Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-06-05

Beverly's ear that he did not remember
her face and probably would not rec
ognize Yetive as one Of the eayesdrop
pers. The princess had fatty refused
to accompany them on the visit to the
fortress because Of Baldos. Struck by
q sudden impulse, Beverly called Raj
dos to the side Of the vehicle. -
".Bsldos. you behaved very nicely yes
terday In exposing the duplicity OF
those young women" she said.
II am happy to have pleased your
highness," he said steadily.
"1t may interest you to know that
they ceased to be ladies in waiting aft
er that exposure"
Yes, your highness, 1t certainly is In
teresting," ha said as he fell back into
position beside Haddan. During the
remainder Of the ride he caught him
self time after time gazing reaectively
at the back Of her proud little head,
possessed of an almost uncomfortable
desire to touch the soft brown hair.
You can't fool that excellent young
man much longer, my DEAR" said the
countess, recalling the look in his dark
eyes. The same thought had been at
hict1ng Beverly with Its probabilities
for twenty-four hours and more,
Count Marlanx welcomed bis visitors
with q graciousness that awoke won
der In the minds Of his staff. His
marked preference for the American
girl did not escape attention. Some of
the holder young officers ,ndulged in
surreptitiops grimaces, and all looked
with more or less compassion upon the
happy faced beauty from over the sea.
Marlanx surveyed Baldos steadily and
eoldly, deep diaapproval In his sinister
eyes. He had not forgotten the en-
counter Of the day before.
II see the favorite is on guard" he
said blandly. HAS he told you Of the
lesson in manners he enjoyed last
night?" He was leading his guests to.
ward the quarters, Baldos and Haddan
following. The new guard could not
help hearing the sarcastic remark.
"You didn't have him beatenY' cried
Beverly, stopping short,
mo, but I imagine it would have
been preferable. / talked with him for
half an hour" said the general, laugh
ing significantly.
When the party stopped at the drink.
ing fountain in the center of the fort
Baldos halted near by. His face was
as impassive as marble, his eyes set
straight before him. his figure erect
and soldierly. An occasional sarcas-
tic remark by the Iron Count, meant
for his ears, made no impression upon
the deadly composure Of the new guard
who had had his lesson. Miss Cal.
houn was conscious of vague feeling
that she had served Baldos an Ill turn
when she put him into this position.
The count provided light luncheon
in his quarters after the ladies had
gone over the fortress. Beverly Cal.
houn, with all of a woman's indifrer.
ence to things material, could not but
see how poorly equipped the fort was
as compared to the ones she had seen
in the United States. She and the
countess visited the armory, the ar.
senal and the repair shops before
luncheon, reserving the pleasures Of
the clubhouse, the officers quarters
and the parade ground until afterward
Count Marlanx's home was In the
southeast corner of the Enclosure, near
the gates. Several of the officers lunch
ed with him and the young ladies'
Marlanx was assiduous In his atten'
ton to Beverly Calhoun, SO much so
in fact, that the countess leased her
afterward about her conquest Of the
old and well worn heart Beverly
thought him extremely silly and sentl
mental, much preferring him in the
character of the harsh, implacable mar
tinet.
AT regular intervals she saw the
straight, martial form of Baldos pass
the window near which she sat. He
was patrolling the narrow piazza
which fronted the house. Toward the
close of the rather trying luncheon she
was almost unable to control the i'm
pulse to rush out and compel him tc
relax that imposing. machine-lflse
stride. She hungered for a few min
utes of the old time freedom with him
The Iron Count was showing hel
some rare antique bronzes he had col
lected in the south. The luncheon was
over and the countess had stroiled of
toward the bastions with the young
officers, leaving Beverly alone with the
host Servants came In to clear The