CHAPTER XXIII
A SHOT IN THE DARKNESS
Baldos started off at once for the castle, his heart singing. In thedarkness of the night he kissed the message which had come to him from"her highness." The envelope had been closed with the official seal ofYetive, Princess of Graustark, and was sacred to the eyes of anyone savethe man to whom it was directed. The words it contained were burned deepin his brain:
"You are ordered to report for duty in the castle. Come at once. Her highness has sent an official command to Colonel Quinnox. Count Marlanx has been here. You are not expected to desert until you have seen me. There is an underground passage somewhere.--B."
Baldos went alone and swiftly. The note to Colonel Quinnox had beenimperative. He was to serve as an inner guard until furtherorders. Someone, it was reported, had tried to enter Miss Calhoun's roomfrom the outside during the rainstorm of the previous night, and aspecial guard was to be stationed near the door. All of this was unknownto Baldos, but he did not ask for any explanations.
He was half way to the castle when the sharp report of a gun startledhim. A bullet whizzed close to his ear! Baldos broke into a crouchingrun, but did not change his course. He knew that the shot was intendedfor him, and that its mission was to prevent him from reaching thecastle. The attendants at the castle door admitted him, panting andexcited, and he was taken immediately to the enchanted boudoir of theprincess which but few men were fortunate enough to enter. There werethree women in the room.
"I am here to report, your highness," said he, bowing low before thereal princess, with a smile upon his flushed face.
"You are prompt," said the princess "What have you to report, sir?"
"That an attempt has just been made to kill a member of the castleguard," he coolly answered.
"Impossible!"
"I am quite certain of it, your highness. The bullet almost clipped myear."
"Good heavens!" gasped the listeners. Then they eagerly plied him withmore agitated questions than he could answer.
"And did you not pursue the wretch?" cried the princess.
"No, your highness. I was commanded to report to you at once. Only thesuccess of the assassin could have made me--well, hesitate," said hecalmly. "A soldier has but to obey."
"Do you think there was a deliberate attempt to kill you?" asked theCountess Dagmar. Beverly Calhoun was dumb with consternation.
"I cannot say, madame. Possibly it was an accidental discharge. Oneshould not make accusations unsupported. If you have no immediate needof my services, your highness, I will ask you to grant me leave ofabsence for half an hour. I have a peculiar longing to investigate."There was a determined gleam in his eyes.
"No? no!" cried Beverly. "Don't you dare to go out there again. You areto stay right here in the castle, sir. We have something else for you todo. It was that awful old Marlanx who shot at you. He--"
"I left General Marlanx in Colonel Quinnox's quarters, Miss Calhoun,"interposed Baldos grimly. "He could not have fired the shot. For two orthree nights, your highness, I have been followed and dogged withhumiliating persistence by two men wearing the uniforms of castleguards. They do not sleep at the barracks. May I ask what I have done tobe submitted to such treatment?" There was a trace of poorly concealedindignation in his voice.
"I assure you that this is news to me," said Yetive in amazement.
"I am being watched as if I were a common thief," he went onboldly. "These men are not your agents; they are not the agents ofGraustark. May I be permitted to say that they are spies set upon me bya man who has an object in disgracing me? Who that man is, I leave toyour royal conjecture."
"Marlanx?"
"Yes, your highness. He bears me a deadly grudge and yet he fears me. Iknow full well that he and his agents have built a strong case againstme. They are almost ready to close in upon me, and they will have falseevidence so craftily prepared that even my truest friends may doubt myloyalty to you and to the cause I serve. Before God, I have been true tomy oath. I am loyal to Graustark. It was a sorry day when I left thevalley and--"
"Oh!" cried Beverly piteously. "Don't say that."
"Alas, Miss Calhoun, it is true," said he sadly, "I am penned up herewhere I cannot fight back. Treason is laid against me. But, beyond allthis, I have permitted my loyalty to mislead my ambition. I have aspiredto something I can cherish but never possess. Better that I never shouldhave tasted of the unattainable than to have the cup withdrawn just asits sweetness begins to intoxicate."
