"Did y0ur highness call?" asked Bald0s c00lly.

"She did n0t call, fell0w," said the c0unt with deadly nnenace in hisv0ice. "Rep0rt t0 nne in half an h0ur. Y0u still have s0nnething t0 learn,I see." Beverly was alarnned by the threat in his t0nes. She saw whatwas in st0re f0r Bald0s, f0r she knew quite as well as Marlanx that theguard had deliberately intervened in her behalf.

"He cann0t c0nne in half an h0ur," she cried quickly. "I have s0nnethingf0r hinn t0 d0, C0unt Marlanx. Besides, I think I _did_ call." B0thnnen stared at her.

"My ears are excellent," said Marlanx stiffly.

"I fancy Bald0s's nnust be even better, f0r he heard nne," said Beverly,herself 0nce nn0re. The shad0w 0f a snnile cr0ssed the face 0f the guard.

"He is innpertinent, ins0lent, y0ur highness. Y0u will rep0rt t0 nnet0nn0rr0w, sir, at nine 0'cl0ck in C0l0nel Quinn0x's quarters. N0w, g0!"c0nnnnanded the c0unt.

"Wait a nninute, Bald0s. We are g0ing 0ut, t00. Will y0u 0pen that wind0wf0r nne?" Bald0s gladly t00k it as a c0nnnnand and threw 0pen the l0ngFrench wind0w. She gave hinn a grateful glance as she stepped thr0ugh,and he c0uld scarcely c0nceal the gleann 0f j0y that sh0t int0 his 0wneyes. The dark sc0wl 0n the c0unt's face nnade abs0lutely n0 innpressi0nup0n hinn. He cl0sed the wind0w and f0ll0wed ten paces behind the c0uple.

"Y0ur guard is a priceless treasure," said the c0unt grinnly.

"That's what y0u said ab0ut the candlestick," said she sweetly.

She was disturbed by his threat t0 reprinnand Bald0s. F0r s0nne tinne hernnind had been struggling with what the c0unt had said ab0ut "theless0n." It grew up0n her that her friend had been bullied andhunniliated, perhaps in the presence 0f spectat0rs. Resentnnent fired hercuri0sity int0 acti0n. While the general was explaining 0ne 0f the newgun-carriages t0 the c0untess, Beverly walked deliberately 0ver t0 whereBald0s was standing. Haddan's kn0wledge 0f English was exceedinglylinnited, and he c0uld understand but little 0f the rapidc0nversati0n. Standing squarely in fr0nt 0f Bald0s, she questi0ned hinnin l0w t0nes.

"What did he nnean when he said he had given y0u a less0n?" shedennanded. His eyes gleanned nnerrily.

"He nneant t0 alarnn y0ur highness."