"I don't see any especial reason why you should wear it after dark, do

you? There is no sunlight, I'm sure."

"I am dazzled, nevertheless," he retorted.

"Fiddlesticks!" she said. "This is a cave, not a drawing-room."

"In other words, I am a lout and not a courtier," he smiled. "Well, a

lout may look at a princess. We have no court etiquette in the hills, I

am sorry to say."

"That was very unkind, even though you said it most becomingly," she

protested. "You have called this pail a throne. Let us also imagine that

you are a courtier."

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"You punish me most gently, your highness. I shall not forget my manners

again, believe me." He seemed thoroughly subdued.

"Then I shall expect you to remove that horrid black thing. It is

positively villainous. You look much better without it."

"Is it an edict or a compliment?" he asked with such deep gravity that

she flushed.

"It is neither," she answered. "You don't have to take it off unless you

want to--"

"In either event, it is off. You were right. It serves as a partial

disguise. I have many enemies and the black patch is a very good

friend."

"How perfectly lovely," cried Beverly. "Tell me all about it. I adore

stories about feuds and all that."

"Your husband is an American. He should be able to keep you well

entertained with blood-and-thunder stories," said he.

"My hus--What do you--Oh, yes!" gasped Beverly. "To be sure. I didn't

hear you, I guess. That was rather a severe clap of thunder, wasn't it?"

"Is that also a command?"

"What do you mean?"

"There was no thunderclap, you know."

"Oh, wasn't there?" helplessly.

"The storm is quite past. There is still a dash of rain in the air and

the wind may be dying hard, but aside from that I think the noise is

quite subdued."

"I believe you are right. How sudden it all was."

"There are several hours between this and dawn, your highness, and you

should try to get a little more sleep. Your cushions are dry and--"

"Very well, since you are so eager to get rid of--" began Beverly, and

then stopped, for it did not sound particularly regal. "I should have

said, you are very thoughtful. You will call me if I sleep late?"

"We shall start early, with your permission. It is forty miles to

Ganlook, and we must be half way there by nightfall."

"Must we spend another night like this?" cried Beverly, dolefully.

"Alas, I fear you must endure us another night. I am afraid, however, we

shall not find quarters as comfortable as these of the Hawk and Raven."

"I didn't mean to be ungrateful and--er--snippish," she said, wondering

if he knew the meaning of the word.




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