Bewildered, her heart palpitating with various emotions, she took his

arm and allowed herself to be drawn wonderingly through the massive

doors. As they entered, followed by the brilliant company, the superb

orchestra that Beverly had so often enjoyed, began to play the stirring

"Hands Across the Sea." The musicians themselves seemed to have caught

the universal feeling of joy and mirth that was in the air, and played

as if inspired, their leader bowing low to the young American girl as

she passed. It was his affectionate tribute to her. Prince Dantan, to

her amazement, led her up the entire length of the banquet hall, to the

head of the royal table, gorgeous with the plate of a hundred Graustark

rulers, placing her on his left and next to the slightly raised royal

chairs. Candace was on his right, the picture of happiness. Beverly felt

dizzy, weak. She looked helplessly at Prince Dantan. His smile was

puzzling. As if in a daze, she saw Grenfall Lorry with the Countess

Yvonne standing exactly opposite to her, he with the others, awaiting

the appearance of the princess and the one who was to sit beside her.

The music ceased, there was a hush over the room, and then Yetive came

forward, magnificent in her royal robes, smiling and happy. A tall man

in the uniform of an exalted army officer stood beside her, gold braid

and bejeweled things across his breast. Beverly turned deathly white,

her figure stiffened and then relaxed.

It was Baldos!

She never knew how she dropped into the chair the servant held for

her. She only knew that his dark eyes were smiling at her with love and

mischief in their depths. There was a vague, uncertain sound of

chattering; someone was talking eagerly to her, but she heard him not;

there was a standing toast to the Prince of Dawsbergen; then the

audacious ghost of Baldos was proposing a ringing response to the

Princess Yetive; the orchestra was playing the Graustark and Dawsbergen

national hymns. But it was all as a dream to her. At last she heard

Candace calling to her, her face wreathed in smiles. Scores of eyes

seemed to be looking at her and all of them were full of amusement.

"Now, say that a girl can't keep a secret," came to her ears from the

radiant sister of Dantan. Ravone, at her side, spoke to her, and she

turned to him dizzily.

"You first knew me as Ravone, Miss Calhoun," he was saying

genially. "Then it became necessary, by royal command, for me to be

Prince Dantan. May I have the honor of introducing myself in the proper

person? I am Christobal of Rapp-Thorburg, and I shall be no other than

he hereafter. The friendship that binds me to Prince Dantan, at last in

his proper place beside the Princess of Graustark, is to be strengthened

into a dearer relationship before many days have passed."




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