Beverly of Graustark

by George Barr McCutcheon

  CHAPTER XXVII

  THE PRINCE OF DAWSBERGEN

  Both Yetive and Beverly experienced an amazing sense of relief. They didnot stop to consider why or how he had returned to the castlegrounds. It was sufficient that he was actually there, sound, well, andapparently satisfied.

  "I dare say Count Marlanx will withdraw his infamous charge against ourguest," said Lorry, with deadly directness. Marlanx was mopping his dampforehead. His eyes were fastened upon the figure of the guard, and therewas something like awe in their steely depths. It seemed to him that thesupernatural had been enlisted against him.

  "He left the castle last night," he muttered, half to himself.

  "There seems to be no doubt of that," agreed Gaspon, the grandtreasurer. "Colonel Quinnox reports his strange disappearance." Clearlythe case was a puzzling one. Men looked at one another in wonder anduneasiness.

  "I think I understand the situation," exclaimed Marlanx, suddenlytriumphant. "It bears out all that I have said. Baldos left the castlelast night, as I have sworn, but not for the purpose of escaping. Hewent forth to carry Information to our enemies. Can anyone doubt that heis a spy? Has he not returned to carry out his work? And now, gentlemen,I ask you--would he return unless he felt secure of protection here?"

  It was a facer, Yetive and Beverly felt as though a steel trap suddenlyhad been closed down upon them. Lorry and Anguish were undeniablydisconcerted. There was a restless, undecided movement among theministers.

  "Colonel Quinnox, will you fetch Baldos to the verandah at once?" askedLorry, his quick American perception telling him that immediate actionwas necessary. "It is cooler out there." He gave Beverly a look ofinquiry. She flushed painfully, guiltily, and he was troubled inconsequence.

  "As a mere subject, I demand the arrest of this man," Marlanx was sayingexcitedly. "We must go to the bottom of this hellish plot to injureGraustark."

  "My dear count," said Anguish, standing over him, "up to this time wehave been unable to discern any reasons for or signs of the treacheryyou preach about. I don't believe we have been betrayed at all."

  "But I have absolute proof, sir," grated the count.

  "I'd advise you to produce it. We must have something to work on, youknow."

  "What right have you to give advice, sir? You are not one of us. You area meddler--an impertinent alien. Your heart is not with Graustark, asmine is. How long must we endure the insolence of these Americans?"

  The count was fuming with anger. As might have been expected, theeasy-going Yankees laughed unreservedly at his taunt. The princess waspale with indignation.

  "Count Marlanx, you will confine your remarks to the man whom you havecharged with treachery," she said. "You have asked for his arrest, andyou are to be his accuser. At the proper time you will produce theproof. I warn you now that if you do not sustain these charges, thedispleasure of the crown will fall heavily upon you."

  "I only ask your highness to order his arrest," he said, controllinghimself. "He is of the castle guard and can be seized only on yourcommand."

  "Baldos is at the castle steps, your highness," said Colonel Quinnoxfrom the doorway. The entire party left the council-chamber and passedout to the great stone porch. It must be confessed that the princessleaned rather heavily upon Lorry's arm. She and Beverly trembled withanxiety as they stood face to face with the tall guard who had come backto them so mysteriously.

  Baldos stood at the foot of the stone steps, a guard on each side ofhim. One of these was the shamefaced Haddan, Dangloss's watchman, whosevigil had been a failure. The gaze of the suspected guard purposelyavoided that of Beverly Calhoun. He knew that the slightestcommunication between them would be misunderstood and magnified by thewitnesses.

  "Baldos," said Lorry, from the top step, "it has come to our ears thatyou left the castle surreptitiously last night. Is it true that you wereaided by Miss Calhoun?" Baldos looked thankful for this eminentlyleading question. In a flash it gave him the key to thesituation. Secretly he was wondering what emotions possessed the slenderaccomplice who had said good-bye to him not so many hours before at thecastle gate. He knew that she was amazed, puzzled by his sudden return;he wondered if she were glad. His quick wits saw that a crisis hadarrived. The air was full of it. The dread of this very moment was thething which had drawn him into the castle grounds at early dawn. He hadwatched for his chance to glide in unobserved, and had snatched a fewhours' sleep in the shelter of the shrubbery near the park wall.

  "It is not true," he said clearly, in answer to Lorry's question. BothBeverly and Marlanx started as the sharp falsehood fell from hislips. "Who made such an accusation?" he demanded.

  "Count Marlanx is our informant."

  "Then Count Marlanx lies," came coolly from the guard. A snarl of furyburst from the throat of the deposed general. His eyes were red and histongue was half palsied by rage.

  "Dog! Dog!" he shouted, running down the steps. "Infamous dog! I swearby my soul that he--"

  "Where is your proof, Count Marlanx?" sternly interrupted Lorry. "Youhave made a serious accusation against our honored guest. It cannot beoverlooked."

  Marlanx hesitated a moment, and then threw his bomb at the feet of theconspirators.

  "I was in the chapel when she opened the secret panel for him."

  Not a word was uttered for a full minute. It was Beverly Calhoun whospoke first. She was as calm as a spring morning.

