"I am trusting you implicitly," she said.

"The knave is glorified," was his simple rejoinder. He conducted her to

the improvised bed-chamber, Aunt Fanny following with loyal but

uncertain tread. "I regret, your highness, that the conveniences are so

few. We have no landlady except Mother Earth, no waiters, no porters, no

maids, in the Inn of the Hawk and Raven. This being a men's hotel, the

baths are on the river-front. I am having water brought to your

apartments, however, but it is with deepest shame and sorrow that I

confess we have no towels."

She laughed so heartily that his face brightened perceptibly, whilst the

faces of his men turned in their direction as though by concert.

"It is a typical mountain resort, then," she said, "I think I can manage

very well if you will fetch my bags to my room, sir."

"By the way, will you have dinner served in your room?" very

good-humoredly.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to eat in the public dining-room," said

she. A few minutes later Beverly was sitting upon one of her small

trunks and Aunt Fanny was laboriously brushing her dark hair.

"It's very jolly being a princess," murmured Miss Calhoun. She had

bathed her face in one of the leather buckets from the coach, and the

dust of the road had been brushed away by the vigorous lady-in-waiting.

"Yas, ma'am, Miss--yo' highness, hit's monstrous fine fo' yo', but whar

is Ah goin' to sleep? Out yondah, wif all dose scalawags?" said Aunt

Fanny, rebelliously.

"You shall have a bed in here, Aunt Fanny," said Beverly.

"Dey's de queeres' lot o' tramps Ah eveh did see, an' Ah wouldn' trust

'em 's fer as Ah could heave a brick house."

"But the leader is such a very courteous gentleman," remonstrated

Beverly.

"Yas, ma'am; he mussa came f'm Gawgia or Kaintuck," was Aunt Fanny's

sincere compliment.

The pseudo-princess dined with the vagabonds that night. She sat on the

log beside the tall leader, and ate heartily of the broth and broiled

goatmeat, the grapes and the nuts, and drank of the spring water which

took the place of wine and coffee and cordial. It was a strange supper

amid strange environments, but she enjoyed it as she had never before

enjoyed a meal. The air was full of romance and danger, and her

imagination was enthralled. Everything was so new and unreal that she

scarcely could believe herself awake. The world seemed to have gone back

to the days of Robin Hood and his merry men.




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