The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-01-30

ing. stHe's after my own
heart why. he treats Us as though we
were the suppliants, he the almsgiver
He Is playing game, pil admit, but
he does it with an assurance that de
lights me-"
.sae IS right about that darned old
fort" said Anguish. ssHis knowledge
OF such things proves conclusively that
he is no ordinary person"
sYetive had bit of talk with him
lust now" said Lorry, with a refec-
tive smile. ssShe asked him point blank
if he knew who she was. He did not
hesitate q second. 4 remember seeing
you in the audience chamber recently.
That was faeer for Yetiye. 7 assure
you that it was no fault Of mine that
you saw me- she replied. Then it must
have been your friend who rgstled the
curtainSY said the confounded buffer.
Yehye couldn't keep straight face.
She laughed, and then he laughed
Some day you may learn more about
me- she said to him. & sincerely trust
that may. madam said be, and I'll
bet my hat he was enjoying It better
than either Of us. OF course he knows
Yeeiye is the princess. It's his inten-
ton to serve Beverly Calhoun. and he
couldn't do it IL he were to confess that
he knows the truth. Hes no fool
Baldos was not long In preparing
plans for the changes In the fortress.
They embodied temporary readjust-
ment Of the armament and 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 Cor immediate consideration,
and then there was a general plan for
the modernizing Of the fortress at some
more convenient time. Baldos lacon-
ically observed that the equipment
was years behind the times. 10 the
anazement Of the officials. be was
able to talk intelligently Of forts In
an parts OF the world, revealing q
wide and thorough knowledge and ex-
ttensive inspection. He bad seen Amer
lean as well as European fo-ttfc2ttons
The Graustark engineers went to work
at once 20 perfect the simple changes
Ge advised. leaving no stone uardrned
TO strengthen the place before sn at
tack could De 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
afar; off in the sonber barracks. She
could not dissipate the feeling that he
knew her to be other than the princess,
although he betrayed himself by no
word or sign. She vas 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 everything.
No doubt he felt the same and kept
his counsel, but the game could not
last forever, that was certain. z
month or two more and Beverly would
have to think Of her return to Wash
ington.
5 His courage, his cool impudence, his
subtle wit, charmed her more than she
could express. Now she was begin
ming to study him from standpoint
peculiarly and seldshly 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 bis 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 discredited the
ability and the conscientiousness OF
the ''moantehank." as he named the
man who had put his nose out Of joint.
Beverly. seeing much. Of Marlanx,
made the mistake Of chiding 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-
crastiuation. Baldos was Ia favor, but
some day there would come time for
his unCoing.
In the barracks he was acquiring
fame. Reports went forth with unbias-
ed freedom. he esta blished himself as
the best swordsman In the service, as
well as the most efficient marksman.
With the foils and sabers he easily
vanquisned the foremost fencers In
high and low circles. he could ride
ike a Cossack or like IA American
COWBOY Of them all. his warmest ad-
mirer was HadGan, the man set to
watch him for the secret service. It
may be timely to state that Haddan
watched in vain.
The princess, humoring her own fan
cy, as well as Beverly's foibles, took to