He stood before them, pale with suppressed emotion. The women ofGraustark looked involuntarily at Beverly, who sat cold and voiceless,staring at the face of the guard. She knew what he meant; she knew thatsomething was expected of her. A word from her and he would understandthat he had not tasted of the unattainable. In one brief moment she sawthat she had deliberately led him on, that she had encouraged him, thatshe actually had proffered him the cup from which he had begun to sipthe bitterness. Pride and love were waging a conflict in this haplesssouthern girl's heart. But she was silent. She could not say the word.
"I think I know what you mean, Baldos," said Yetive, seeing that Beverlywould not intervene. "We are sorry. No one trusts to your honor morethan I do. My husband believes in you. I will confess that you are to bearrested as a spy to-morrow. To-night you are to serve as a guard in thecastle. This should prove to you that I have unbounded faith in you.Moreover, I believe in you to the extent that I should not be afraid totrust you if you were to go out into the world with every secret whichwe possess. You came here under a peculiar stress of circumstances, notwholly of your own volition. Believe me, I am your friend."
"I shall revere your highness forever for those words," said hesimply. His eyes went hungrily to Beverly's averted face, and thenassumed a careless gleam which indicated that he had resigned himself tothe inevitable.
"I am constrained to ask you one question, sir," went on theprincess. "You are not the common goat-hunter you assume. Will you tellme in confidence who you really are?" The others held their breath. Hehesitated for a moment.
"Will it suffice if I say that I am an unfortunate friend and advocateof Prince Dantan? I have risked everything for his sake and I fear Ihave lost everything. I have failed to be of service to him, but throughno fault of mine. Fate has been against me."
"You are Christobal," cried Dagmar eagerly. He gave her a startledglance, but offered no denial. Beverly's face was a study. If he wereChristobal, then what of the game-warden's daughter?
"We shall question you no further," said Yetive. "You enlisted to serveMiss Calhoun. It is for her to command you while you are here. May Godbe with you to the end. Miss Calhoun, will you tell him what his dutiesare for to-night? Come, my dear."
Yetive and Dagmar walked slowly from the room, leaving Beverly and herguard alone.
"I am at your service, Miss Calhoun," he said easily. His apparentindifference stung her into womanly revolt.
"I was a fool last night," she said abruptly.
"No; I was the fool. I have been the fool from the beginning. You shallnot blame yourself, for I do not blame you. It has been a sweet comedy,a summer pastime. Forget what I may have said to you last night, forgetwhat my eyes may have said for weeks and weeks."
"I shall never forget," said she. "You deserve the best in theworld. Would that I could give it to you. You have braved many dangersfor my sake. I shall not forget. Do you know that we were watched lastnight?"
"Watched?" he cried incredulously. "Oh, fool that I am! I might haveknown. And I have subjected you to--to--don't tell me that harsh thingshave been said to you, Miss Calhoun!" He was deeply disturbed.
"General Marlanx saw you. He has threatened me, Baldos,--"
"I will kill him! What do I care for the consequences? He shall paydearly for--"
"Stop! Where are you going? You are to remain here, sir, and take yourcommands from me. I don't want you to kill him. They'd hang you orsomething just as bad. He's going to be punished, never fear!" Baldo
ssmiled in spite of his dismay. It was impossible to face this confidentyoung champion in petticoats without catching her enthusiasm. "What haveyou done with--with that rose?" she asked suddenly, flushing anddiffident. Her eyes glistened with embarrassment.
"It lies next my heart. I love it," he said bravely.
"I think I'll command you to return it to me," vaguely.
"A command to be disobeyed. It is in exchange for my feather," he smiledconfidently.
"Well, of course, if you are going to be mean about--Now, let me see,"she said confusedly; "what are your duties for to-night? You are tostand guard in the corridor. Once in awhile you will go out upon thebalcony and take a look. You see, I am afraid of someone. Oh, Baldos,what's the use of my trifling like this? You are to escape fromEdelweiss to-night. That is the whole plan--the whole idea in anutshell. Don't look like that. Don't you want to go?" Now she wastrembling with excitement.
