Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-12-21

look. Instead of vagabonds your es-
cort would have been made up OF loyal
soldiers. well fed. well clad and well
satisfied with themselves at least
"But no braver. no truer than my
soldiers of fortune" she said earnestly
BY the way. a.e you informed as to
the state of affairs in DawsbergenT'
Scarcely as well as your highness
must be-" he replied.
"The young prince = what's MS
nameY' she paused. looking to him for
the name.
"DantanT'
"Yes. that's It, What has become OF
him? am terribly interested In him.
"He is a fugitive. they say"
"They haven't captured him. thenf
Good, | am so glad"
Baldos exhibited little or no interest
In the fresh topic.
ut is strange you should have for
gotten his name" he said wearily.
"Oh | do so many ridiculous things"
complained Beverly. remembering who
she was supposed to be. II have never
seen him. you know" she added.
1T is not strange. your highness. He
was educated In England and had seen
but little of his own country when he
was called to the throne two years ago.
You remember Of course that his moth
er was an Engishwoman. Lady Ida
Falconer."
81 think have heard some Of his
history. A very little. to he sure" she
explained lainely
"Prince Gabriel his half brother, is
the son of Prince Louis III. by his
first wife. who was Polish countess
After her death. when Gabriel was
two years old, the prince married Lady
Ida. Dantan is their son. He has a
sister, Candace. who is but nineteen
years of age"
81 am ashamed to confess that you
know so much more about my neigh
bors than l." she said.
81 lived In Dawsbergen for a little
while and was ever interested In the
doings of royalty. That is poor mans
privilege. you know"
prince Gabriel must be terrible
man." cried Beverly. her heart swelling
with tender thoughts Of the exiled Dan
tan and his little sister.
you have cause to know" said he
shortly, and she was perplexed until
she recalled the stories of Gabriel's
misdemeanors at the court of Edel-
weiss.
"Is Prince Dantan as handsome as
they say he Isl" she asked.
ut Is entirely a matter Of opinion"
he replied II for one do not consider
him at all prepossessing."
The day went on, fatiguing. distress
ing in Its length and its happenings.
Progress was necessarily slow. the
perils of the road increasing as the
little cavalcade wound deeper and
deeper into the wilderness. There were
times when the coach fairly crawled
along the edge Of a precipice, a pro-
ceedlng SO hazardous that Beverly
US u III a CliIi. aaht y ohhy
slept serenely most Of the time. and
Baldos took to dreaming with his eyes
wide open. Contrary to her expecta-
tions, the Axphalnians did not appear,
and If there were robbers In the hills
they thought better than to attack the
valorous looking party. 1t dawned
upon her finally that the Ayphainian>
were guarding the upper route and moi
the one over which she was travelling
Yetive doubtless was approaching Gan
look over the northcru pass. proviie
the enemy had not been pacountrrc
before Labbot was reached iIevP"l
soon found herself fpnrin" for IL
safety of the princess. Il far which Il
last became Eln,ost unendnrnue
Near nigh;fail they c;lu.a upon the
Graustark shepherds ana iearurl tia
Ganlooi could not bc reached brcor
the next afternoon. Tie tired. huaE:r.
travellers sTent the n gHt in Il snu
little valley through which II riyule
bounded Onward to the river below
The supper was scant one the fI.;
gers llavu% poor luck in the hunt 70
food. Dayh-eak saw them ON thei
way once more. Hunger and drea,
had worn down Beverly's supply Of
good spirits; she was having difficult,
in keeping the haggard. distressed loo
from her face. Her tender. hopefu
eyes were rot so bold or so merry as
on the day before; cheerfulness cos
her an effort. but she managed to keel
II fairly alive. Her escort. wretched
md half staryed. never forgot the def
ercnce due to their charge. but strod,
steadily on with the doggedness Of
martyrs. At times she was impeiled To
disclose her true identity. but dlscre
tion told her that deception was he,
best safeguard
Late III the afternoon of the second
day the front axe of the coach snap
ped in two, and Il tedious delay of two
hours ensued BaldoS was strangely 81
lent and subdued, 1t was not until the
misfortune came that Beverly obsery.
ed the flushed condition of his face
lnvoluntarily and with the compassion
OF true woman. she touched his hand
and brow. They were burning hot
The wounded man was in high fever
He laughed at her fears and scoffed NJ
A g