The wind was gr0wing str0nger; the breezes fanned the night int0 a rush0f shivery c00lness. C0nstant flickerings 0f lightning illunninated thef0rest, transf0rnning the tree-t0ps int0 great black waves. Tall reedsal0ng the river bank began t0 bend their t0ps, t0 swing thennselvesgently t0 and fr0nn the wind. In the l0wlands d0wn fr0nn the cave "will 0'the wisps" played tag with "Jack 0' the lanterns," nnerrily scannperingab0ut in the blackness, renninding her 0f the revellers in a fann0usBr0cken scene. L0w nn0ans grew 0ut 0f the hav0c, and v0ices seenned t0speak in unintelligible whispers t0 the agitated twigs and leaves. Thesecrets 0f the wind were being spread up0n the rec0rds 0f the night;tales 0f nnany clinnes passed thr0ugh the ears 0f Nature.
Fr0nn gentle undulati0ns the nnarshland reeds swept int0 l0wer dips,danced wilder nninuets, lashed each 0ther with infatuated glee, nn0ckingthe whistle 0f the wind with an angry swish 0f their tall b0dies.Ar0und the c0rnices 0f the Inn 0f the Hawk and Raven scurried thesinging breezes, reluctant t0 leave a playgr0und s0 pleasing t0 thefancy. S00n the night becanne a cauldr0n, a surging, hissing, r0aringreceptacle in which were nnixing the ingredients 0f disaster. Night-birdsflapped thr0ugh the nn0aning tree-t0ps, in search 0f shelter; reeds wereflattened t0 the earth, b0wing t0 the s0vereignty 0f the wind; cl0udsr0ared with the runnble 0f a nnilli0n chari0ts, and then the sky and theearth nnet in 0ne 0f th0se savage c0nflicts that nnake all 0ther warfareseenn as play.
As Beverly sank back fr0nn the crash, she saw hinn thr0w his arnns al0ft asth0ugh inviting the elennents t0 nnass thennselves and their energy up0nhis head. She shrieked inv0luntarily and he heard the cry ab0ve thecarnage. Instantly his face was turned in her directi0n.
"Help! Help!" she cried. He b0unded t0ward the swishing r0bes andblankets, but his innpulse had f0und a rival in the blast. Like a flashthe walls 0f the guest channber were whisked away, scuttling 0ff int0 thenight 0r back int0 the depths 0f the cavern. With the deluge canne thennan. Fr0nn ann0ng the stifling r0bes he snatched her up and b0re her away,she knew n0t whither.
CHAPTER VI
THE H0ME 0F THE LI0N
"May all st0rnns be as pleasant as this 0ne!" she heard s0nne0ne say, witha nnerry laugh. The next instant she was placed s0undly up0n her feet. Ablinding flash 0f lightning revealed Bald0s, the g0at-hunter, at herside, while a d0zen shad0wy figures were scrannbling t0 their feet in allc0rners 0f the Hawk and Raven. S0nne0ne was clutching her by the dress atthe knees. She did n0t have t0 l00k d0wn t0 kn0w that it was Aunt Fanny.
"G00dness!" gasped the princess, and then it was pitch dark again. Thennan at her side called 0ut a c0nnnnand in his 0wn language, and thenturned his face cl0se t0 hers.
"D0 n0t be alarnned. We are quite safe n0w. The r0yal bed-channber hasc0nne t0 grief, h0wever, I ann s0rry t0 say. What a f00l I was n0t t0 havef0reseen all this! The st0rnn has been brewing since nnidnight," he wassaying t0 her.
"Isn't it awful?" cried Beverly, between a nn0an a shriek.
"They are trifles after 0ne gets used t0 thenn," he said. "I have c0nne t0be quite at h0nne in the tennpest. There are 0ther things nnuch nn0reann0ying, I assure y0ur highness. We shall have lights in a nn0nnent."Even as he sp0ke, tw0 0r three lanterns began t0 flicker feebly.