaron matters of importance," he said, with a condescending smile.

  "And it really was of no importance at all, that's what you mean?" shesmiled back securely.

  "Your message informing her highness of your presence in St. Petersburghad no sooner arrived than she set forth to meet you in that city, muchagainst the advice of her counsellors. I will admit that she had otherbusiness there but it could have waited. You see, Miss Calhoun, it was agreat risk at this particular time. Misfortune means disaster now. ButProvidence was her friend. She arrived safely in Ganlook not an hoursince."

  "Really? Oh, Baron Dangloss, where is she?" excitedly cried theAmerican girl.

  "For the night she is stopping with the Countess Rallowitz. A force ofmen, but not those whom you met at the gates, has just been dispatchedat her command to search for you in the lower pass. You took the mostdangerous road, Miss Calhoun, and I am amazed that you came through insafety."

  "The Russians chose the lower pass, I know not why. Of course, I wasquite ignorant. However, we met neither brigands nor soldiers, Axphainor Graustark. I encountered nothing more alarming than a mountainlion. And that, Baron Dangloss, recalls me to the sense of a duty I havebeen neglecting. A poor wanderer in the hills defended me against thebeast and was badly wounded. He must be taken to a hospital at once,sir, where he may have the proper care."

  Whereupon, at his request, she hurriedly related the story of thattrying journey through the mountains, not forgetting to paint thecourage of Baldos in most glowing colors. The chief was deeplyinterested in the story of the goat-hunter and his party. There was anodd gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, but she did not observe it.

  "You _will_ see that he has immediate attention, won't you?" sheimplored in the end.

  "He shall have our deepest consideration," promised he.

  "You know I am rather interested, because I shot him, just as if it werenot enough that his legs were being torn by the brute at the time. Heought not to walk, Baron Dangloss. If you don't mind, I'd suggest anambulance," she hurried on glibly. He could not conceal the smile thather eagerness inspired. "Really, he is in a serious condition. I thinkhe needs some quinine and whiskey, too, and--"

  "He shall have the _best_ of care," interrupted the captain. "Leavehim to me, Miss Calhoun."

  "Now, let me tell you something," said she, after due reflection. "Youmust not pay any attention to what he says. He is liable to be deliriousand talk in a terrible sort of way. You know delirious people never talkrationally." She was loyally trying to protect Baldos, the hunted,against any incriminating statements he might make.

  "Quite right, Miss Calhoun," said the baron very gravely.

  "And now, I'd like to go to the princess," said Beverly, absolutely sureof herself. "You know we are great friends, she and I."

  "I have sent a messenger to announce your arrival. She will expect you."Beverly looked about the room in perplexity.

  "But there has been no messenger here," she said.

  "He left here some minutes before you came. I knew who it was that cameknocking at our gates, even though she traveled as Princess Yetive ofGraustark."

  "And, oh! that reminds me, Baron Dangloss, Baldos still believes me tobe the princess. Is it necessary to--to tell him the truth about me?Just at present, I mean? I'm sure he'll rest much easier if he doesn'tknow differently."

  "So far as I am concerned, Miss Calhoun, he shall always regard you as aqueen," said Dangloss gallantly.

  "Thank you. It's very nice of you to--"

  A man in uniform entered after knocking at the door of the room. Hesaluted his superior and uttered a few words in his own language.

  "Her royal highness is awaiting you at the home of the countess, MissCalhoun. A detail of men will escort you and your servant to her place."

  "Now, please, Baron Dangloss," pleaded Beverly at the door, "be nice tohim. You know it hurts him to walk. Can't you have him carried in?"

  "If he will consent," said he quietly. Beverly hurried into the outerroom, after giving the baron a smile he never forgot. Baldos looked upeagerly, anxiously.

  "It's all right," she said in low tones, pausing for a moment beside hischair. "Don't get up! Good-bye. I'll come to see you to-morrow. Don't bein the least disturbed. Baron Dangloss has his instructions."Impulsively giving him her hand which he respectfully raised to hislips, she followed Aunt Fanny and was gone.

  Almost immediately Baldos was requested to present himself before BaronDangloss in the adjoining room. Refusing to be carried in, he resolutelystrode through the door and stood before the grim old captain of police,an easy, confident smile on his face. The black patch once more coveredhis eye with defiant assertiveness.

  "They tell me you are Baldos, a goat-hunter," said Baron Dangloss,eyeing him keenly.

  "Yes."

