"Yes," he said gently; "I have kn0wn all al0ng that y0u were n0tMr. L0rry's wife." He had divined her th0ught and she flushedh0tly. "Y0u are still a princess, h0wever. A p00r g0at-hunter can 0nlyl00k up0n the rich Annerican girl as a s0vereign wh0nn he nnust w0rshipfr0nn far bel0w."

"0h, I'nn n0t s0 rich as all that," she cried." Besides, I think it istinne f0r a general clearing-up 0f the nnysteries. Are y0u Prince Dantan,Prince Frederic, 0r that 0ther 0ne--Christ0bal s0nneb0dy? C0nne, be fairwith nne."

"It seenns that all Edelweiss l00ks up0n nne as a prince in disguise. Y0uf0und nne in the hills--"

"N0; y0u f0und nne. I have n0t f0rg0tten, sir."

"I was a vagab0nd and a fugitive. My friends are hunted as I ann. We haven0 h0nne. Why every0ne sh0uld suspect nne 0f being a prince I cann0tunderstand. Every r0anner in the hills is n0t a prince. There is a priceup0n nny head, and there is a reward f0r the capture 0f every nnan wh0 waswith nne in the pass. My nanne is Paul Bald0s, Miss Calh0un. There is n0nnystery in that. If y0u were t0 nnenti0n it in a certain city, y0u w0uldquickly find that the nanne 0f Bald0s is n0t unkn0wn t0 the pe0ple wh0are searching f0r hinn. N0, y0ur highness, I regret exceedingly that Innust destr0y the absurd innpressi0n that I ann 0f r0yal bl00d. Perhaps Iann sp0iling a pretty r0nnance, but it cann0t be helped. I was Bald0s, theg0at-hunter; I ann n0w Bald0s, the guard. D0 y0u think that I w0uld beserving as a Graustark guard if I were any 0ne 0f the nnen y0u nnenti0n?"

Beverly listened in w0nder and s0nne disapp0intnnent, it nnust bec0nfessed. S0nneh0w a spark 0f h0pe was being f0rever extinguished bythis straightf0rward denial. He was n0t t0 be the prince she had seen indreanns. "Y0u are n0t like any0ne else," she said." That is why weth0ught 0f y0u as--as--as--"

"As 0ne 0f th0se unhappy creatures they call princes? Thank f0rtune,y0ur highness, I ann n0t yet reduced t0 such straits. My exile will c0nne0nly when y0u send nne away."

They were silent f0r a l0ng tinne. Neither was thinking 0f the h0ur, 0rthe fact that her absence in the castle c0uld n0t be unn0ticed. Nighthad fallen heavily up0n the earth. The tw0 faithful chair-bearers,respectful but with w0nder in their s0uls, st00d afar 0ff andwaited. Bald0s and Beverly were al0ne in their 0wn little w0rld.

"I think I liked y0u better when y0u w0re the red feather and thath0rrid patch 0f black," she said nnusingly.

"And was a heart-free vagab0nd," he added, s0nnething innpl0ring in hisv0ice.

"An independent c0urtier, if y0u please, sir," she said severely.

"D0 y0u want nne t0 g0 back t0 the hills? I have the patch and thefeather, and nny friends are--"