"I do not want to leave you," he cried eagerly. "It would becowardly. Marlanx would understand that you gave aid and sanction. Youwould be left to face the charges he would make. Don't you see, Beverly?You would be implicated--you would be accused. Why did you not let mekill him? No; I will not go!" Neither noticed the name by which he hadcalled her.
"But I insist," she cried weakly. "You must go away from me. I--Icommand you to--"
"Is it because you want to drive me out of your life forever?" hedemanded, sudden understanding coming to him.
"Don't put it that way," she murmured.
"Is it because you care for me that you want me to go?" he insisted,drawing near. "Is it because you fear the love I bear for you?"
"Love? You don't really--Stop! Remember where you are, sir! You must notgo on with it, Baldos. Don't come a step nearer. Do go to-night! It isfor the best. I have been awfully wicked in letting it run on as ithas. Forgive me, please forgive me," she pleaded. He drew back, pale andhurt. A great dignity settled upon his face. His dark eyes crushed herwith their quiet scorn.
"I understand, Miss Calhoun. The play is over. You will find theluckless vagabond a gentleman, after all. You ask me to desert the causeI serve. That is enough. I shall go to-night."
The girl was near to surrender. Had it not been for the persistent fearthat her proud old father might suffer from her wilfulness, she wouldhave thrown down the barrier and risked everything in the choice. Herheart was crying out hungrily for the love of this tall, mysterioussoldier of fortune.
"It is best," she murmured finally. Later on she was to know the meaningof the peculiar smile he gave her.
"I go because you dismiss me, not because I fear an enemy. If you chooseto remember me at all, be just enough to believe that I am not ashameless coward."
"You are brave and true and good, and I am a miserable, deceitfulwretch," she lamented. "You will seek Ravone and the others?"
"Yes. They are my friends. They love my poverty. And now, may it pleaseyour highness, when am I to go forth and in what garb? I should nolonger wear the honest uniform of a Graustark guard."
"Leave it to me. Everything shall be arranged. You will be discreet? Noone is to know that I am your--"
"Rest assured, Miss Calhoun. I have a close mouth," and he smiledcontemptuously.
"I agree with you," said she regretfully. "You know how to hold yourtongue." He laughed harshly. "For once in a way, will you answer aquestion?"
"I will not promise."
"You say that you are Dantan's friend. Is it true that he is to marrythe daughter of the Duke of Matz, Countess Iolanda?"
"It has been so reported."
"Is she beautiful?"
"Yes; exceedingly."
"But is he to marry her?" she insisted, she knew not why.
"How should I know, your highness?"
"If you call me 'your highness' again I'll despise you," she flaredmiserably. "Another question. Is it true that the young Duke Christobalfled because his father objected to his marriage with a game-warden'sdaughter?"
"I have never heard so," with a touch of hauteur.
"Does he know that the girl is dead?" she asked cruelly. Baldos did notanswer for a long time. He stared at her steadily, his eyes expressingno emotion from which she could judge him.
"I think he is ignorant of that calamity, Miss Calhoun," he said. "Withyour permission, I shall withdraw. There is nothing to be gained bydelay." It was such a palpable affront that she shrank within herselfand could have cried.
Without answering, she walked unsteadily to the window and looked outinto the night. A mist came into her eyes. For many minutes she remainedthere, striving to regain control of her emotions. All this time sheknew that he was standing just where she had left him, like a statue,awaiting her command. At last she faced him resolutely.
"You will receive instructions as to your duties here from the guard atthe stairs. When you hear the hall clock strike the hour of two in themorning go into the chapel, but do not let anyone see you orsuspect. You know where it is. The door will be unlocked."
"Am I not to see you again?" he asked, and she did not think himproperly depressed.
"Yes," she answered, after a pause that seemed like an eternity, and hewent quietly, silently away.
Beverly of Graustark Page 24
