Marlanx flushed guiltily. The question had caught him unprepared. He

dared not acknowledge his presence there with the hired assassins.

"I--I was not in a position to restrain him," he fumbled.

"You preferred to wait until he was safely gone before making the effort

to protect Graustark from his evil designs. Is that it? What was your

object in going to the chapel? To pray? Besides, what right had you to

enter the castle in the night?" she asked ironically.

"Your highness, may I be heard?" asked Baldos easily. He was smiling up

at Yetive from the bottom of the steps. She nodded her head a trifle

uneasily. "It is quite true that I left the castle by means of your

secret passage last night."

"There!" shrieked Marlanx. "He admits that he--"

"But I wish to add that Count Marlanx is in error when he says that Miss

Calhoun was my accomplice. His eyes were not keen in the darkness of the

sanctuary. Perhaps he is not accustomed to the light one finds in a

chapel at the hour of two. Will your highness kindly look in the

direction of the southern gate? Your august gaze may fall upon the

reclining figure of a boy asleep, there in the shadow of the friendly

cedar. If Count Marlanx had looked closely enough last night he might

have seen that it was a boy who went with me and not--"

"Fool! Don't you suppose I know a woman's skirts?" cried the Iron Count.

"Better than most men, I fancy," calmly responded Baldos. "My young

friend wore the garments of a woman, let me add."

Lorry came down and grasped Baldos by the arm. His eyes were stern and

accusing. Above, Yetive and Beverly had clasped hands and were looking

on dumbly. What did Baldos mean?

"Then, you did go through the passage? And you were accompanied by this

boy, a stranger? How comes this, sir?" demanded Lorry. Every eye was

accusing the guard at this juncture. The men were descending the steps

as if to surround him.

"It is not the first time that I have gone through the passage, sir,"

said Baldos, amused by the looks of consternation. "I'd advise you to

close it. Its secret is known to more than one person. It is known, by

the way, to Prince Gabriel of Dawsbergen. It is known to every member of

the band with which Miss Calhoun found me when she was a princess.

Count Marlanx is quite right when he says that I have gone in and out of

the castle grounds from time to time. He is right when he says that I

have communicated with men inside and outside of these grounds. But he

is wrong when he accuses Miss Calhoun of being responsible for or even

aware of my reprehensible conduct. She knew nothing of all this, as you

may judge by taking a look at her face at this instant."




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