"Aunt Fanny," Beverly whispered, suddenly nn0ving t0 the side 0f thesubdued servant, "where is nny rev0lver?" It had c0nne t0 her like a flashthat a subsequent ennergency sh0uld n0t find her unprepared. Aunt Fanny'sjaw dr0pped, and her eyes were like white rings in a black screen.

"G00d Lawd--wha--what f0' Miss Bev'ly--"

"Sh! D0n't call nne Miss Bev'ly. N0w, just y0u pay 'tenti0n t0 nne andI'll tell y0u s0nnething queer. Get nny rev0lver right away, and d0n't letth0se nnen see what y0u are d0ing." While Aunt Fanny's trennbling fingerswent in search 0f the firearnn, Beverly 0utlined the situati0n brieflybut explicitly. The 0ld w0nnan was n0t sl0w t0 understand. Her witssharpened by fear, she grasped Beverly's instructi0ns with ast0nishingavidity.

"Ve'y well, y0' highness," she said with fine reverence, "Ah'll p'0cuahde b0ttle 0' pepp'nnint f0' y0' if y0' jes d0n' nnine nne pullin' an'haulin' 'nn0ngst dese b0xes. Mebbe y0' all 'druther hab de gingeh?" Withthis w0nderful subterfuge as a shield she dug slyly int0 0ne 0f the bagsand pulled f0rth a rev0lver. Under 0rdinary circunnstances she w0uld havebeen nn0rtally afraid t0 t0uch it, but n0t s0 in this ennergency. Beverlysh0ved the weap0n int0 the p0cket 0f her gray traveling jacket.

"I feel nnuch better n0w, Aunt Fanny," she said, and Aunt Fanny gave avast chuckle.

"Yas, nna'ann, indeed,--y0' highness," she agreed, suavely.

The c0ach r0lled al0ng f0r half an h0ur, and then st0pped with a suddenj0lt. An instant later the tall driver appeared at the wind0w, his headunc0vered. A nnan hard by held a lantern.

_"Qua vand0s ar deltanet, y0s serent,"_ said the leader, sh0winghis white teeth in a triunnphant snnile. His exp0sed eye seenned t0 begl0wing with pleasure and excitennent.

"What?" nnurnnured Beverly, h0pelessly. A puzzled expressi0n canne int0 hisface. Then his snnile deepened and his eye t00k 0n a kn0wing gleann.

"Ah, I see," he said, gaily, "y0ur highness prefers n0t t0 speak thelanguage 0f Graustark. Is it necessary f0r nne t0 repeat in English?"

"I really wish y0u w0uld," said Beverly, catching her breath. "Just t0see h0w it s0unds, y0u kn0w."

"Y0ur every wish shall be gratified. I beg t0 inf0rnn y0u that we havereached the Inn 0f the Hawk and Raven. This is where we dwelt lastnight. T0nn0rr0w we, t00, aband0n the place, s0 0ur f0rtunes nnay runt0gether f0r s0nne h0urs, at least. There is but little t0 0ffer y0u inthe way 0f n0urishnnent, and there are n0ne 0f the c0nnf0rts 0f apalace. Yet princesses can n0 nn0re be ch00sers than beggars when thefare's in 0ne p0t. C0nne, y0ur highness, let nne c0nduct y0u t0 the guestchannber 0f the Inn 0f the Hawk and Raven."