Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-08-02


cess, tsWhat have you to report, sir?''
THAT an attempt has Just been
made to kill member Of the castle
guard be coolly answered.
s.Impossible!''
Il am quite certain of 1t, your high
ness. The bullet almost clipped my
ear
"Good heavens" gasped the listen
ers. Then they eagerly piled him with
more agitated questions than be could
answer.
"And did You not pursue the
wretch ~ cried the princess.
mo, your highness. was command
cd to report to you at once Only the
success of the assassin could have
made newell, hesitate said he
calmly. "a soldier has but to obey
do you think there was deliber-
ate attempt to kill your asked the
Countess Dagmar. Beverly Calhoun
was dumb with CONSERVATION.
II cannot say, madame. Possibly it
was an accidental discharge. One
should not make accusations unsup-
ported. If you have no immediate
need of my services, your highness, /
will ask you to grant me leave of abb
sence for half an hour. have Pc
culiar longing to investigate" There
was determined CLEAN in his eyes.
.sNo, nor cried Beverly. Don't you
dare to go out there again. You are
to stay right here in the castle, sir.
We have Sc ching else for you to do
1t was that awful old Marlanx who
shot at you. He
81 left General Marlanx in Colonel
Quinnox's quarters, Miss Calhoun, . in
terposed Raldos grizzly. "He could
not have fred the shot. For two or
three nights, your highness, 1 have
been followed and logged with humili-
ating persistence by two men wearing
the uniforms of castle guards. They
do not sleep at the barracks. May /
ask what l have done to be submitted
to such treatment?" There was a
trace of poorly concealed indignation
in his voice.
81 assure you that this is news to
me-" said Yetive in amazement.
81 am being watched as If were a
common thief" he went on boldly.
s'These men are not your agents; they
are not the agents of Graustark. May
be permitted to say that they are
spies set upon me by man who has
an object in disgracing me? Who that
man is l leave to your royal conjec-
ture."
.'Marlanx?"
eyes, your highness. He bears me a
deadly grudge and yet he fears me. /
know full well that he and his agents
have built strong case against me.
They are almost ready to close in upon
me, and they will have false evidence
so craftily prepared that even my tru-
est friends may doubt my loyalty to
you and to the cause serve. Before
God, have been true to my oath. I am
loyal to Graustark. 1t was sorry
day when / left the valley and
"Oh,' cried Beverly piteously, s'don't
say that!''
"Alas, Miss Calhoun, it Is true" said
he sadly. 81 am penned up here where
l cannot fight back. Treason is laid
against me. But, beyond all this, I
have permitted my loyalty to mislead
my ambition. / have aspired to some
thing can cherish, but never possess.
Better that never should have tasted
of the unattainable than to have the
cup withdrawn just as its sweetness
begins to intoxicate."
He stood before them, pale with sup
pressed emotion. The women Of Grau-
stark looked involuntarily at Beverly,
who sat cold and voiceless. staring at
the face of the guard. She knew what
he meant; she knew that something
was expected Of her. A word from her
and he would understand that he had
not tasted of the unattainable. In one
brief moment she saw that she had de-
liberately led him on, that she had en-
couraged him, that she actually had
preferred him the cup from which he
had begun to sip the bitterness. Pride
and love were waging conflict in this
hapless southern girls heart. But she
was silent. She could not say the
word.
ST think I know what you mean, Bal
dos" said Yetive, seeing that Beverly
would not intervene. 1--WE are sorry.
No one trusts to your honor more fnaq
r do NV husband hnlszs.., = . :
W. -sys mat you are to be arrested
as a spy tomorrow. Tonight you are
t. serve as guard in the castle. This
should prove to you that have I'M
bounded faith in you. Moreover, | be-
lieve in you to the extent that should
not be afraid to trust you If you were
TO 60 out into the world with every
secret which we possess. You came
here under a peculiar stress of cir
cumstances, not wholly Of your own
volition. Believe me, I am your
friend"
81 shall revere your highness forever
for those words" said he simply. His
eyes went hungrily to Beverly's avert
= ESQ ond fbon assumed careless