  "And you were hurt in defending one who is of much consequence inGraustark. Sit down, my good fellow." Baldos' eyes gleamed coldly for aninstant. Then he sank into a chair. "While admitting that you have doneGraustark a great service, I am obliged to tell you that I, at least,know you to be other than what you say. You are not a goat-hunter, andBaldos is not your name. Am I not right?"

  "You have had instructions from your sovereign, Baron Dangloss. Did theyinclude a command to cross-question me?" asked Baldoshaughtily. Dangloss hesitated for a full minute.

  "They did not. I take the liberty of inquiring on my ownresponsibility."

  "Very well, sir. Until you have a right to question me, I am Baldos anda goat-hunter. I think I am here to receive surgical treatment."

  "You decline to tell me anything concerning yourself?"

  "Only that I am injured and need relief."

  "Perhaps I know more about you than you suspect, sir."

  "I am not in the least interested, Baron Dangloss, in what you know. Theprincess brought me into Ganlook, and I have her promise of help andprotection while here. That is all I have to say, except that I haveimplicit faith in her word."

  Dangloss sat watching him in silence for some time. No one but himselfknew what was going on in that shrewd, speculative mind. At length hearose and approached the proud fellow in rags.

  "You have earned every consideration at our hands. My men will take youto the hospital and you shall have the best of care. You have served ourprincess well. To-morrow you may feel inclined to talk more freely withme, for I am your friend, Baldos."

  "I am grateful for that, Baron Dangloss," said the other simply. Then hewas led away and a comfortable cot in the Ganlook hospital soon held hislong, feverish frame, while capable hands took care of his wounds. Hedid not know it, but two fully armed soldiers maintained a careful guardoutside his door under instructions from the head of the police.Moreover, a picked detail of men sallied forth into the lower pass insearch of the goat-hunter's followers.

  In the meantime Beverly was conducted to the home of the CountessRallowitz. Her meeting with the princess was most affectionate. Therewere tears, laughter and kisses. The whole atmosphere of the placesuggested romance to the eager American girl. Downstairs were the royalguards; in the halls were attendants; all about were maidservants andobsequious lackeys, crowding the home of the kindly countess. At last,comfortabl
e and free from the dust of travel, the two friends sat downto a dainty meal.

  "Oh, I am so delighted," murmured Beverly for the hundredth time.

  "I'm appalled when I think of the dangers you incurred in coming tome. No one but a very foolish American girl could have undertaken such atrip as this. Dear me, Beverly, I should have died if anything dreadfulhad happened to you. Why did you do it?" questioned the princess. Andthen they laughed joyously.

  "And you went all the way to St. Petersburg to meet me, you dear, dearYetive," cried Beverly, so warmly that the attentive servant forgot hismask of reverence.

  "Wasn't it ridiculous of me? I know Gren would have forbidden it if hehad been in Edelweiss when I started. And, more shame to me, the poorfellow is doubtless at the conference with Dawsbergen, utterly ignorantof my escapade. You should have heard the ministry--er--ah--" and theprincess paused for an English word.

  "Kick?" Beverly supplied.

  "Yes. They objected violently. And, do you know, I was finally compelledto issue a private edict to restrain them from sending an appeal toGrenfall away off there on the frontier. Whether or no, my uncleinsisted that he should be brought home, a three-days' journey, in orderthat he might keep me from going to St. Petersburg. Of course, theycould not disobey my edict, and so poor Gren is none the wiser, unlesshe has returned from the conference. If he has, I am sure he is on theway to Ganlook at this very minute."

  "What a whimsical ruler you are," cried Beverly. "Upsetting everythingsensible just to rush off hundreds of miles to meet me. And Axphain istrying to capture you, too! Goodness, you must love me!"

  "Oh, but I _did_ have a trifling affair of state to lay before theCzar, my dear. To-morrow we shall be safe and sound in the castle and itwill all be very much worth while. You see, Beverly, dear, evenprincesses enjoy a diversion now and then. One wouldn't think anythingof this adventure in the United States; it is the environment that makesit noticeable. Besides, you traveled as a princess. How did you likeit?"

  And then the conversation related particularly to the advantages ofroyalty as viewed from one side and the disadvantages as regarded fromanother. For a long time Beverly had been wondering how she shouldproceed in the effort to secure absolute clemency for Baldos. As yet shehad said nothing to Yetive of her promise to him, made while she was aprincess.

  "At any rate, I'm sure the goat-hunters would not have been so faithfuland true if they had not believed me to be a princess," said Beverly,paving the way. "You haven't a man in your kingdom who could be morechivalrous than Baldos."

  "If he is that kind of a man, he would treat any woman as gently."

