But in spite of the rain she could not go to sleep. Vague fears began to

take possession of her. Something dreadful told her that Count Marlanx

was on the balcony and at her window, notwithstanding the rain pour. The

fear became oppressive, maddening. She felt the man's presence almost as

strongly as if he were in plain view. He was there, she knew it.

The little revolver that had served her so valiantly at the Inn of the

Hawk and Raven lay upon a stool near the bedside every night. Consumed

by the fear that the window might open slowly at any moment, she reached

forth and clutched the weapon. Then she shrank back in the bed, her eyes

fixed upon the black space across the room. For hours she shivered and

waited for the window to open, dozing away time and again only to come

back to wakefulness with a start.

The next morning she confessed to herself that her fears had been

silly. Her first act after breakfasting alone in her room was to seek

out Colonel Quinnox, commander of the castle guard. In her mind she was

greatly troubled over the fate of the bold visitor of the night

before. There was a warm, red glow in her face and a quick beat in her

heart as she crossed the parade-ground. Vagabond though he was, he had

conquered where princes had failed. Her better judgment told her that

she could be nothing to this debonair knight of the road, yet her heart

stubbornly resisted all the arguments that her reason put forth.

Colonel Quinnox was pleasant, but he could give Beverly no promise of

leniency in regard to Baldos. Instructions had come to him from General

Marlanx, and he could not set them aside at will. Her plea that he might

once more be assigned to old-time duties found the colonel regretfully

obdurate. Baldos could not ride with her again until Marlanx withdrew

the order which now obtained, Beverly swallowed her pride and resentment

diplomatically, smiled her sweetest upon the distressed colonel, and

marched defiantly back to the castle. Down in her rebellious, insulted

heart she was concocting all sorts of plans for revenge. Chief among

them was the terrible overthrow of the Iron Count. Her wide scope of

vengeance even contemplated the destruction of Graustark if her end

could be obtained in no other way.

Full of these bitter-sweet thoughts she came to the castle doors before

she saw who was waiting for her upon the great verandah. As she mounted

the steps, a preoccupied frown upon her fair brow, General Marlanx,

lean, crafty and confident, advanced to greet her. The early hour was

responsible for the bright solitude which marked the place. But few

signs of life were in evidence about the castle.

She stopped with a sharp exclamation of surprise. Then scorn and

indignation rushed in to fill the place of astonishment. She faced the

smiling old man with anger in her eyes.




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