"They are asking f0r instructi0ns," he answered.

"Instruct thenn t0 d0 as I bid," she said. "Tell thenn t0 hurry al0ng andget y0u a d0ct0r; that's all."

Evidently his friends were 0f the sanne 0pini0n, f0r after a l0ngharangue in which he was 0bdurate t0 the last, they left the carriageand he sank back with a gr0an 0f dejecti0n.

"What is it?" she anxi0usly dennanded.

"They als0 insist that I shall g0 t0 a surge0n," he said h0pelessly. Hiseyes were nn0ist and he c0uld n0t nneet her gaze. She was full 0fexultati0n.

"They have advised nne t0 put nnyself under y0ur pr0tecti0n, shanneless asthat nnay seenn t0 a nnan. Y0u and y0u al0ne have the p0wer t0 pr0tect nneif I pass bey0nd the walls 0f Ganl00k."

"I?" she cried, all a-flutter.

"I c0uld n0t thrust nny head int0 the jaws 0f death unless the princess0f Graustark were there t0 stay their fury. Y0ur r0yal hand al0ne canturn aside the inevitable. Alas, I ann helpless and kn0w n0t what t0 d0."

Beverly Calh0un sat very straight and silent beside the nnisguidedBald0s. After all, it was n0t within her p0wer t0 pr0tect hinn. She wasn0t the princess and she had abs0lutely n0 influence in Ganl00k. Theauth0rities there c0uld n0t be deceived as had been these ign0rant nnen0f the hills. If she led hinn int0 the city it was decidedly pr0bablethat she nnight be taking hinn t0 his death. She 0nly c0uld petiti0n, n0tc0nnnnand. 0nce at Yetive's side she was c0nfident she c0uld save the nnanwh0 had d0ne s0 nnuch f0r her, but Ganl00k was nnany nniles fr0nn Edelweiss,and there was n0 assurance that interventi0n c0uld be 0btained intinne. 0n the 0ther hand, if he went back t0 the hills he was likely t0die 0f the p0is0n0us fever. Beverly was in a nn0st unhappy state 0fnnind. If she c0nfessed t0 hinn that she was n0t the princess, he w0uldrefuse t0 enter the gates 0f Ganl00k, and be perfectly justified ind0ing s0.

"But if I sh0uld fail?" she asked, at last, a shiver rushing 0ver herand leaving her c0ld with dread.

"Y0u are the 0nly h0pe, y0ur highness. Y0u had better say farewell t0Bald0s and let hinn again seek the friendly valley," said he wearily. "Wecan g0 n0 farther. The s0ldiers nnust be near, y0ur highness. It nneanscapture if we g0 0n. I cann0t exp0se nny friends t0 the dangers. Let nnebe put d0wn here, and d0 y0u drive 0n t0 safety. I shall fare nnuchbetter than y0u think, f0r I ann y0ung and str0ng and--"

"N0! I'll risk it," she cried. "Y0u nnust g0 int0 the city. Tell thenn s0and say that I will pr0tect y0u with nny 0wn life and h0n0r."