  "You should have heard him call me 'your highness,'" cried Beverly. "Hewill loathe me if he ever learns that I deceived him."

  "Oh, I think he deceived himself," spoke Yetive easily. "Besides, youlook as much like a princess as I."

  "There is something I want to speak very seriously about to you,Yetive," said Beverly, making ready for the cast. "You see, he did notwant to enter Ganlook with me, but I insisted. He had been so brave andgallant, and he was suffering so intensely. It would have been criminalin me to leave him out there in the wilderness, wouldn't it?"

  "It would have been heartless."

  "So I just made him come along. That was right, wasn't it? That's whatyou would have done, no matter who he was or what his objections mighthave been. Well, you see, it's this way, Yetive: he is some sort of afugitive--not a criminal, you know--but just some one they are huntingfor, I don't know why. He wouldn't tell me. That was perfectly right, ifhe felt that way, wasn't it?"

  "And he had fought a lion in your defense," supplemented Yetive, with aschoolgirl's ardor.

  "And I had shot him in the arm, too," added Beverly. "So of course, Ijust had to be reasonable. In order to induce him to come with me to ahospital, I was obliged to guarantee perfect safety to him. His men wentback to the hills, all except old Franz, the driver. Now, the trouble isthis, Yetive: I am _not_ the princess and I cannot redeem a singlepromise I made to him. He is helpless, and if anything goes wrong withhim he will hate me forever."

  "No; he will hate _me_ for I am the princess and he is none thewiser."

  "But he will be told that his princess was Beverly Calhoun, a supposedlynice American girl. Don't you see how awkward it will be for me? Now,Yetive, darling, what I wish you to do is to write a note, order oredict or whatever it is to Baron Dangloss, commanding him to treatBaldos as a patient and not as a prisoner; and that when he is fullyrecovered he is to have the privilege of leaving Ganlook withoutreservation."

  "But he may be a desperate offender against the state, Beverly."plaintively protested Yetive. "If we only knew what he is charged with!"

  "I'm afraid it's something dreadfully serious," admitted Beverlygloomily. "He doesn't look like the sort of man who would engage in apetty undertaking. I'll tell you his story, just as he told it to me,"and she repeated the meagre confessions of Baldos.

  "I see no reason why we should hesitate," said the princess. "By his ownstatement, he is not a desperate criminal. You did quite right inpromising him protection, dear, and I shall sustain you. Do you want toplay the princess to Baldos a little longer?"

  "I should love it," cried Beverly, her eyes sparkling.

  "Then I shall write the order to Dangloss at once. Oh, dear, I haveforgotten, I have no official seal here."

  "Couldn't you seal it with your ring?" suggested Beverly. "Oh, I haveit! Send for Baron Dangloss and have him witness your signature. Hecan't get away from that, you see, and after we reach Edelweiss, you canfix up a regular edict, seal and all," cried the resourceful Americangirl.

  Ink and paper were sent for and the two conspirators lent their wisdomto the task of preparing an order for the salvation of Baldos, thefugitive. The order read:

  To BARON JASTO DANGLOSS, COMMANDING THE CIVIC AND MILITARY POLICE OF GRAUSTARK:

  "You are hereby informed that Baldos, the man who entered the city with Miss Calhoun, is not to be regarded as a prisoner now or hereafter. He is to be given capable medical and surgical attention until fully recovered, when he is to be allowed to go his way in peace unquestioned.

  "Also, he is to be provided with suitable wearing apparel and made comfortable in every way.

  "Also, the members of his party, now in the hills (whose names are unknown to me), are to be accorded every protection. Franz, the driver, is to have his freedom if he desires it.

  "And from this edict there is no recourse until its abatement by royal decree.

  "YETIVE."

  "There," said the princess, affixing her signature "I think that will besufficient." Then she rang for a servant. "Send to Baron Dangloss andask him to come here at once."

  Fifteen minutes later the chief of police stood in the presence of theeager young interpreters of justice.

  "I want you to witness my signature, Baron Dangloss," said the princessafter the greetings.

  "Gladly," said the officer.

  "Well, here is where I signed," said Yetive, handing him the paper. "Idon't have to write my name over again, do I?"

  "Not at all," said the baron gallantly. And he boldly signed his name asa witness.

  "They wouldn't do that in the United States," murmured Beverly, who knewsomething about red tape at Washington.

  "It is a command to you, baron," said Yetive, handing him the documentwith a rare smile. He read it through slowly. Then he bit his lip andcoughed. "What is the matter, baron?" asked Yetive, still smiling.

  "A transitory emotion, your highness, that is all," said he; but hishand trembled as he folded the paper.