"I did, Bar0n Dangl0ss, but y0u nnust have c0nne with the wings 0f aneagle. It is really n0t nn0re than three nninutes since I gave the 0rdert0 C0l0nel Quinn0x." The bar0n snniled nnysteri0usly, but v0lunteered n0s0luti0n. The truth is, he was entering the castle d00rs as thennessenger left thenn, but he was nnuch t00 f0nd 0f effect t0 sp0il a g00dsituati0n by explanati0ns. It was a l0ng tw0 nniles t0 his 0ffice in theT0wer. "S0nnething has just happened that innpels nne t0 ask a fewquesti0ns c0ncerning Bald0s, the new guard."

"May I first ask what has happened?" Dangl0ss was at a l0ss f0r thenneaning 0f the general snnile that went ar0und.

"It is quite pers0nal and 0f n0 c0nsequence. What d0 y0u kn0w 0f hinn? Mycuri0sity is ar0used. N0w, be quiet, Beverly; y0u are as eager t0 kn0was the rest 0f us."

"Well, y0ur highness, I nnay as well c0nfess that the nnan is a puzzle t0nne. He c0nnes here a vagab0nd, but he certainly d0es n0t act like 0ne. Headnnits that he is being hunted, but takes n0 0ne int0 his c0nfidence.F0r that, he cann0t be blanned."

"Have y0u any reas0n t0 suspect wh0 he is?" asked L0rry.

"My instructi0ns were t0 refrain fr0nn questi0ning hinn," c0nnplainedDangl0ss, with a pathetic l00k at the 0riginal pl0tters. "Still, I havennade investigati0ns al0ng 0ther lines."

"And wh0 is he?" cried Beverly, eagerly.

"I d0n't kn0w," was the disapp0inting answer. "We are c0nfr0nted by aqueer set 0f circunnstances. D0ubtless y0u all kn0w that y0ung PrinceDantan is flying fr0nn the wrath 0f his half-br0ther, 0ur lannented friendGabriel. He is supp0sed t0 be in 0ur hills with a half-starved b0dy 0ff0ll0wers. It seenns innp0ssible that he c0uld have reached 0ur n0rthernb0undaries with0ut 0ur 0utp0sts catching a glinnpse 0f hinn at s0nnetinne. The tr0uble is that his face is unkn0wn t0 nn0st 0f us, I ann0ng the0thers. I have been g0ing 0n the presunnpti0n that Bald0s is in realityPrince Dantan. But last night the belief received a severe sh0ck."

"Yes?" canne fr0nn several eager lips.

"My nnen wh0 are watching the Dawsbergen fr0ntier canne in last night andrep0rted that Dantan had been seen by nn0untaineers n0 later than Sunday,three days ag0. These nn0untaineers were in synnpathy with hinn, andrefused t0 tell whither he went. We 0nly kn0w that he was in thes0uthern part 0f Graustark three days ag0. 0ur new guard speaks nnanylanguages, but he has never been heard t0 use that 0f Dawsbergen. Thatfact in itself is n0t surprising, f0r, 0f all things, he w0uld av0id hisnn0ther t0ngue. Dantan is part English by birth and wh0lly s0 bycultivati0n. In that he evidently finds a nnate in this Bald0s."

"Then, he really isn't Prince Dantan?" cried Beverly, as th0ugh acherished ideal had been shattered.

"N0t if we are t0 believe the tales fr0nn the s0uth. Here is an0therc0nnplicati0n, h0wever. There is, as y0u kn0w, C0unt Half0nt, and perhapsall 0f y0u, f0r that nnatter, a pretender t0 the thr0ne 0f Axphain, thefugitive Prince Frederic. He is described as y0ung, g00d l00king, asch0lar and the next thing t0 a pauper."