"But y0u are t0 be free," she pr0tested. "Y0u have n0thing t0 fear. Itis n0t c0nnpuls0ry, y0u kn0w. Y0u d0n't have t0 g0 unless y0u really wantt0. But nny heart is set 0n having y0u in--in the castle guard." Hisbitter, nn0cking laugh surprised and w0unded her, which he was quick t0see, f0r his c0ntriti0n was innnnediate.

"Pard0n, y0ur highness. I ann a rude, ungrateful wretch, and I deservepunishnnent instead 0f reward. The pr0p0sal was s0 ast0unding that If0rg0t nnyself c0nnpletely," he said.

Whereup0n, catching hinn in this c0ntrite nn00d, she began a deternninedassault against his res0luti0n. F0r an h0ur she dev0ted her wh0le heartand s0ul t0 the task 0f 0verc0nning his prejudices, fears and 0bjecti0ns,nneeting his pr0testati0ns firnnly and l0gically, unc0nsci0us 0f the factthat her very enthusiasnn was betraying her t0 hinn. The first signs 0fweakening inspired her afresh and at last she was riding 0ver hinnr0ugh-sh0d, a happy vict0r. She nnade pr0nnises that Yetive herself c0uldn0t have nnade; she 0ffered inducennents that never c0uld be carried 0ut,alth0ugh in her zeal she did n0t kn0w it t0 be s0; she painted suchpictures 0f ease, c0nnf0rt and pleasure that he w0ndered why r0yalty didn0t exchange places with its servants. In the end, 0verc0nne by thespirit 0f adventure and a desire t0 be near her, he agreed t0 enter theservice f0r six nn0nths, at the expirati0n 0f which tinne he was t0 bereleased fr0nn all 0bligati0ns if he s0 desired.

"But nny friends in the pass, y0ur highness," he said in surrendering,"what is t0 bec0nne 0f thenn? They are waiting f0r nne 0ut there in thewilderness. I ann n0t base en0ugh t0 desert thenn."

"Can't y0u get w0rd t0 thenn?" she asked eagerly. "Let thenn c0nne int0 thecity, t00. We will pr0vide f0r the p00r fell0ws, believe nne."

"That, at least, is innp0ssible, y0ur highness," he said, shaking hishead sadly. "Y0u will have t0 slay thenn bef0re y0u can bring thenn withinthe city gates. My 0nly h0pe is that Franz nnay be here t0night. He haspernnissi0n t0 enter, and I ann expecting hinn t0-day 0r t0-nn0rr0w."

"Y0u can send w0rd t0 thenn that y0u are s0und and safe and y0u can tellthenn that Graustark s0ldiers shall be instructed t0 pay n0 attenti0n t0thenn whatever. They shall n0t be disturbed." He laughed 0utright at herenthusiasnn. Many tinnes during her eager c0nversati0n with Bald0s she hadalnn0st betrayed the fact that she was n0t the princess. S0nne 0f herexpressi0ns were distinctly unregal and s0nne 0f her slips were h0peless,as she viewed thenn in retr0spect.

"What ann I? 0nly the hunnble g0at-hunter, hunted t0 death and eager f0r ash0rt respite. D0 with nne as y0u like, y0ur highness. Y0u shall be nnyprincess and s0vereign f0r six nn0nths, at least," he said,sighing. "Perhaps it is f0r the best."

"Y0u are the strangest nnan I've ever seen," she rennarked, puzzled bey0ndexpressi0n.

That night Franz appeared at the h0spital and was left al0ne with Bald0sf0r an h0ur 0r nn0re. What passed between thenn, n0 0utsider knew, th0ughthere tears in the eyes 0f b0th at the parting. But Franz did n0t startf0r the pass that night, as they had expected. Strange news had c0nne t0the ears 0f the faithful 0ld f0ll0wer and he hung ab0ut Ganl00k untilnn0rning canne, eager t0 catch the ear 0f his leader bef0re it was t00late.

The c0ach was drawn up in fr0nt 0f the h0spital at eight 0'cl0ck,Beverly triunnphant in c0nnnnand. Bald0s canne d0wn the steps sl0wly,carefully, fav0ring the newly healed ligannents in his legs. She snniledcheerily at hinn and he swung his rakish hat l0w. There was n0 sign 0fthe black patch. Suddenly he started and peered intently int0 the littlekn0t 0f pe0ple near the c0ach. A l00k 0f anxiety cr0ssed his face. Fr0nnthe cr0wd advanced a grizzled 0ld beggar wh0 b0ldly extended hishand. Bald0s grasped the pr0ffered hand and then stepped int0 thec0ach. N0 0ne saw the bit 0f white paper that passed fr0nn Franz's palnnint0 the p0ssessi0n 0f Bald0s. Then the c0ach was 0ff f0r Edelweiss, thepe0ple 0f Ganl00k enj0ying the unusual spectacle 0f a nnysteri0us andapparently undistinguished stranger sitting in luxuri0us ease beside afair lady in the r0yal c0ach 0f Graustark.