His courage, his cool impudence, his subtle wit charmed her more than
she could express. Now she was beginning to study him from a standpoint
peculiarly and selfishly her own. Where recently she had sung his
praises to Yetive and others, she now was strangely reticent. She was to
understand another day why this change had come over her. Stories of his
cleverness came to her ears from Lorry and Anguish and even from
Dangloss. She was proud, vastly proud of him in these days. The Iron
Count alone discredited the ability and the conscientiousness of the
"mountebank," as he named the man who had put his nose out of
joint. Beverly, seeing much of Marlanx, made the mistake of chiding him
frankly and gaily about this aversion. She even argued the guard's case
before the head of the army, imprudently pointing out many of his
superior qualities in advocating his cause. The count was learning
forbearance in his old age. He saw the wisdom of procrastination. Baldos
was in favor, but someday there would come a time for his undoing.
In the barracks he was acquiring fame. Reports went forth with unbiased
freedom. He established himself as the best swordsman in the service, as
well as the most efficient marksman. With the foils and sabers he easily
vanquished the foremost fencers in high and low circles. He could ride
like a Cossack or like an American cowboy. Of them all, his warmest
admirer was Haddan, the man set to watch him for the secret service. It
may be timely to state that Haddan watched in vain.
The princess, humoring her own fancy as well as Beverly's foibles, took
to riding with her high-spirited young guest on many a little jaunt to
the hills. She usually rode with Lorry or Anguish, cheerfully assuming
the subdued position befitting a lady-in-waiting apparently restored to
favor on probation. She enjoyed Beverly's unique position. In order to
maintain her attitude as princess, the fair young deceiver was obliged
to pose in the extremely delectable attitude of being Lorry's wife.
"How can you expect the paragon to make love to you, dear, if he thinks
you are another man's wife?" Yetive asked, her blue eyes beaming with
the fun of it all.
"Pooh!" sniffed Beverly. "You have only to consult history to find the
excuse. It's the dear old habit of men to make love to queens and get
beheaded for it. Besides, he is not expected to make love to me. How in
the world did you get that into your head?"
On a day soon after the return of Lorry and Anguish from a trip to the
frontier, Beverly expressed a desire to visit the monastery of
St. Valentine, high on the mountain top. It was a long ride over the
circuitous route by which the steep incline was avoided and it was
necessary for the party to make an early start. Yetive rode with Harry
Anguish and his wife the countess, while Beverly's companion was the
gallant Colonel Quinnox. Baldos, relegated to the background, brought up
the rear with Haddan.