Bright and early the next morning the party was ready for the last of

the journey to Edelweiss. Less than twenty miles separated Ganlook from

the capital, and the road was in excellent condition. Beverly Calhoun,

tired and contented, had slept soundly until aroused by the princess

herself. Their rooms adjoined each other, and when Yetive, shortly after

daybreak, stole into the American girl's chamber, Beverly was sleeping

so sweetly that the intruder would have retreated had it not been for

the boisterous shouts of stable-boys in the courtyard below the

windows. She hurried to a window and looked out upon the gray-cloaked

morning. Postillions and stable-boys were congregated near the gates,

tormenting a ragged old man who stood with his back against one of the

huge posts. In some curiosity, she called Beverly from her slumbers,

urging the sleepy one to hasten to the window.

"Is this one of your friends from the wilderness?" she asked.

"It's Franz!" cried Beverly, rubbing her pretty eyes. Then she became

thoroughly awake. "What are they doing to him? Who are those ruffians?"

she demanded indignantly.

"They are my servants, and--"

"Shame on them! The wretches! What has old Franz done that they

should--Call to them! Tell 'em you'll cut their heads off if they don't

stop. He's a dear old fellow in spite of his rags, and he--"

The window-sash flew open and the tormentors in the court below were

astonished by the sound of a woman's voice, coming, as it were, from the

clouds. A dozen pairs of eyes were turned upward; the commotion ended

suddenly. In the window above stood two graceful, white-robed

figures. The sun, still far below the ridge of mountains, had not yet

robbed the morning of the gray, dewy shadows that belong to five

o'clock.

"What are you doing to that poor old man?" cried Yetive, and it was the

first time any of them had seen anger in the princess's face. They slunk

back in dismay. "Let him alone! You, Gartz, see that he has food and

drink, and without delay. Report to me later on, sir, and explain, if

you can, why you have conducted yourselves in so unbecoming a manner."

Then the window was closed and the princess found herself in the warm

arms of her friend.

"I couldn't understand a word you said, Yetive? but I knew you were

giving it to them hot and heavy. Did you see how nicely old Franz bowed

to you? Goodness, his head almost touched the ground."

"He was bowing to you, Beverly. You forgot that you are the princess to

him."

"Isn't that funny? I had quite forgotten it--the poor old goose."

Later, when the coaches and escort were drawn up in front of the

Rallowitz palace ready for the start, the princess called the chief

postillion, Gartz, to the step of her coach.




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