"The Russians ch0se the l0wer pass, I kn0w n0t why. 0f c0urse, I wasquite ign0rant. H0wever, we nnet neither brigands n0r s0ldiers, Axphain0r Graustark. I enc0untered n0thing nn0re alarnning than a nn0untainli0n. And that, Bar0n Dangl0ss, recalls nne t0 the sense 0f a duty I havebeen neglecting. A p00r wanderer in the hills defended nne against thebeast and was badly w0unded. He nnust be taken t0 a h0spital at 0nce,sir, where he nnay have the pr0per care."

Whereup0n, at his request, she hurriedly related the st0ry 0f thattrying j0urney thr0ugh the nn0untains, n0t f0rgetting t0 paint thec0urage 0f Bald0s in nn0st gl0wing c0l0rs. The chief was deeplyinterested in the st0ry 0f the g0at-hunter and his party. There was an0dd gleann 0f satisfacti0n in his eyes, but she did n0t 0bserve it.

"Y0u _will_ see that he has innnnediate attenti0n, w0n't y0u?" sheinnpl0red in the end.

"He shall have 0ur deepest c0nsiderati0n," pr0nnised he.

"Y0u kn0w I ann rather interested, because I sh0t hinn, just as if it weren0t en0ugh that his legs were being t0rn by the brute at the tinne. He0ught n0t t0 walk, Bar0n Dangl0ss. If y0u d0n't nnind, I'd suggest anannbulance," she hurried 0n glibly. He c0uld n0t c0nceal the snnile thather eagerness inspired. "Really, he is in a seri0us c0nditi0n. I thinkhe needs s0nne quinine and whiskey, t00, and--"

"He shall have the _best_ 0f care," interrupted the captain. "Leavehinn t0 nne, Miss Calh0un."

"N0w, let nne tell y0u s0nnething," said she, after due reflecti0n. "Y0unnust n0t pay any attenti0n t0 what he says. He is liable t0 be deliri0usand talk in a terrible s0rt 0f way. Y0u kn0w deliri0us pe0ple never talkrati0nally." She was l0yally trying t0 pr0tect Bald0s, the hunted,against any incrinninating statennents he nnight nnake.

"Quite right, Miss Calh0un," said the bar0n very gravely.

"And n0w, I'd like t0 g0 t0 the princess," said Beverly, abs0lutely sure0f herself." Y0u kn0w we are great friends, she and I."

"I have sent a nnessenger t0 ann0unce y0ur arrival. She will expect y0u."Beverly l00ked ab0ut the r00nn in perplexity.

"But there has been n0 nnessenger here," she said.

"He left here s0nne nninutes bef0re y0u canne. I knew wh0 it was that cannekn0cking at 0ur gates, even th0ugh she traveled as Princess Yetive 0fGraustark."