Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-21

soldiers of fortune" she said earnestly
by the way. are you informed as to
the state Of affairs in Dawshergen?"
Scarcely as well as your highness
must be-" he replied.
THE young prince - what's his
nameT she paused, looking to him for
the name.
"Dantanr
Yes, that's It. What has become OF
hIml am terribly interested in him"
"IIc Is fugitive, they say"
They haven't captured him. thcnf
Good | am so glad"
Baldos exhibited little or no interest
in the fresh topic
at Is strange you should have for
gotten his name" he said YEARLY
"Oh. do so many ridiculous thingsw
complained Beverly, remembering who
she was supposed to be 81 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.
or was nm Engishwoman, Lady Ida
! Falcouer"
II think have heard some Of his
history. a very little, to be sure" she
explained lamcly.
prince Gabriel. his half brother. Ia
the son Of Prince Louis III. by his
! first wife. who was Polish countess.
After her death, when Gnbrlel was
] 4 =.
Ida. Dantan Is their son He has Il
sister Candace, who Is but nineteen
years Of age"
Il am ashamed TO confess that you
know so much more about my neigh.
bors than L. she said.
Il lived IN Dawsbcrgen for little
willie and was ever Interested in the
doings Of royalty. That Is a poor mans
privilege, you know"
Prince Gabriel must he a 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 Gabriers
misdemcanors at the court of Edel-
| weiss.
as Prince Dantan as handsome as
they say he is?" she asked
1T Is entirely a matter Of opinion"
he replied. II for one do not consider
him at all prepossesslng.'
The day went on, fatguing. distress
ing in its length and its happenings
Progress was necessarily slow. the
perls Of the road increasing as the
little cavalcadc wound deeper and
deeper into the wilderness. There were
times when the coach fairly crawled
along the edge of a precipice, pro-
ceeding so hazardous that Beverly
shuddered rs if in n chill Aunt Fanny
slept scrcnely most of the time and
BAldos took to dreaming with his eyes
wide open. Contrary to her eXpecta-
tons, the AXphainians did not appear.
and II there were robbers in the hills
. they thought better than to attack the
, valorous looking party. 1t dawned
; upon her finally that the AXphainans
were guarding the upper route and not
, the one over which she was travelling.
Yetive doubtless was approaching Gan
/ look over the northern pass. provided
the enemy had not been encountered
; before Labbot was reached. Beverly
soon found herself fearing for the
. safety of the princess, a fear which at
. last became almost uncomfortable.
. Near nghtfall they came upon three
Gruustark shepherds and learned that
( GanlOok could not he reached before
| the next afternoon. The tired. hungry
: travellers spent the night III a snug
little valley through which a rivulet
| bounded onward to the river below
The supper was scant one, the fora
gers having poor luck in the hunt for
t food. Dayhreall saw them on their
: way once moro. Hunger and dread
had worn down Beyerly's supply Of
r good spirits; she was having difficulty
, in keeping the haggard, distressed look
from her face. Her tender, hopeful
3 eyes We're not so bold or so merry as
. on the day before; cheerfulness cost
, her an effort. but she managed to keep
II fairly alive. Her escort. wretched
2 and half starved. never forgot the def
] erence due to their charge, hut strobe
steadily on with the doggedneSs OF
9 martyrs. AT times she was impelled TO
disclose her true identity. but discre-
| ton told her that deception was her
best safeguard
Late in the afternoon of the second
= day the front axle of the coach snap
< ped in two, and tedious delay of two
/ hours ensued. Baldos was strangely ST.
= lent and subdued. 1t was not until the
t misfortune came that Beverly observ-
r ed the flushed condition Of his face.
{ Involuntary und with the compassion
< of n true woman, she touched his hand
, and brow. They We're burning hot.
! The wounded man was in a high fever.
He laughed at her fears and scoffed at
the prospect of blood poisoning and the
hundred other possibilities that sug
gestcd themselves to her anxious
brain
| I'VE are close to Ganlook." he said.
with the setting of the sun. soon you
, may he relieved of your tiresomc,
, Cheerless company, your highness.'
= You are going to a physician she
: said resolWtely, alive and active once
more, now that the worst part Of the
Journey was coming To an end. Tell