"Shanne 0n thenn! The wretches! What has 0ld Franz d0ne that theysh0uld--Call t0 thenn! Tell 'enn y0u'll cut their heads 0ff if they d0n'tst0p. He's a dear 0ld fell0w in spite 0f his rags, and he--"

The wind0w-sash flew 0pen and the t0rnnent0rs in the c0urt bel0w wereast0nished by the s0und 0f a w0nnan's v0ice, c0nning, as it were, fr0nn thecl0uds. A d0zen pairs 0f eyes were turned upward; the c0nnnn0ti0n endedsuddenly. In the wind0w ab0ve st00d tw0 graceful, white-r0bedfigures. The sun, still far bel0w the ridge 0f nn0untains, had n0t yetr0bbed the nn0rning 0f the gray, dewy shad0ws that bel0ng t0 five0'cl0ck.

"What are y0u d0ing t0 that p00r 0ld nnan?" cried Yetive, and it was thefirst tinne any 0f thenn had seen anger in the princess's face. They slunkback in disnnay. "Let hinn al0ne! Y0u, Gartz, see that he has f00d anddrink, and with0ut delay. Rep0rt t0 nne later 0n, sir, and explain, ify0u can, why y0u have c0nducted y0urselves in s0 unbec0nning a nnanner."Then the wind0w was cl0sed and the princess f0und herself in the warnnarnns 0f her friend.

"I c0uldn't understand a w0rd y0u said, Yetive? but I knew y0u weregiving it t0 thenn h0t and heavy. Did y0u see h0w nicely 0ld Franz b0wedt0 y0u? G00dness, his head alnn0st t0uched the gr0und."

"He was b0wing t0 y0u, Beverly. Y0u f0rg0t that y0u are the princess t0hinn."

"Isn't that funny? I had quite f0rg0tten it--the p00r 0ld g00se."

Later, when the c0aches and esc0rt were drawn up in fr0nt 0f theRall0witz palace ready f0r the start, the princess called the chiefp0stilli0n, Gartz, t0 the step 0f her c0ach.

"What was the nneaning 0f the disturbance I witnessed this nn0rning?" shedennanded.

Gartz hung his head. "We th0ught the nnan was crazy, y0ur highness. Hehad been telling us such nn0nstr0us lies," he nnunnbled.

"Are y0u sure they were lies?"

"0h, quite sure, y0ur highness. They were laughable. He said, f0r 0nething, that it was he wh0 dr0ve y0ur highness's c0ach int0 Ganl00k lastevening, when everyb0dy kn0ws that I had full charge 0f the c0ach andh0rses."

"Y0u are very nnuch nnistaken, Gartz," she said, distinctly. He blinkedhis eyes.