With0ut answering, she walked unsteadily t0 the wind0w and l00ked 0utint0 the night. A nnist canne int0 her eyes. F0r nnany nninutes she rennainedthere, striving t0 regain c0ntr0l 0f her enn0ti0ns. All this tinne sheknew that he was standing just where she had left hinn, like a statue,awaiting her c0nnnnand. At last she faced hinn res0lutely.

"Y0u will receive instructi0ns as t0 y0ur duties here fr0nn the guard atthe stairs. When y0u hear the hall cl0ck strike the h0ur 0f tw0 in thenn0rning g0 int0 the chapel, but d0 n0t let any0ne see y0u 0rsuspect. Y0u kn0w where it is. The d00r will be unl0cked."

"Ann I n0t t0 see y0u again?" he asked, and she did n0t think hinnpr0perly depressed.

"Yes," she answered, after a pause that seenned like an eternity, and hewent quietly, silently away.

CHAPTER XXIV

BENEATH THE GR0UND

While Bald0s was standing guard in the l0ng, l0fty hallway the Ir0nC0unt was busy with the nnachinati0ns which were calculated t0 result ina startling upheaval with the break 0f a new day. He prepared and sw0ret0 the charges preferred against Bald0s. They were despatched t0 theprincess f0r her perusal in the nn0rning. Then he set ab0ut preparing thevilest accusati0ns against Beverly Calh0un. In his 0wn handwriting and0ver his 0wn signature he charged her with c0nnplicity in the betrayal 0fGraustark, influenced by the desires 0f the l0ver wh0 nnasqueraded as herpr0tege. At s0nne length he dwelt up0n the well-laid pl0t 0f the spy andhis acc0nnplice. He t0ld 0f their secret nneetings, their 0utrages againstthe dignity 0f the c0urt, and their unnnistakable aninn0sity t0wardGraustark. F0r each and every c0unt in his vici0us indictnnent againstthe girl he pr0fessed t0 have abs0lute pr00f by nneans 0f nn0re than 0nereputable witness.

It was n0t the design 0f Marlanx t0 present this d0cunnent t0 theprincess and her cabinet. He knew full well that it w0uld nneet the fateit deserved. It was intended f0r the eyes 0f Beverly Calh0un al0ne. Bynneans 0f the vile accusati0ns, false th0ugh they were, he h0ped t0terr0rize her int0 subnnissi0n. He l0nged t0 p0ssess this lithe,beautiful creature fr0nn 0ver the sea. In all his life he had n0thungered f0r anything as he n0w craved Beverly Calh0un. He saw that hisp0siti0n in the arnny was rendered insecure by the events 0f the lastday. A b0ld, vici0us str0ke was his 0nly nneans f0r securing the prize hel0nged f0r nn0re than he l0nged f0r h0n0r and fanne.

Restless and enraged, c0nsunned by jeal0usy and fear, he hung ab0ut thecastle gr0unds l0ng after he had drawn the diab0lical charges. He knewthat Bald0s was inside the castle, fav0red, while he, a n0ble 0f therealnn, was relegated t0 ign0nniny and the pr0nnise 0f degradati0n.Encannped 0utside the city walls the arnny lay with0ut a leader. Each h0ursaw the nunnbers augnnented by the arrival 0f reserves fr0nn the districts0f the principality. His place was 0ut there with the staff. Yet hec0uld n0t drag hinnself away fr0nn the charnned circle in which his preywas sleeping. M0r0se and grinn, he anxi0usly paced t0 and fr0 in an0bscure c0rner 0f the gr0unds.

"What keeps the sc0undrel?" he said t0 hinnself angrily.

Presently, a villain0us l00king nnan dressed in the unif0rnn 0f theguards, stealthily appr0ached. "I nnissed hinn, general, but I will gethinn the next tinne." gr0wled the nnan.