Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-12


plans for the changes In the fortress.
They embodied temporary readjust.
ment Of tho armament ana alterations
In the ammunition house. The gate
leading to the river was closed and
the refuse from the fort was taken to
the barges by way of the main EN-
trance. There were other changes sug.
gested for immediate considera ton,
and then there was general plan for
the undermining Of the fortress ut some
more convenient time. Bnldos lacon-
ically observed that the equipment
was years behind the times. To the
amazement Of the officials, he was
| able to talk intelligently of forts In
| all parts of the world, revealing
wide and thorough knowledge and ex-
tensive inspection. lie had seen Amer
lean as we'll as European Notifications
The Graustark engineers went to work
Mt once to perfect the simple changes
he advised, leaving no stone unturned
to strengthen the place before an at
tack could be made.
Two, three weeks went by, and the
new guard was becoming an old story
to the castle and army folk. He rode
with Beverly every fair day, and he
looked at her window by night from
nfar off in the somber barracks. She
could not dsspate the feeling that he
knew her to be other than the princess,
although he betrayed himself by no
word or sign. She was enjoying the
fun of it too intensely to expose it to
the risk of destruction by revealing
her true identity to him. Logically
that would mean the end of every thing.
No doubt he felt the same and kept
his counsel, but the game could not
last forever, that was certain. A
month or two more and Beverly would
have to think of her return to Wash
ington.
His courage his cool impotence, his
subtle wit, charmed her more than she
could express, Now she was begin
ming to study him from a standpoint
peculiarly and selishly her own. Where
recently she had sung his praise to Ye-
tive and others she now was strangely
reticent. She was to understand an
other day why this change had come
over her. Stories of his cleverness
came to her ears from Lorry and An
guish and even from Dangloss. She
was proud, vastly proud, Of him in
these days.
The Iron Count alone dlscredlted 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 Gliding him
frankly and gayly about this aversion.
She even argued the guards case be-
fore the head of the army, imprudently
pointing out many of his superior quail
tiles In advocating his cause. The
count was learning forbearance in his
old age He saw the wisdom Of pro-
crastination. Baldos was in favor, but
some day there would come time for
his undolng.
In the barracks he was acquiring
fame. Reports went forth with unbias-
ed freedom. He established himself as
the best swordsman in the service. as
well as the most efficient marksman.
With the foils and snbers he easily
vanQulshed the foremost fencers in
high and low circles. He could ride
like a CossaCk or like an American
cowboy. OF them all, his warmest ad-
mirer was Haddau, the man set to
watch him for the secret service. 1t
may be timely to state that Haddan
watched in vain.
: The princess. humoring her own fan
cy, as we'll as Beverly's foibles, took to
riding with her high spirited young
guest on many II little jaunt to the
: hills. She usually rode with Lorry or
Anguish. cheerfully assuming the sub
dued position betting lady-in-wait-
ing apparently restored to favor on
probation. She enjoyed Beverly 8
unique position. In order to maintain
her attitude as princess the fair young
deceiver was obliged to pose in the
extremely dclectabe attitude of being
Lorrys wife.
"How can you expect the paragon to
make love to you, dear, If he thinks
you are another mans wife, Yetive
esked her blue eyes beaming with the
fun Of it all.
POOH shifted Beverly. "You have
only to consult history to find the ex-
cuse. It's the dear old habit of men ia
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 day soon after the return of
I.orry and Anguish from trip to the
frontier Beverly expressed desire to
visit the monastery of ST. Valentine
b. high on the mountain top. 1t was q
long ride over the circultous route by
. which the steep incline was avoided
and 1t was necessary for the party &c
make an early start. Yetive rode with
Harry Anguish and his wife the count
css, while Beverly's companion was the
. gallant Colonel Qunnox. Baldos. rele-
gated to the background. brought up
the rear with Haddnn.
For q week or more Beverly had been
behaving toward Baldos in the most
!. cavalier fashion. Her friends had
u been teasing her, and, to her own H.
tense amazement, she resented 1t. The
fact that she felt the sting Of their sly
J taunts was sufficient to arouse In hel
: the distressing conviction that he had
!. become important enough to prove en-
l.n,, Tt.tt