Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-05-25
cHApTnR-x I.

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CHAPTER XI.
IA HE two weeks following Bever-
II Calhoun's advent into the
Ill royal household were filled
- with joy and wonder for her.
DAILY she sent glowing letters to her
father, mother and brothers in Wash
ington, celebrating vastly upon the
paradise into which she had fallen. To
her highly emotional mind the praises
Of Graustark had been but poorly
sung. The huge old castle, relic Of
the feudal days, with Its turrets and
bastions and portcullises, impressed
her with a never ending sense Of won
der. Its great halls and stairways, its
chapel, the throne room and the armor
closet; its underground passages and
dungeons all united to fill her imagina-
tive soul with the richest, rarest joys
Df romance. Simple American girl
that she was, unused to the rigorous
etiquette Of royalty, she found embar-
rassment In the first confusion of
svents, but she was not long In recoy-
ering her poise.
Her apartments were near those of
the Princess Yetive. In the private in
tercourse enjoyed by these young wom-
IN oil manner of restraint was aban-
doned by the visitor and every vestige
Of royalty slipped from the princess.
Count Halfont and his adorable wife,
the Countess Yvonne. both Of whom
had grown old In the court, found the
girl and her strange servant a source
Df wonder and delight.
Some days after Beverly's arrival
there came to the castle Harry An
guish and his wife, the vivacious Dag.
mar. With them came the year-old
cooling babe who was to overthrow the
heart and head of every being in the
household, from princess down. The
6ny Dagmar became queen at once,
md no one disputed her rule.
Anguish the painter became Anguish
the strategist and soldier. He planned
with Lorry and the ministry, advanc
Ing some of the most harebrained prof
ects that ever encouraged discussion II
solemn conclaye. The staid, cautious
ministers looked upon him with won
1er, but 80 plausible did he make his
proposals appear that they were
forced to consider them seriously. The
old Count of Marlanx held him In great
6isdain and did not hesitate to expose
his contempt. This did not disturb
Anguish in the least, for he was as
optimistic as the sunshine. His plan
for the recapture of Gabriel was ridic-
niously improbable, but it was after
ward seen that had 1t been attempted
much distress and delay might actually
have been avoided.
Yetive and Beverly, with Dagmar
and the baby, made merry while the
men were in council. Their mornings
were spent In the shady park SUR
rounding the castle, their afternoons In
driving. riding and walking. Often
times the princess was barred from
these simple pleasures by the exigen-
pass Of her position. She was obliged
b grant audiences, observe certain Gus
tpms Of state. attend to the charities
that came directly under her supervi-
MON and confer with the mobiles on af-
fairs Of weight and Importance. Bey-
orly delighted in the throne room and
the underground passages. They sig
nifaed more to her than all the rest.
She was shown the room In which Lor-
n had foiled the viennese who once
tried to abduct Yetive. The dungeon
where Gabriel spent his first days Of
confinement, the tower in which Lorry
had been held prisoner and the mon
astery In the clouds were all places of
unusual interest to her.
Some Of the people Of the city began
10 recognise the fair American girl who
was guest in the castle, and certain
amount Of homage was paid to her.
When she rode or drove in the streets
with her attendant soldiers, the people
bowed as deeply and as respectfully
~ they did to the princess herself, and
Beverly was just as grand and gra.
cious a. IL she had been born with q
scepter IN her hand.
The soft moonlight nights charmed
Aer with q sense of rapture never
known before. With the castle bril-,
uantly Illuminated. the halls and draw.
4ns rooms nlled with gay courtiers, the
Aarrasts at their posts, the military
band playing In the parade ground, the
balconies and porches offering theil
most inviting allurements, It is no won
Der that Beverly was entranced. Wal
had no terrors for her. nlshe though
Of It ut all It was with the fear that 4
might disturb the dream into which sh,
had fallen. True. there was little Of
nothing to distress the most tmid II
these nrst days. The controversy be
tween the principalities was at stand
still, although there was not an hour IL
which preparations for the worst were
neglected. To Beverly Calhoun II
meant little when sentiment was laid
aside. To Yetive and her people this
probable war with Dawsbergen meant
everything.
Dangloss, going back and forth be
tween Edelweiss and the frontier nortl
Of Ganlook, where the best of the polio,
and secret service watched with thu
sleepless eyes of the lynx, brought I'm
settling news to the ministry. Axphail
troops were engaged in the annua
naneuvers just across the border ii
thsar own territory. Usually thes,
were held In the plains near the capt
I'll, and there was a sinister signia
canoe in the fact that this year the.
were being carried on in the rougl
southern extremity Of the principality
within days march Of the Graustarl
nns. fully two months earlier thar
usual. The doughty baron reported