"The story! The story of his capture! Tell us the story," came eagerly

from those assembled. Ravone leaned back languidly, his face tired and

drawn once more, as if the mere recalling of the hardships past was hard

to bear.

"First, your highness, may I advise you and your cabinet to send another

ultimatum to the people of Dawsbergen?" he asked. "This time say to them

that you hold two Dawsbergen princes in your hand. One cannot and will

not be restored to them. The other will be released on demand. Let the

embassy be directed to meet the Duke of Matz, the premier. He is now

with the army, not far from your frontier. May it please your highness,

I have myself taken the liberty of despatching three trusted followers

with the news of Gabriel's capture. The two Bappos and Carl Vandos are

now speeding to the frontier. Your embassy will find the Duke of Matz in

possession of all the facts."

"The Duke of Matz, I am reliably informed, some day is to be

father-in-law to Dawsbergen," smilingly said Yetive. "I shall not wonder

if he responds most favorably to an ultimatum."

Ravone and Candace exchanged glances of amusement, the latter breaking

into a deplorable little gurgle of laughter.

"I beg to inform you that the duke's daughter has disdained the offer

from the crown," said Ravone. "She has married Lieutenant Alsanol, of

the royal artillery, and is as happy as a butterfly. Captain Baldos

could have told you how the wayward young woman defied her father and

laughed at the beggar prince."

"Captain Baldos is an exceedingly discreet person," Beverly

volunteered. "He has told no tales out of school."

"I am reminded of the fact that you gave your purse into my keeping one

memorable day--the day when we parted from our best of friends at

Ganlook's gates. I thought you were a princess, and you did not know

that I understood English. That was a sore hour for us. Baldos was our

life, the heart of our enterprise. Gabriel hates him as he hates his own

brother. Steadfastly has Baldos refused to join us in the plot to seize

Prince Gabriel. He once took an oath to kill him on sight, and I was so

opposed to this that he had to be left out of the final adventures."

"Please tell us how you succeeded in capturing that--your half-brother,"

cried Beverly, forgetting that it was another's place to make the

request. The audience drew near, eagerly attentive.

"At another time I shall rejoice in telling the story in detail. For the

present let me ask you to be satisfied with the statement that we

tricked him by means of letters into the insane hope that he could

capture and slay his half-brother. Captain Baldos suggested the

plan. Had he been arrested yesterday, I feel that it would have

failed. Gabriel was and is insane. We led him a chase through the

Graustark hills until the time was ripe for the final act. His small

band of followers fled at our sudden attack, and he was taken almost

without a struggle, not ten miles from the city of Edelweiss. In his mad

ravings we learned that his chief desire was to kill his brother and

sister and after that to carry out the plan that has long been in his

mind. He was coming to Edelweiss for the sole purpose of entering the

castle by the underground passage, with murder in his heart. Gabriel was

coming to kill the Princess Yetive and Mr. Lorry. He has never forgotten

the love he bore for the princess, nor the hatred he owes his rival. It

was the duty of Captain Baldos to see that he did not enter the passage

in the event that he eluded us in the hills."




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