"Have a care, girl!" he snarled. "I have it in my power to crush you."

"Pooh!" came scornfully from her lips. "If you molest me further I shall

call Mr. Lorry. Let me pass!"

"Just glance at this paper, my beauty. I fancy you'll change your

tune. It goes before the eyes of the council, unless you--" he paused

significantly.

Beverly took the document and with dilated eyes read the revolting

charges against her honor. Her cheeks grew white with anger, then

flushed a deep crimson.

"You fiend!" she cried, glaring at him so fiercely that he instinctively

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shrank back, the vicious grin dying in his face. "I'll show you how much

I fear you. I shall give this revolting thing to the princess. She may

read it to the cabinet, for all I care. No one will believe you. They'll

kill you for this!"

She turned and flew into the presence of the princess and her

ministers. Speeding to the side of Yetive, she thrust the paper into her

hands. Surprise and expectancy filled the eyes of all assembled.

"Count Marlanx officially charges me with--with--Read it, your

highness," she cried distractedly.

Yetive read it, pale-faced and cold. A determined gleam appeared in her

eyes as she passed the document to her husband.

"Allode," Lorry said to an attendant, after a brief glance at its

revolting contents, "ask Count Marlanx to appear here instantly. He is

outside the door."

Lorry's anger was hard to control. He clenched his hands and there was a

fine suggestion of throttling in the way he did it. Marlanx, entering

the room, saw that he was doomed. He had not expected Beverly to take

this appalling step. The girl, tears in her eyes, rushed to a window,

hiding her face from the wondering ministers. Her courage suddenly

failed her. If the charges were read aloud before these men it seemed to

her that she never could lift her eyes again. A mighty longing for

Washington, her father and the big Calhoun boys, rushed to her heart as

she stood there and awaited the crash. But Lorry was a true nobleman.

"Gentlemen," he said quietly," Count Marlanx has seen fit to charge Miss

Calhoun with complicity in the flight of Baldos. I will not read the

charges to you. They are unworthy of one who has held the highest

position in the army of Graustark. He has--"

"Read this, my husband, before you proceed further," said Yetive,

thrusting into his hand a line she had written with feverish

haste. Lorry smiled gravely before he read aloud the brief edict which

removed General Marlanx from the command of the army of Graustark.

"Is this justice?" protested Marlanx angrily. "Will you not give me a

hearing? I beseech--"

"Silence!" commanded the princess. "What manner of hearing did you

expect to give Miss Calhoun? It is enough, sir. There shall be no

cowards in my army."




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