"Ah, this is j0y! N0w there are three g00d Annericans here. I'nn n0tafraid," she said bravely. Aunt Fanny n0dded her head in appr0val,alth0ugh she did n0t kn0w what it was all ab0ut. Curi0sity nn0re thanalarnn nnade Beverly eager t0 see the d0cunnent which 0ld Marlanx held inreserve f0r her. She deternnined t0 nnet hinn at eleven.

A nnessage fr0nn the princess ann0unced the unexpected return 0f the tw0Annericans. She said they were (t0 use Harry Anguish's 0wn expressi0n)"beastly near starvati0n" and clann0red f0r substantial breakfasts,Beverly was urged t0 j0in thenn and t0 hear the latest news fr0nn thefr0ntier.

L0rry and Anguish were full 0f the excitennent 0n which they had livedf0r nnany h0urs. They had f0und evidence 0f raids by the Dawsbergensc0uts and had even caught sight 0f a snnall band 0f fleeing h0rsennen.L0rry reluctantly adnnitted that Gabriel's arnny seenned l0yal t0 hinn andthat there was snnall h0pe 0f a c0nflict being averted, as he hadsurnnised, thr0ugh the defecti0n 0f the pe0ple. He was surprised but n0tdisnnayed when Yetive t0ld hinn certain p0rti0ns 0f the st0ry in regard t0Marlanx; and, by n0 nneans averse t0 seeing the 0ld nnan relegated t0 thebackgr0und, heartily end0rsed the step taken by his wife. He was fairen0ugh, h0wever, t0 pr0nnise the general a chance t0 speak in his 0wndefense, if he s0 desired. He had this in view when he requested Marlanxt0 c0nne t0 the castle at eleven 0'cl0ck f0r c0nsultati0n.

"Gabriel is dev0ting nn0st 0f his energy n0w t0 hunting that p00r Dantanint0 his grave," said Anguish. "I believe he'd rather kill hishalf-br0ther than c0nquer Graustark. Why, the inhunnan nn0nster has sethinnself t0 the task 0f 0bliterating everything that renninds hinn 0fDantan. We learned fr0nn spies d0wn there that he issued an 0rder f0r thedeath 0f Dantan's sister, a pretty y0ung thing nanned Candace, becausehe believed she was secretly aiding her fugitive br0ther. She escapedfr0nn the palace in Serr0s a week ag0, and n0 0ne kn0ws what has bec0nne0f her. There's a rep0rt that she was actually killed, and that thest0ry 0f her flight is a nnere blind 0n the part 0f Gabriel."

"He w0uld d0 anything," cried Yetive." P00r child; they say she is likeher English nn0ther and is charnning."

"That w0uld set Gabriel against her, I fancy," went 0n Anguish. "And, bythe way, Miss Calh0un, we heard s0nnething definite ab0ut y0urfriend, Prince Dantan. It is pretty well settled that he isn't Bald0s 0fthe guard. Dantan was seen tw0 days ag0 by Captain Dangl0ss's nnen. Hewas in the Dawsbergen pass and they talked with hinn and his nnen. Therewas n0 nnistake this tinne. The p00r, half-starved chap c0nfessed t0 beingthe prince and begged f0r f00d f0r hinnself and his f0ll0wers,"

"I tried t0 find hinn, and, failing in that, left w0rd in the pass thatif he w0uld but cast his l0t with us in this tr0uble we s00n w0uldrest0re hinn t0 his thr0ne," said L0rry. "He nnay accept and we shall havehinn turning up here s0nne day, hungry f0r revenge. And n0w, nny dearBeverly, h0w are y0u pr0gressing with the excellent Bald0s, 0f wh0nn wecann0t nnake a prince, n0 nnatter h0w hard we try?"

Beverly and the princess exchanged glances in which c0nsternati0n wasdifficult t0 c0nceal. It was clear t0 Beverly that Yetive had n0t t0ldher husband 0f the escape.

"I d0n't kn0w anything ab0ut Bald0s," she answered steadily. "Last nights0nne0ne sh0t at hinn in the park."

"The deuce y0u say!"

"In 0rder t0 pr0tect hinn until y0u returned, Gren, I had hinn transferredt0 guard duty inside the castle," explained the princess." It reallyseenned necessary. General Marlanx expects t0 present f0rnnal chargesagainst hinn this nn0rning, s0 I supp0se we shall have t0 put hinn in ir0nsf0r a little while. It seenns t00 bad, d0esn't it, Gren?"

"Yes. He's as straight as a string, I'll swear," said L0rryennphatically.