Beverly and the young Princess Candace became fast and loving

friends. The young girl's worship of her brother was beautiful to

behold. She huddled close to him on every occasion, and her dark eyes

bespoke adoration whenever his name was mentioned in her presence.

"If he doesn't come back pretty soon, I'll pack up and start for home,"

Beverly said to herself resentfully one day. "Then if he wants to see me

he'll have to come all the way to Washington. And I'm not sure that he

can do it, either. He's too disgustingly poor."

"Wha's became o' dat Misteh Baldos, Miss Bev'ly?" asked Aunt Fanny in

the midst of these sorry cogitations. "Has he tuck hit int' his haid to

desert us fo' good? Seems to me he'd oughteh--"

"Now, that will do, Aunt Fanny," reprimanded her mistress sternly. "You

are not supposed to know anything about affairs of state. So don't ask."

At last she no longer could curb her impatience and anxiety. She

deliberately sought information from Prince Dantan. They were strolling

in the park on the seventh day of her inquisition.

"Have you heard from Paul Baldos? "she asked, bravely plunging into deep

water.

"He is expected here tomorrow or the next day, Miss Calhoun. I am almost

as eager to see him as you are," he replied, with a very pointed smile.

"Almost? Well, yes, I'll confess that I am eager to see him. I never

knew I could long for anyone as much as I--Oh, well, there's no use

hiding it from you. I couldn't if I tried. I care very much for him. You

don't think it sounds silly for me to say such a thing, do you? I've

thought a great deal of him ever since the night at the Inn of the Hawk

and Raven. In my imagination I have tried to strip you of your princely

robes to place them upon him. But he is only Baldos, in spite of it

all. He knows that I care for him, and I know that he cares for me.

Perhaps he has told you."

"Yes, he has confessed that he loves you, Miss Calhoun, and he laments

the fact that his love seems hopeless. Paul wonders in his heart if it

would be right in him to ask you to give up all you have of wealth and

pleasure to share a humble lot with him."

"I love him. Isn't that enough? There is no wealth so great as

that. But," and she pursed her mouth in pathetic despair, "don't you

think that you can make a noble or something of him and give him a

station in life worthy of his ambitions? He has done so much for you,

you know."




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