  "If all this be true, Count Marlanx, may I ask why you, the head ofGraustark's army, did not intercept the spy when you had the chance?"

  Marlanx flushed guiltily. The question had caught him unprepared. Hedared not acknowledge his presence there with the hired assassins.

  "I--I was not in a position to restrain him," he fumbled.

  "You preferred to wait until he was safely gone before making the effortto protect Graustark from his evil designs. Is that it? What was yourobject in going to the chapel? To pray? Besides, what right had you toenter the castle in the night?" she asked ironically.

  "Your highness, may I be heard?" asked Baldos easily. He was smiling upat Yetive from the bottom of the steps. She nodded her head a trifleuneasily. "It is quite true that I left the castle by means of yoursecret passage last night."

  "There!" shrieked Marlanx. "He admits that he--"

  "But I wish to add that Count Marlanx is in error when he says that MissCalhoun was my accomplice. His eyes were not keen in the darkness of thesanctuary. Perhaps he is not accustomed to the light one finds in achapel at the hour of two. Will your highness kindly look in thedirection of the southern gate? Your august gaze may fall upon thereclining figure of a boy asleep, there in the shadow of the friendlycedar. If Count Marlanx had looked closely enough last night he mighthave seen that it was a boy who went with me and not--"

  "Fool! Don't you suppose I know a woman's skirts?" cried the Iron Count.

  "Better than most men, I fancy," calmly responded Baldos. "My youngfriend wore the garments of a woman, let me add."

  Lorry came down and grasped Baldos by the arm. His eyes were stern andaccusing. Above, Yetive and Beverly had clasped hands and were lookingon dumbly. What did Baldos mean?

  "Then, you did go through the passage? And you were accompanied by thisboy, a stranger? How comes this, sir?" demanded Lorry. Every eye wasaccusing the guard at this juncture. The men were descending the stepsas if to surround him.

  "It is not the first time that I have gone through the passage, sir,"said Baldos, amused by the looks of consternation. "I'd advise you toclose it. Its secret is known to more than one person. It is known, bythe way, to Prince Gabriel of Dawsbergen. It is known to every member ofthe band with which Miss Calhoun found me when she was a princess.Count Marlanx is quite right when he says that I have gone in and out ofthe castle grounds from time to time. He is right when he says that Ihave communicated with men inside and outside of these grounds. But heis wrong when he accuses Miss Calhoun of being responsible for or evenaware of my reprehensible conduct. She knew nothing of all this
, as youmay judge by taking a look at her face at this instant."

  Beverly's face was a study in emotions. She was looking at him withdilated eyes. Pain and disappointment were concentrated in theirexpressive gray depths; indignation was struggling to master the loveand pity that had lurked in her face all along. It required but a singleglance to convince the most skeptical that she was ignorant of theseastounding movements on the part of her protege. Again every eye wasturned upon the bold, smiling guardsman.

  "I have been bitterly deceived in you," said Lorry, genuine pain in hisvoice. "We trusted you implicitly. I didn't think it of you,Baldos. After all, it is honorable of you to expose so thoroughly yourown infamy in order to acquit an innocent person who believed inyou. You did not have to come back to the castle. You might have escapedpunishment by using Miss Calhoun as a shield from her highness'swrath. But none the less you compel me to give countenance to all thatCount Marlanx has said."

  "I insist that it was Miss Calhoun who went through the panel with him,"said Marlanx eagerly.

  "If it was this boy who accompanied you, what was his excuse inreturning to the castle after you had fled?"

  "He came back to watch over Miss Calhoun while she slept. It was mysworn duty to guard her from the man who had accused her. This boy is amember of the band to which I belong and he watched while I went forthon a pretty business of my own. It will be useless to ask what thatbusiness was. I will not tell. Nor will the boy. You may kill us, butour secrets die with us. This much I will say: we have done nothingdisloyal to Graustark. You may believe me or not. It has been necessaryfor me to communicate with my friends, and I found the means soon aftermy arrival here. All the foxes that live in the hills have not fourlegs," he concluded significantly.

  "You are a marvel!" exclaimed Lorry, and there was real admiration inhis voice. "I'm sorry you were fool enough to come back and get caughtlike this. Don't look surprised, gentlemen, for I believe that in yourhearts you admire him quite as much as I do." The faint smile that wentthe rounds was confirmation enough. Nearly every man there had beentrained in English-speaking lands and not a word of the conversation hadbeen missed.

  "I expected to be arrested, Mr. Lorry," said Baldos calmly. "I knew thatthe warrant awaited me. I knew that my flight of last night was nosecret. I came back willingly, gladly, your highness, and now I am readyto face my accuser. There is nothing for me to fear."

  "And after you have confessed to all these actions? By George, I likeyour nerve," exclaimed Lorry.

  "I have been amply vindicated," cried Marlanx. "Put him in irons--andthat boy, too."

  "We'll interview the boy," said Lorry, remembering the lad beneath thetree.

  "See; he's sleeping so sweetly," said Baldos gently. "Poor lad, he hasnot known sleep for many hour. I suppose he'll have to be awakened, poorlittle beggar."

