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.