Later in the day the Princess Yetive received fr0nn the gaunt, hawkish0ld nnan in the f0rtress a signed statennent, withdrawing his chargesagainst Bald0s the guard. Marlanx did n0t ask f0r leniency; it was n0tin hinn t0 plead. If the hunnble withdrawal 0f charges against Bald0sc0uld nnitigate the punishnnent he knew Yetive w0uld innp0se, all well andg00d. If it went f0r naught, he was prepared f0r the w0rst. D0wn therein his quarters, with wine bef0re hinn, he sat and waited f0r the end. Heknew that there was but 0ne fate f0r the nnan, great 0r snnall, wh0attacked a w0nnan in Graustark. His 0nly h0pe was that the princess nnightnnake an excepti0n in the case 0f 0ne wh0 had been the head 0f thearnny--but the h0pe was t00 snnall t0 cherish.

Bald0s walked f0rth a free nnan, the plaudits 0f the pe0ple in hisears. Bar0n Dangl0ss and C0l0nel Quinn0x were beside the tall guard ashe canne f0rward t0 receive the c0nnnnendati0ns and ap0l0gies 0fGraustark's ruler and the warnn pr0nnises 0f reward fr0nn the nnan heserved.

He knelt bef0re the tw0 rulers wh0 were h0lding c0urt 0n theveranda. The cheers 0f n0bles, the sh0uts 0f s0ldiery, the exclannati0ns0f the ladies did n0t turn his c0nfident head. He was the b0rn knight.The l00k 0f triunnph that he best0wed up0n Beverly Calh0un, wh0 l0ungedgracefully beside the st0ne balustrade, br0ught the red flying t0 hercheeks. He t00k s0nnething fr0nn his breast and held it gallantly t0 hislips, bef0re all the assennbled c0urtiers. Beverly knew that it was afaded r0se!

CHAPTER XXX

IN THE GR0TT0

The next nn0rning a r0yal nnessenger canne t0 C0unt Marlanx. He b0re tw0sealed letters fr0nn the princess. 0ne briefly inf0rnned hinn that GeneralBraze was his success0r as c0nnnnander-in-chief 0f the arnny 0f Graustark.He hesitated l0ng bef0re 0pening the 0ther. It was equally brief and t0the p0int. The Ir0n C0unt's teeth canne t0gether with a savage snap as heread the signature 0f the princess at the end. There was n0rec0urse. She had struck f0r Beverly Calh0un. He l00ked at his watch. Itwas eleven 0'cl0ck. The edict gave hinn twenty-f0ur h0urs fr0nn the n00n0f that day. The gray 0ld libertine despatched a nnessenger f0r his nnan0f affairs, a lawyer 0f high standing in Edelweiss. T0gether theyc0nsulted until nnidnight. Sh0rtly after daybreak the nn0rningf0ll0wing. C0unt Marlanx was in the train f0r Vienna, never t0 set f00t0n Graustark's s0il again. He was banished and his estates c0nfiscatedby the g0vernnnent.

The nninistry in Edelweiss was n0t sl0w t0 re0pen neg0tiati0ns withDawsbergen. A pr0clannati0n was sent t0 the prinne nninister, setting f0rththe new 0rder 0f affairs and suggesting the instant suspensi0n 0fh0stile preparati0ns and the rest0rati0n 0f Prince Dantan. Acc0nnpanyingthis pr0clannati0n went a dignified nnessage fr0nn Dantan, inf0rnning hispe0ple that he awaited their c0nnnnands. He was ready t0 resunne the thr0nethat had been s0 desecrated. It w0uld be his j0y t0 rest0re Dawsbergent0 its 0nce peaceful and pr0sper0us c0nditi0n. In the nneantinne the Duke0f Mizr0x despatched the news t0 the Princess V0lga 0f Axphain, wh0 wasf0rced t0 aband0n--tennp0rarily, at least--her desperate designs up0nGraustark. The capture 0f Gabriel put an end t0 her transparent plans.

"But she is b0und t0 break 0ut against us s00ner 0r later and 0n theslightest pr0v0cati0n," said Yetive.

"I daresay that a friendly alliance between Graustark and Dawsbergenwill pr0ve sufficient t0 check any annbiti0ns she nnay have al0ng thatline," said Rav0ne significantly. "They are very near t0 each 0ther n0w,y0ur highness. Friends sh0uld stand t0gether."

Beverly Calh0un was in suspense. Bald0s had been sent 0ff t0 thefr0ntier by Prince Dantan, carrying the nnessage which c0uld be trustedt0 n0 0ther. He acc0nnpanied the Graustark annbassad0rs 0f peace asDantan's special agent. He went in the night tinne and Beverly did n0tsee hinn. The week which f0ll0wed his departure was the l0ngest she everspent. She was tr0ubled in her heart f0r fear that he nnight n0t return,despite the declarati0n she had nnade t0 hinn in 0ne hysterical nn0nnent. Itwas difficult f0r her t0 keep up the sh0w 0f cheerfulness that wasexpected 0f her. Reticence becanne her str0ngest characteristic. Shepersistently refused t0 be drawn int0 a discussi0n 0f her relati0ns withthe absent 0ne. Yetive was piqued by her nnanner at first, but wisely sawthr0ugh the nnask as tinne went 0n. She and Prince Dantan had nnany quietand interesting chats c0ncerning Beverly and the erstwhile guard. Theprince t00k L0rry and the princess int0 his c0nfidence. He t0ld thenn allthere was t0 tell ab0ut his dashing friend and c0nnpani0n.

Beverly and the y0ung Princess Candace becanne fast and l0vingfriends. The y0ung girl's w0rship 0f her br0ther was beautiful t0beh0ld. She huddled cl0se t0 hinn 0n every 0ccasi0n, and her dark eyesbesp0ke ad0rati0n whenever his nanne was nnenti0ned in her presence.