The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-18
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in games of this kind. The greater you are the more numerous are your enennies.''
 And my friends.''
 'sSometimes, VerraII, only sometimes. The friends who can be truly happy at even in the civilized world. In a coun- go by"
 CT do not quite see how the princess is danger,'' I said.
 It gave me considerable pleasure to bring the conversation back 60 her.
 'For the reason that she is 8 wo- man, he answered, "and, if you want an additional reason, because she is princess. At present I believe she is your friend, but tomorrow-who knows? Why, even Bridget
 Bridget! Who is she?"
 My wife in Yadasara- I told you about her.''
 'FYou never said her name was Bridg- et''
 feWe1l, it isn't" O'Ryan answered. +fIt's Xenia or some heather name of that sort, but you couldn't expect me to go about calling her that. so I chris tened her Bridget" which smacks of the old country"
 Auo SHC O1d hOL OOJCCL!
 .tObject, is it. When left Yadasara there wasn't a created man Bridget thought so much of as she did of me, but St Patrick alone knows what she'll think of me now. You can't rely on women, Faith. it's possible she won't believe my story when I get back
 Even a man might be forgiven for expressing some doubt O'Ryan."
 t'Of course, but you can knock the truth into a man, or try to. There's prejudice against attempting to knock anything into a woman. It's a silly prejudice when you come to think of it."
 Have you noticed any change in the princess manner to me?'' asked
 |I have been too busy watching others. One of us has got to do the watching, you know"
 "And I don't, you would say"
 ''NO offelge. Verrar. We must stick together, and man in love is seldom the man to act most cautiously. quite sympa thize, but for both cur sakes I wish you did not think so much of Princess Daria." 4s . It had never occurred to me to doubt Count Vasca's ability as a leader. I had become used to hearing him spoken highly of, but during the next few days it did seem, to my unpracticed mind that he lost good opportunities. He knew the country and the enemy; I knew neither, and I therefore con- cluded that he knew best.
 We. advanced slowly until we were under the walls of Yadasara, and yet it seemed to me that we had accom- plished nothing.
 Are we going to attempt to take it by assauIt?'' asked O'Ryan.
 I shook my head. Although with other knights I was constantly in coun- cn with Count Vasca, had no idea what his intention was. He looked sagacious, talked valiently. but did nothing. Still it was absurd to think that he was afraid, as O'Ryan sug- gested
 ''You can never tell,'' O'Ryan said when I laughed at the idea Such stronghold might frighten the brsvest man.
 Between our encampment and the city ran a broad river, full of strange and unexpected currents and of inn mense depth, so O'Ryan told me. The city lay obliquely to the river in the form of a rough triangle, the city gates. as I afterward found, being situated at the angles at the base of this trf- angle, and the city rose from this base gradually toward the huge rock which formed the apex of the triangle. This rock, which was the only part of the city which actually touched the river. rose sheer out of the water for at least 600 Sect with hardly a birds footho1d upon it. It was the dominant fn9tT1rn fnIuarino ahnU0 fhn hi0hnSf part of the city, presenting a problem as to how access was obtained to the fortress crowning the summit. It was a. problem I was destined to solve later. The fortress seemed to be cut out of the solid rock.
 For several days we encamped idly before Yadasara. The enemy had re- crossed the river by means of a bridge of boats nearly two miles higher up the stream, but we made no attempt to fol- low them. I was doubtful if they had ever crossed it in great force. As far as one could judge, there was no ex- citement in the city.
 I spoke to Walen about it.
 eff we are not to attack the city why are we here?' I asked.
 "The enemy have retreated. Proba- bly the count thinks that victory enough
 'I do not wonder that the war has been such long one if 1t has been carried out in this way"
 "No wonder you are impatient, my dear Verrall- So am I. But, then, Vasca commands. It is not without certain pleasure that I see his com parative failure. Her highness may next time intrust her forces to abler hands"
 I could not mistake his meaning. could not afford to underplay my part.
 ''It shall be no laggard's campaign, then, promise you, Sir Walen," an- swered.
 That night, being sleepless, stole out of camp to the river. Suddenly there was a sound near me. I stepped back quietly into the darker shadow of a tent and listened There was no mistaking the sound now-stealthy -A