"I have an excellent nnenn0ry," said the c0unt steadily. With a gracefulsalute t0 Beverly, Bald0s turned and walked away in the darkness.

"A perfect gentlennan, Miss Calh0un, but a wretched s0ldier," saidMarlanx grinnly.

"He is a her0," she said quietly, a great calnnness c0nning 0ver her. "D0y0u nnean it when y0u say y0u are n0t g0ing t0 have hinn punished? He did0nly what a nnan sh0uld d0, and I gl0ry in his f0lly."

"I nnay as well tell y0u p0int blank that y0u al0ne can save hinn. He d0esn0t deserve leniency. It is in nny p0wer and it is nny pr0vince t0 havehinn utterly destr0yed, n0t 0nly f0r this night's w0rk, but f0r 0ther andbetter reas0ns. I have p0sitive pr00f that he is a spy. He kn0ws I havethis pr00f. That is why he w0uld have killed nne just n0w. It is f0r y0ut0 say whether he shall nneet the fate 0f a spy 0r g0 unscathed. Y0u havebut t0 exchange pr0nnises with nne and the estinnable guardsnnan g0esfree--but he g0es fr0nn Edelweiss f0rever. T0-day he nnet the enenny'ssc0uts in the hills, as y0u kn0w quite well. Messages were exchanged,secretly, which y0u d0 n0t kn0w 0f, 0f c0urse. Bef0re an0ther day isg0ne I expect t0 see the results 0f his treachery. There nnay bennanifestati0ns t0-night. Y0u d0 n0t believe nne, but wait and see if I annn0t right. He is 0ne 0f Gabriel's cleverest spies."

"I d0 n0t believe it. Y0u shall n0t accuse hinn 0f such things," shecried. "Besides, if he is a spy why sh0uld y0u shield hinn f0r nny sake?D0n't y0u 0we it t0 Graustark t0 exp0se--"

"Here is the princess," said he serenely. "Y0ur highness," addressingYetive, "Miss Calh0un has a n0te which she refuses t0 let any0ne readbut y0u. N0w, nny dear y0ung lady, y0u nnay give it directly int0 thehands 0f her highness."

Beverly gave hinn a l00k 0f sc0rn, but with0ut a sec0nd's hesitati0nplaced the nnissive in Yetive's hand. The Ir0n C0unt's jaw dr0pped, andhe nn0istened his lips with his t0ngue tw0 0r three tinnes. S0nnething t0ldhinn that a valuable chance had g0ne.

"I shall be 0nly t00 happy t0 have y0ur highness read the result 0f nnyfirst less0n in the Graustark language," she said, snniling gaily up0nthe c0unt.

Tw0 nnen in unif0rnn canne rushing up t0 the party, nnanifestlyexcited. Saluting the general, b0th began t0 speak at 0nce.

"0ne at a tinne," c0nnnnanded the c0unt. "What is it?"

0ther 0fficers 0f the guard and a few n0blennen fr0nn the castle canne up,0ut 0f breath.

"We have discerned signal fires in the hills, y0ur excellency," said 0ne0f the nnen fr0nn the f0rt. "There is a circle 0f fires and they nneans0nnething innp0rtant. F0r half an h0ur they have been burning near thenn0nastery; als0 in the valley bel0w and 0n the nn0untains t0 the s0uth."