He was too wise to give her the chance to reply. A moment later he was

mounted and off for the eastern gates, there to direct the movements of

Colonel Braze and his scouts. Beverly flew at once to Yetive with her

plea for Baldos. She was confronted by a rather sober-faced sovereign.

The news of the hour was not comforting to the princess and her

ministers.

"You don't believe he is a spy?" cried Beverly, stopping just inside the

door, presuming selfishly that Baldos alone was the cause for worry. She

resolved to tell Yetive of the conflict in the park.

"Dear me, Beverly, I am not thinking of him. We've discussed him jointly

and severally and every other way and he has been settled for the time

being. You are the only one who is thinking of him, my dear child. We

have weightier things to annoy us."

"Goodness, how you talk! He isn't annoying. Oh, forgive me, Yetive, for

I am the silliest, addle-patedest goose in the kingdom. And you are so

troubled. But do you know that he is being watched? They suspect

him. So did I, at first, I'll admit it. But I don't--now. Have you read

the note I gave to you out there?"

"Yes, dear. It's just as I expected. He has known from the beginning. He

knew when he caught Dagmar and me spying behind that abominable curtain.

But don't worry me any longer about him, please. Wait here with me until

we have reports from the troops. I shall not sleep until I know what

those fires meant. Forget Baldos for an hour or two, for my sake."

"You dear old princess, I'm an awful brute, sure 'nough. I'll forget him

forever for your sake. It won't be hard, either. He's just a mere guard.

Pooh! He's no prince."

Whereupon, reinforced by Mrs. Anguish and the Countess Halfont, she

proceeded to devote herself to the task of soothing and amusing the

distressed princess while the soldiers of Graustark ransacked the

moonlit hills. The night passed, and the next day was far on its way to

sunset before the scouts came in with tidings. No trace of the

mysterious signalers had been found. The embers of the half-dozen fires

were discovered, but their builders were gone. The search took in miles

of territory, but it was unavailing. Not even a straggler was found. The

so-called troupe of actors, around whom suspicion centered, had been

swallowed by the capacious solitude of the hills. Riders from the

frontier posts to the south came in with the report that all was quiet

in the threatened district. Dawsbergen was lying quiescent, but with the

readiness of a skulking dog.

There was absolutely no solution to the mystery connected with the fires

on the mountain sides. Baldos was questioned privately and earnestly by

Lorry and Dangloss. His reply was simple, but it furnished food for

reflection and, at the same time, no little relief to the troubled

leaders.




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