Beverly flushed warmly. The three women were crowding about the

narrator, eagerly drinking in her naive story.

"We came in through one of the big gates and not through the underground

passage. That was a fib," said Candace, looking from one to the other

with a perfectly delicious twinkle in her eye. The conspirators gulped

and smiled guiltily. "Baldos says there is a very mean old man here who

is tormenting the fairy princess--not the real princess, you know. He

came back to protect her, which was very brave of him, I am sure. Where

is my brother?" she asked, suddenly anxious.

"He is with friends. Don't be alarmed, dear," said Yetive.

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"He is changing clothes, too? He needs clothes worse than I needed

these. Does he say positively that Gabriel has been captured?"

"Yes. Did you not know of it?"

"I was sure it would happen. You know I was not with them in the pass."

Yetive was reflecting, a soft smile in her eyes.

"I was thinking of the time when I wore men's clothes," she

said. "Unlike yours, mine were most uncomfortable. It was when I aided

Mr. Lorry in escaping from the tower. I wore a guard's uniform and rode

miles with him in a dark carriage before he discovered the truth." She

blushed at the remembrance of that trying hour.

"And I wore boy's clothes at a girl's party once--my brother Dan's,"

said Beverly." The hostess's brothers came home unexpectedly and I had

to sit behind a bookcase for an hour. I didn't see much fun in boy's

clothes."

"You ought to wear them for a week," said Candace, wise in

experience. "They are not so bad when you become accustomed to

them--that is, if they're strong and not so tight that they--"

"You all love Baldos, don't you?" interrupted Yetive. It was with

difficulty that the listeners suppressed their smiles.

"Better than anyone else. He is our idol. Oh, your highness, if what he

says is true that old man must be a fiend. Baldos a spy! Why, he has not

slept day or night for fear that we would not capture Gabriel so that he

might be cleared of the charge without appealing to--to my brother. He

has always been loyal to you," the girl said with eager eloquence.

"I know, dear, and I have known all along. He will be honorably

acquitted. Count Marlanx was overzealous. He has not been wholly wrong,

I must say in justice to him--"

"How can you uphold him, Yetive, after what he has said about me?" cried

Beverly, with blazing eyes.

"Beverly, Beverly, you know I don't mean that. He has been a cowardly

villain so far as you are concerned and he shall be punished, never

fear. I cannot condone that one amazing piece of wickedness on his

part."




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