In the afternoon she went driving with Princess Yetive and the young

Duke of Mizrox, upon whose innocent and sufficiently troubled head she

was heaping secret abuse because of the news he brought. Later, Count

Marlanx appeared at the castle for his first lesson in poker. He looked

so sure of himself that Beverly hated him to the point of desperation.

At the same time she was eager to learn how matters stood with

Baldos. The count's threat still hung over her head, veiled by its

ridiculous shadow of mercy. She knew him well enough by this time to

feel convinced that Baldos would have to account for his temerity,

sooner or later. It was like the cat and the helpless mouse.

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"It's too hot," she protested, when he announced himself ready for the

game. "Nobody plays poker when it's 92 in the shade."

"But, your highness," complained the count, "war may break out any

day. I cannot concede delay."

"I think there's a game called 'shooting craps,'" suggested she

serenely. "It seems to me it would be particularly good for

warriors. You could be shooting something all the time."

He went away in a decidedly irascible frame of mind. She did not know

it, but Baldos was soon afterward set to work in the garrison stables, a

most loathsome occupation, in addition to his duties as a guard by

night.

After mature deliberation Beverly set herself to the task of writing

home to her father. It was her supreme intention to convince him that

she would be off for the States in an amazingly short time. The major,

upon receiving the letter three weeks later, found nothing in it to

warrant the belief that she was ever coming home. He did observe,

however, that she had but little use for the army of Graustark, and was

especially disappointed in the set of men Yetive retained as her private

guard. For the life of her, Beverly could not have told why she

disapproved of the guard in general or in particular, but she was

conscious of the fact, after the letter was posted, that she had said

many things that might have been left unwritten. Besides, it was not

Baldos's fault that she could not sleep; it was distinctly her own. He

had nothing to do with it.

"I'll bet father will be glad to hear that I am coming home," she said

to Yetive, after the letter was gone.

"Oh, Beverly, dear, I hate to hear of your going," cried the princess."

When did you tell him you'd start?"




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