This startling announcement threw the company into the greatest

excitement. Baldos ran down the steps and to the side of the astonished

princess.

"Prince Dantan!" she cried, unbelieving.

He pushed the boyish figure aside and whispered earnestly into Yetive's

ear. She smiled warmly in response, and her eyes sparkled.

"And this, your highness, is his sister, the Princess Candace," he

announced aloud, bowing low before the girl. At that instant she ceased

to be the timid, cringing boy. Her chin went up in truly regal state as

she calmly, even haughtily, responded to the dazed, half-earnest salutes

of the men. With a rare smile--a knowing one in which mischief was

paramount--she spoke to Baldos, giving him her hand to kiss.

"Ah, dear Baldos, you have achieved your sweetest triumph--the

theatrical climax to all this time of plotting. My brother's sister

loves you for all this. Your highness," and she turned to Yetive with a

captivating smile, "is the luckless sister of Dantan welcome in your

castle? May I rest here in peace? It has been a bitterly long year, this

past week," she sighed. Fatigue shot back into her sweet face, and

Yetive's love went out to her unreservedly. As she drew the slight

figure up the steps she turned and said to her ministers: "I shall be glad to receive Prince Dantan in the throne-room, without

delay. I am going to put the princess to bed."

"Your highness," said Baldos from below, "may I be the first to announce

to you that there will be no war with Dawsbergen?"

This was too much. Even Marlanx looked at his enemy with something like

collapse in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" cried Lorry, seizing him by the arm.

"I mean that Prince Dantan is here to announce the recapture of Gabriel,

his half-brother. Before the hour is past your own men from the dungeon

in the mountains will come to report the return of the fugitive. This

announcement may explain in a measure the conduct that has earned for me

the accusation which confronts me. The men who have retaken Gabriel are

the members of that little band you have heard so much about. Once I was

its captain, Prince Dantan's chief of staff--the commander of his ragged

army of twelve. Miss Calhoun and fate brought me into Edelweiss, but my

loyalty to the object espoused by our glorious little army has never

wavered. Without me they have succeeded in tricking and trapping

Gabriel. It is more than the great army of Graustark could do. Your

highness will pardon the boast under the circumstances?"

"If this Is true, you have accomplished a miracle," exclaimed Lorry,

profoundly agitated. "But can it be true? I can't believe it. It is too

good. It is too utterly improbable. Is that really Prince Dantan?"




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