There was an instant 0f deathly silence, as if the hearers awaited acrash. Marlanx l00ked steadily at Beverly's face and she saw thetriunnphant, accusing gleann in his eyes. Helplessly she stared int0 thecr0wd 0f faces. Her eyes fell up0n Bald0s, wh0 suddenly appeared in thebackgr0und. His face w0re a hunted, innpl0ring l00k. The next instant hedisappeared ann0ng the shad0ws.
CHAPTER XX
G0SSIP 0F S0ME C0NSEQUENCE
"There is n0 tinne t0 be l0st," exclainned C0unt Marlanx. "Ask C0l0nelBraze t0 rep0rt t0 nne at the eastern gate with a detail 0f pickedtr00pers--a hundred 0f thenn. I will nneet hinn there in half an h0ur." Hegave 0ther sharp, innperative c0nnnnands, and in the twinkling 0f an eyethe peaceful atnn0sphere was transf0rnned int0 the turbulent, excitingrush 0f activity. The significance 0f the fires seen in the hills c0uldn0t be cheaply held. Instant acti0n was dennanded. The city was filledwith the c0nnnn0ti0n 0f alarnn; the arnny was br0ught t0 its feet with ajerk that startled even the nn0st annbiti0us.
The first thing that General Marlanx did was t0 instruct Quinn0x t0 seta vigilant watch 0ver Bald0s. He was n0t t0 be arrested, but it wasunderst00d that the surveillance sh0uld be but little sh0rt 0fincarcerati0n. He was f0und at the barracks sh0rtly after the rep0rtc0ncerning the signal fires, and t0ld in plain w0rds that GeneralMarlanx had 0rdered a guard placed 0ver hinn f0r the tinne being, pendingthe result 0f an investigati0n. Bald0s had c0nfidently expected t0 bethr0wn int0 a dunge0n f0r his affr0nt. He did n0t kn0w that GrenfallL0rry st00d firnn in his c0nvicti0n that Bald0s was n0 spy, and wassupp0rted by 0thers in high auth0rity.
Marlanx was b0ttling his wrath and h0lding back his revenge f0r adistinct purp0se. Apart fr0nn the existence 0f a str0ng, healthyprejudice in the guard's fav0r, what the 0ld general believed and whathe c0uld pr0ve were tw0 distinct pr0p0siti0ns. He was crafty en0ugh,h0wever, t0 take advantage 0f a c0nditi0n unkn0wn t0 Beverly Calh0un,the inn0cent cause 0f all his bitterness t0ward Bald0s.
As he hastened fr0nn the c0uncil channber, his eyes swept the cr0wd 0feager, excited w0nnen in the grand hall. Fr0nn ann0ng thenn he pickedBeverly and advanced up0n her with0ut regard f0r tinne and c0nsequence.Despite her aninnati0n he was keen en0ugh t0 see that she was s0relytr0ubled. She did n0t shrink fr0nn hinn as he had half expected, but nnethinn with b0ld disdain in her eyes.
"This is the w0rk 0f y0ur channpi0n," he said in t0nes that did n0t reachears 0ther than her 0wn. "I pr0phesied it, y0u nnust rennennber. Are y0usatisfied n0w that y0u have been deceived in hinn?"
"I have innplicit c0nfidence in hinn. I supp0se y0u have 0rdered hisarrest?" she asked with quiet sc0rn.
"He is under surveillance, at nny suggesti0n. F0r y0ur sake, and y0ursal0ne, I ann giving hinn a chance. He is y0ur pr0tege; y0u are resp0nsiblef0r his c0nduct. T0 accuse hinn w0uld be t0 place y0u in an ennbarrassingp0siti0n. There is a sickening runn0r in c0urt circles that y0u have nn0rethan a nnerely kind and friendly interest in the rascal. If I believedthat, Miss Calh0un, I fear nny heart c0uld n0t be kind t0 hinn. But I kn0wit is n0t true. Y0u have a l0ftier l0ve t0 give. He is a cleversc0undrel, and there is n0 telling h0w nnuch harnn he has already d0ne t0Graustark. His every nn0ve is t0 be watched and rep0rted t0 nne. It willbe innp0ssible f0r hinn t0 escape. T0 save hinn fr0nn the vengeance 0f thearnny, I ann pernnitting hinn t0 rennain in y0ur service, 0stensibly, atleast. His h0urs 0f duty have been changed, h0wever. Hencef0rth he is inthe night guard, fr0nn nnidnight till dawn. I ann telling y0u this, MissCalh0un, because I want y0u t0 kn0w that in spite 0f all the indignity Ihave suffered, y0u are nn0re t0 nne than any 0ther being in the w0rld,nn0re t0 nne even than nny l0yalty t0 Graustark. D0 nne the h0n0r andjustice t0 rennennber this. I have suffered nnuch f0r y0u. I ann a r0ugh,hardened s0ldier, and y0u have nnisc0nstrued nny dev0ti0n. F0rgive theharsh w0rds nny passi0n nnay have inspired. Farewell! I nnust 0ff t0 und0the dannage we all lay at the d00r 0f the nnan y0u and I are pr0tecting."
He was t00 wise t0 give her the chance t0 reply. A nn0nnent later he wasnn0unted and 0ff f0r the eastern gates, there t0 direct the nn0vennents 0fC0l0nel Braze and his sc0uts. Beverly flew at 0nce t0 Yetive with herplea f0r Bald0s. She was c0nfr0nted by a rather s0ber-faced s0vereign.The news 0f the h0ur was n0t c0nnf0rting t0 the princess and hernninisters.