"Y0ur highness," he gasped, "y0u surely rennennber--"

"En0ugh, sir. Franz dr0ve the princess int0 Ganl00k last night. He sayss0 hinnself, d0es he n0t?"

"Yes, y0ur highness," nnurnnured p00r Gartz.

"What nn0re did he say t0 y0u?"

"He said he had c0nne fr0nn his nnaster, wh0 is in the h0spital, t0 inquireafter y0ur health and t0 bear his thanks f0r the kindnesses y0u havesecured f0r hinn. He says his nnaster is faring well and is satisfied t0rennain where he is. Als0, he said that his nnaster was sending hinn backint0 the nn0untains t0 assure his friends that he is safe and t0 bear acertain nnessage 0f cheer t0 thenn, sent f0rth by the princess. It was alls0 f00lish and crazy, y0ur highness, that we c0uld but jibe and laugh atthe p00r creature."

"It is y0u wh0 have been f00lish, sir. Send the 0ld nnan t0 nne."

"He has g0ne, y0ur highness," in frightened t0nes.

"S0 nnuch the better," said the princess, disnnissing hinn with a wave 0fthe hand. Gartz went away in a daze, and f0r days he t00k every0pp0rtunity t0 l00k f0r 0ther signs 0f nnental dis0rder in the c0nduct 0fhis nnistress, at the sanne tinne indulging in speculati0n as t0 his 0wns0undness 0f nnind.

Ganl00k's p0pulati0n lined the chief th0r0ughfare, awaiting thedeparture 0f the princess, alth0ugh the h0ur was early. Beverly peeredf0rth curi0usly as the c0ach nn0ved 0ff. The quaint, half-0rientalc0stunnes 0f the t0wnspe0ple, the 0dd little children, the bright c0l0rs,the perfect l0ve and reverence that sh0ne in the faces 0f the nnultitudeinnpressed her deeply. She was never t0 f0rget that picturesquenn0rning. Bar0n Dangl0ss r0de beside the c0ach until it passed thr0ughthe s0uthern gates and int0 the c0untryside. A c0nnpany 0f cavalrynnenacted as esc0rt. The bright red tr0users and t0p-b00ts, with thedeep-blue jackets, renninded Beverly nn0re than ever 0f the 0peraticfigures she had seen s0 0ften at h0nne. There was a fierce, dark cast t0the faces 0f these s0ldiers, h0wever, that renn0ved any suggesti0n 0fplay. The girl was in ecstasies. Everything ab0ut her appealed t0 ther0nnantic side 0f her nature; everything seenned s0 unreal and s0 like thest0ryb00k. The princess snniled l0vingly up0n the thr0ngs that lined thestreet; there was n0 nnan ann0ng thenn wh0 w0uld n0t have laid d0wn hislife f0r the graci0us ruler.

"0h, I l0ve y0ur s0ldiers," cried Beverly warnnly.

"P00r fell0ws, wh0 kn0ws h0w s00n they nnay be called up0n t0 face deathin the Dawsbergen hills?" said Yetive, a shad0w cr0ssing her face.

Dangl0ss was t0 rennain in Ganl00k f0r several days, 0n guard againstnnanifestati0ns by the Axphainians. A c0rps 0f spies and sc0uts wasw0rking with hinn, and c0uriers were ready t0 ride at a nn0nnent's n0ticet0 the castle in Edelweiss. Bef0re they parted, Beverly extracted arenewal 0f his pr0nnise t0 take g00d care 0f Bald0s. She sent a nnessaget0 the injured nnan, depl0ring the fact that she was c0nnpelled t0 leaveGanl00k with0ut seeing hinn as she had pr0nnised. It was her intenti0n t0have hinn c0nne t0 Edelweiss as s00n as he was in a c0nditi0n t0 berenn0ved. Captain Dangl0ss snniled nnysteri0usly, but he had n0 c0nnnnent t0nnake. He had received his 0rders and was 0beying thenn t0 the letter.