A message from the princess announced the unexpected return of the two
Americans. She said they were (to use Harry Anguish's own expression)
"beastly near starvation" and clamored for substantial breakfasts,
Beverly was urged to join them and to hear the latest news from the
frontier.
Lorry and Anguish were full of the excitement on which they had lived
for many hours. They had found evidence of raids by the Dawsbergen
scouts and had even caught sight of a small band of fleeing horsemen.
Lorry reluctantly admitted that Gabriel's army seemed loyal to him and
that there was small hope of a conflict being averted, as he had
surmised, through the defection of the people. He was surprised but not
dismayed when Yetive told him certain portions of the story in regard to
Marlanx; and, by no means averse to seeing the old man relegated to the
background, heartily endorsed the step taken by his wife. He was fair
enough, however, to promise the general a chance to speak in his own
defense, if he so desired. He had this in view when he requested Marlanx
to come to the castle at eleven o'clock for consultation.
"Gabriel is devoting most of his energy now to hunting that poor Dantan
into his grave," said Anguish. "I believe he'd rather kill his
half-brother than conquer Graustark. Why, the inhuman monster has set
himself to the task of obliterating everything that reminds him of
Dantan. We learned from spies down there that he issued an order for the
death of Dantan's sister, a pretty young thing named Candace, because
he believed she was secretly aiding her fugitive brother. She escaped
from the palace in Serros a week ago, and no one knows what has become
of her. There's a report that she was actually killed, and that the
story of her flight is a mere blind on the part of Gabriel."
"He would do anything," cried Yetive." Poor child; they say she is like
her English mother and is charming."
"That would set Gabriel against her, I fancy," went on Anguish. "And, by
the way, Miss Calhoun, we heard something definite about your
friend, Prince Dantan. It is pretty well settled that he isn't Baldos of
the guard. Dantan was seen two days ago by Captain Dangloss's men. He
was in the Dawsbergen pass and they talked with him and his men. There
was no mistake this time. The poor, half-starved chap confessed to being
the prince and begged for food for himself and his followers," "I tried to find him, and, failing in that, left word in the pass that
if he would but cast his lot with us in this trouble we soon would
restore him to his throne," said Lorry. "He may accept and we shall have
him turning up here some day, hungry for revenge. And now, my dear
Beverly, how are you progressing with the excellent Baldos, of whom we
cannot make a prince, no matter how hard we try?"