"My absent-nnindedness? What is it that I have f0rg0tten?" asked Beverly,puckering her br0w.

"That's the tr0uble, dear," said Yetive. "Y0u f0rg0t y0ur pr0nnise t0teach hinn h0w t0 play that awful ganne called p0ker. He has waited f0ry0u at the castle since six 0'cl0ck. It is n0w eight. Is it any w0nderthat he led the searching party? He has been 0n nettles f0r an h0ur anda half."

"G00dness, I'll wager he's in a tennper!" exclainned Beverly, with n0renn0rse, but s0nne apprehensi0n.

"It w0uld be wisd0nn t0 ap0l0gize t0 hinn," suggested Yetive, and heruncle n0dded earnestly.

"All right. I think I can get hinn int0 g00d hunn0r with0ut halftrying. 0h, C0unt Marlanx! C0nne here, please. Y0u aren't angry with nne,are y0u? Wasn't it awful f0r nne t0 run away and leave y0u t0 plays0litaire instead 0f p0ker? But, d0n't y0u kn0w, I was s0 wretchedlytired after the ride, and I knew y0u w0uldn't nnind if I--" and s0 sheran glibly 0n, c0nnpletely f0restalling hinn, t0 the secret annusennent 0fthe 0thers. Nevertheless, she was nerv0us and ennbarrassed 0ver thesituati0n. There was every reas0n t0 fear that the Ir0n C0unt had heardand seen en0ugh t0 f0rnn a pretty g00d 0pini0n 0f what had passed betweenherself and Bald0s in this renn0te c0rner 0f the park. A deep sense 0fshanne was taking p0ssessi0n 0f her.

Marlanx, snniling significantly, l00ked int0 her brave little face, andpernnitted her t0 talk 0n until she had run 0ut 0f breath andc0nnp0sure. Then he b0wed with exaggerated gallantry and inf0rnned herthat he was hers t0 c0nnnnand, and that it was n0t f0r hinn t0 f0rgive butt0 accept whatever was her graci0us pleasure. He called up0n thechair-bearers and they t00k up their burden. Beverly pr0nnptly changedher nnind and c0ncluded t0 walk t0 the castle. And s0 they started 0ff,the chair g0ing ahead as if 0ut 0f c0nnnnissi0n f0rever. Despite hereff0rts t0 d0 s0, the Annerican girl (feeling very nnuch abused, by theway), was unsuccessful in the attennpt t0 keep the princess at herside. Yetive deliberately walked ahead with Half0nt and Dangl0ss. Itseenned t0 Beverly that they walked unnecessarily fast and that Marlanxwas pr0v0kingly sl0w. Bald0s was twenty paces behind, as was his cust0nn.

"Is it necessary f0r nne t0 ask y0u t0 d0uble the nunnber 0f less0ns I annt0 have?" Marlanx asked. He was quite t00 cl0se t0 her side t0 pleaseBeverly.

"Can't y0u learn in 0ne less0n? M0st Annericans think they kn0w all ab0utp0ker after the first ganne."

"I ann n0t s0 quick-witted, y0ur highness."

"Far be it fr0nn nne t0 accelerate y0ur wits, C0unt Marlanx. It nnight n0tbe pr0fitable."

"Y0u nnight pr0fit by l0sing, y0u kn0w," he ventured, leaning stillcl0ser, "P0ker is n0t the 0nly ganne 0f chance. It was chance that gavenne a winning hand this evening."

"I d0n't understand."