  Colonel Quinnox and Haddan crossed the grounds to the big cedar. The boysprang to his feet at their call and looked wildly about. Two big handsclasped his arms, and a moment later the slight figure came patheticallyacross the intervening space between the stalwart guards.

  "Why has he remained here, certain of arrest?" demanded Lorry insurprise.

  "He was safer with me than anywhere else, Mr. Lorry. You may shoot me athousand times, but I implore you to deal gently with my unhappyfriend. He has done no wrong. The clothes you see upon that tremblingfigure are torturing the poor heart more than you can know. The burningflush upon that cheek is the red of modesty. Your highness andgentlemen, I ask you to have pity on this gentle friend of mine." Hethrew his arm about the shoulder of the slight figure as it droopedagainst him. "Count Marlanx was right. It was a woman he saw with me inthe chapel last night."

  The sensation created by this simple statement was staggering. Theflushed face was unmistakably that of a young girl, a tender, modestthing that shrank before the eyes of a grim audience. Womanly instinctimpelled Yetive to shield the timid masquerader. Her strange associationwith Baldos was not of enough consequence in the eyes of this tenderruler to check the impulse of gentleness that swept over her. That thegirl was guiltless of any wrong-doing was plain to be seen. Her eyes,her face, her trembling figure furnished proof conclusive. The darklooks of the men were softened when the arm of the princess went aboutthe stranger and drew her close.

  "Bah! Some wanton or other!" sneered Marlanx. "But a pretty one, by thegods. Baldos has always shown his good taste."

  Baldos glared at him like a tiger restrained. "Before God, you will havethose words to unsay," he hissed.

  Yetive felt the slight body of the girl quiver and then grow tense.

  The eyes of Baldos now were fixed on the white, drawn face of BeverlyCalhoun, who stood quite alone at the top of the steps. She began tosway dizzily and he saw that she was about to fall. Springing away fromthe guards, he dashed up the steps to her side. His arm caught her asshe swayed, and its touch restored strength to her--the strength ofresentment and defiance.

  "Don't!" she whispered hoarsely.

  "Have courage," he murmured softly. "It will all be well. There is nodanger."

  "So this is the woman!" she cried bitterly.

  "Yes. You alone are dearer to me than she," he uttered hurriedly.

  "I can't believe a word you say."

  "You will, Beverly. I love you. That is why I came back. I could notleave you to meet it alone. Was I not right? Let them put me intoirons--let them kill me--"

  "Come!" cried Colonel Quinnox, reaching his side at this instant. "Thegirl will be cared for. You are a prisoner."

  "Wait!" implored Beverly, light suddenly breaking in upon her. "Pleasewait, Colonel Quinnox." He hesitated, his broad shoulders between herand the gaping crowd below. She saw with grateful heart that Yetive andLorry were holding the steps as if against a warlike foe. "Is she--isshe your wife?"

  "Good heavens, no!" gasped Baldos.

  "Your sweetheart?" piteously.

  "She is the sister of the man I serve so poorly," he whispered. Quinnoxallowed them to walk a few paces down the flagging, away from thecurious gaze of the persons below.

  "Oh, Baldos!" she cried, her heart suddenly melting. "Is she PrinceDantan's sister?" Her hand clasped his convulsively, as he noddedassent. "Now I _do_ love you."

  "Thank God!" he whispered joyously. "I knew it, but I was afraid younever would speak the words. I am happy--I am wild with joy."

  "But they may shoot you," she shuddered. "You have condemnedyourself. Oh, I cannot talk to you as I want to--out here before allthese people. Don't move, Colonel Quinnox--they can't see throughyou. Please stand still."

  "They will not shoot me, Beverly, dear. I am not a spy," said Baldos,looking down into the eyes of the slender boyish figure who stood besidethe princess. "It is better that I should die, however," he went onbitterly. "Life will not be worth living without you. You would not giveyourself to the lowly, humble hunter, so I--"

  "I will marry you, Paul. I love you. Can't anything be done to--"

  "It is bound to come out all right in the end," he cried, throwing uphis head to drink in the new joy of living. "They will find that I havedone nothing to injure Graustark. Wait, dearest, until the day gives upits news. It will not be long in coming. Ah, this promise of yours givesme new life, new joy. I could shout it from the housetops!"

  "But don't!" she cried nervously. "How does she happen to be here withyou? Tell me, Paul. Oh, isn't she a dear?"

  "You shall know everything in time. Watch over her, dearest. I have liedtoday for you, but it was a lie I loved. Care for her if you loveme. When I am free and in favor again you will--Ah!" he broke offsuddenly with an exclamation. His eyes were bent eagerly on the circleof trees just beyond the parade-ground. Then his hand clasped hers inone spasmodic grip of relief. An instant later he was towering, withhead bare, at the top of the steps, his hand pointed dramatically towardthe trees.

  Ravone, still in his ragged uniform, haggard but eager, was standinglike a gaunt spectre in the sunlight that flooded the terrace. Thevag
abond, with the eyes of all upon him, raised and lowered his armsthrice, and the face of Baldos became radiant.

  "Your highness," he cried to Yetive, waving his hand toward thestranger, "I have the honor to announce the Prince of Dawsbergen."