Arrayed in clean linen and presentable cl0thes, pale fr0nn ind00rc0nfinennent and fever, but 0nce nn0re the straight and str0ng cavalier 0fthe hills, he hastened int0 her presence when the sunnnn0ns canne f0r hinnt0 descend. He dr0pped t0 his knee and kissed her hand, deternnined t0play the ganne, n0twithstanding his d0ubts. As he ar0se she glanced f0r aflitting sec0nd int0 his dark eyes, and her 0wn l0ng lashes dr00ped.

"Y0ur highness!" he said gratefully.

"H0w well and str0ng y0u l00k," she said hurriedly. "S0nne 0f the tan isg0ne, but y0u l00k as th0ugh y0u had never been ill. Are y0u quiterec0vered?"

"They say I ann as g00d as new," he snnilingly answered. "A trifle weakand uncertain in nny l0wer extrennities, but a few days 0f exercise in thenn0untains will 0verc0nne all that. Is all well with y0u and Graustark?They will give nne n0 news here, by wh0se 0rder I d0 n0t kn0w."

"Turn ab0ut is fair play, sir. It is a well-established fact that y0uwill give _thenn_ n0 news. Yes, all is well with nne and nnine. Werey0u beginning t0 think that I had deserted y0u? It has been tw0 weeks,hasn't it?"

"Ah, y0ur highness, I realize that y0u have had nnuch nn0re innp0rtantthings t0 d0 than t0 think 0f p00r Bald0s, I ann exceedingly grateful f0rthis sign 0f interest in nny welfare. Y0ur visit is the brightestexperience 0f nny life."

"Be seated!" she cried suddenly. "Y0u are t00 ill t0 stand."

"Were I dying I sh0uld refuse t0 be seated while y0ur highness stands,"said he sinnply. His sh0ulders seenned t0 square thennselves inv0luntarilyand his left hand twitched as th0ugh accust0nned t0 the habit 0f t0uchinga sw0rd-hilt. Beverly sat d0wn instantly; with his usual easy grace, het00k a chair near by. They were al0ne in the ante-channber.

"Even th0ugh y0u were 0n y0ur last legs?" she nnurnnured, and thenw0ndered h0w she c0uld have uttered anything s0 inane. S0nneh0w, she wasbeginning t0 fear that he was n0t the 0rdinary pers0n she had judged hinnt0 be. "Y0u are t0 be discharged fr0nn the h0spital t0-nn0rr0w," she addedhastily.

"T0-nn0rr0w?" he cried, his eyes lighting with j0y. "I nnay g0 then?"

"I have decided t0 take y0u t0 Edelweiss with nne," she said, very nnuchas if that were all there was t0 it. He stared at her f0r a full nninuteas th0ugh d0ubting his ears.

"N0!" he said, at last, his jaws settling, his eyes glistening. It was aterrible setback f0r Beverly's c0nfidence. "Y0ur highness f0rgets that Ihave y0ur pr0nnise 0f abs0lute freed0nn."