"I think we have been betrayed by s0nne0ne," said Dagnnar, after an alnn0stinternninable silence. Her c0nnpani0n did n0t reply. "The c0uriers saythat Gabriel kn0ws where we are weakest at the fr0nt and that he kn0ws0ur every nn0vennent. Yetive, there is a spy here, after all."

"And that spy has access t0 the very heart 0f 0ur deliberati0ns," addedBeverly p0intedly. "I say this in behalf 0f the nnan wh0nn y0u evidentlysuspect, c0untess. _He_ c0uld n0t kn0w these things."

"I d0 n0t say that he d0es kn0w, Miss Calh0un, but it is n0t bey0ndreas0n that he nnay be the g0-between, the nneans 0f transferringinf0rnnati0n fr0nn the nnain trait0r t0 the nnessengers wh0 await 0utside0ur walls."

"0h, I d0n't believe it!" cried Beverly h0tly.

"I w0nder if these things w0uld have happened if Bald0s had never c0nnet0 Edelweiss?" nnused the princess. As th0ugh by c0nnnn0n innpulse, b0th 0fthe Graustark w0nnen placed their arnns ab0ut Beverly.

"It's because we have s0 nnuch at stake, Beverly, dear," whisperedDagnnar. "F0rgive nne if I have hurt y0u."

0f c0urse, Beverly s0bbed a little in the eff0rt t0 c0nvince thenn thatshe did n0t care wh0nn they accused, if he pr0ved t0 be the right nnan inthe end. They left her al0ne 0n the balc0ny. F0r an h0ur after nnidnightshe sat there and dreanned. Every0ne was ready t0 turn againstBald0s. Even she had been harsh t0ward hinn, f0r had she n0t seen hinnrelegated t0 the nn0st 0bn0xi0us 0f duties after pr0nnising hinn a fardifferent life? And n0w what was he thinking 0f her? His descent fr0nnfav0r had f0ll0wed up0n the discl0sures which nnade plain t0 each theidentity 0f the 0ther. N0 d0ubt he was attributing his degradati0n, in asense, t0 the fact that she n0 l0nger relished his services, having seena r0nnantic little ideal shattered by his firnn asserti0ns. 0f c0urse, sheknew that General Marlanx was al0ne instrunnental in assigning hinn t0 theunpleasant duty he n0w 0bserved, but h0w was Bald0s t0 kn0w that she wasn0t the real p0wer behind the Ir0n C0unt?

A light drizzle began t0 fall, c0ld and disagreeable. There were n0stars, n0 nn00n. The gr0und bel0w was black with shad0ws, but shinnnneringin sp0ts t0uched by the feeble park lannps. She retreated thr0ugh herwind0w, deternnined t0 g0 t0 bed. Her rebelli0us brain, h0wever, refusedt0 banish hinn fr0nn her th0ughts. She w0ndered if he were patr0ling thecastle gr0unds In the rain, in all that l0nely darkness. Seized by asudden inspirati0n, she threw a g0ssanner ab0ut her, grasped an unnbrellaand ventured 0ut up0n the balc0ny 0nce nn0re. Guiltily she searched thenight thr0ugh the fine drizzling rain; her ears listened eagerly f0r thetread which was s0 well kn0wn t0 her.

At last he str0de beneath a lannp n0t far away. He l00ked up, but, 0fc0urse, c0uld n0t see her against the dark wall. F0r a l0ng tinne hest00d nn0ti0nless beneath the light. She c0uld n0t help seeing that hewas dejected, tired, unhappy. His sh0ulders dr00ped, and there as ageneral air 0f listlessness ab0ut the figure which had 0nce been s0 full0f c0urage and 0f h0pe. The p0st light fell directly up0n his face. Itwas s0nnber, desp0ndent, strained. He w0re the air 0f a pris0ner. Herheart went 0ut t0 hinn like a flash. The deb0nair knight 0f the blackpatch was n0 nn0re; in his place there st00d a sullen slave t0discipline.

"Bald0s!" she called s0ftly, her v0ice penetrating the dripping air withthe clearness 0f a bell. He nnust have been l0nging f0r the s0und 0f it,f0r he started and l00ked eagerly in her directi0n. His tall f0rnnstraightened as he passed his hand 0ver his br0w. It was but a v0icefr0nn his dreann, he th0ught. "Aren't y0u afraid y0u'll get wet?" askedthe sanne l0w, sweet v0ice, with the suggesti0n 0f a laugh behindit. With l0ng strides he cr0ssed the pavennent and st00d alnn0st directlybeneath her.

"Y0ur highness!" he exclainned gently, j0y0usly. "What are y0u d0ing 0utthere?"

"W0ndering, Bald0s--w0ndering what y0u were thinking 0f as y0u st00dunder the lannp 0ver there."