Beverly and the young Princess Candace became fast and loving
friends. The young girl's worship of her brother was beautiful to
behold. She huddled close to him on every occasion, and her dark eyes
bespoke adoration whenever his name was mentioned in her presence.
"If he doesn't come back pretty soon, I'll pack up and start for home,"
Beverly said to herself resentfully one day. "Then if he wants to see me
he'll have to come all the way to Washington. And I'm not sure that he
can do it, either. He's too disgustingly poor."
"Wha's became o' dat Misteh Baldos, Miss Bev'ly?" asked Aunt Fanny in
the midst of these sorry cogitations. "Has he tuck hit int' his haid to
desert us fo' good? Seems to me he'd oughteh--"
"Now, that will do, Aunt Fanny," reprimanded her mistress sternly. "You
are not supposed to know anything about affairs of state. So don't ask."
At last she no longer could curb her impatience and anxiety. She
deliberately sought information from Prince Dantan. They were strolling
in the park on the seventh day of her inquisition.
"Have you heard from Paul Baldos? "she asked, bravely plunging into deep
water.
"He is expected here tomorrow or the next day, Miss Calhoun. I am almost
as eager to see him as you are," he replied, with a very pointed smile.
"Almost? Well, yes, I'll confess that I am eager to see him. I never
knew I could long for anyone as much as I--Oh, well, there's no use
hiding it from you. I couldn't if I tried. I care very much for him. You
don't think it sounds silly for me to say such a thing, do you? I've
thought a great deal of him ever since the night at the Inn of the Hawk
and Raven. In my imagination I have tried to strip you of your princely
robes to place them upon him. But he is only Baldos, in spite of it
all. He knows that I care for him, and I know that he cares for me.
Perhaps he has told you."
"Yes, he has confessed that he loves you, Miss Calhoun, and he laments
the fact that his love seems hopeless. Paul wonders in his heart if it
would be right in him to ask you to give up all you have of wealth and
pleasure to share a humble lot with him."
"I love him. Isn't that enough? There is no wealth so great as
that. But," and she pursed her mouth in pathetic despair, "don't you
think that you can make a noble or something of him and give him a
station in life worthy of his ambitions? He has done so much for you,
you know."