Beverly flushed warmly. The three women were crowding about the
narrator, eagerly drinking in her naive story.
"We came in through one of the big gates and not through the underground
passage. That was a fib," said Candace, looking from one to the other
with a perfectly delicious twinkle in her eye. The conspirators gulped
and smiled guiltily. "Baldos says there is a very mean old man here who
is tormenting the fairy princess--not the real princess, you know. He
came back to protect her, which was very brave of him, I am sure. Where
is my brother?" she asked, suddenly anxious.
"He is with friends. Don't be alarmed, dear," said Yetive.
"He is changing clothes, too? He needs clothes worse than I needed
these. Does he say positively that Gabriel has been captured?"
"Yes. Did you not know of it?"
"I was sure it would happen. You know I was not with them in the pass."
Yetive was reflecting, a soft smile in her eyes.
"I was thinking of the time when I wore men's clothes," she
said. "Unlike yours, mine were most uncomfortable. It was when I aided
Mr. Lorry in escaping from the tower. I wore a guard's uniform and rode
miles with him in a dark carriage before he discovered the truth." She
blushed at the remembrance of that trying hour.
"And I wore boy's clothes at a girl's party once--my brother Dan's,"
said Beverly." The hostess's brothers came home unexpectedly and I had
to sit behind a bookcase for an hour. I didn't see much fun in boy's
clothes."
"You ought to wear them for a week," said Candace, wise in
experience. "They are not so bad when you become accustomed to
them--that is, if they're strong and not so tight that they--"
"You all love Baldos, don't you?" interrupted Yetive. It was with
difficulty that the listeners suppressed their smiles.
"Better than anyone else. He is our idol. Oh, your highness, if what he
says is true that old man must be a fiend. Baldos a spy! Why, he has not
slept day or night for fear that we would not capture Gabriel so that he
might be cleared of the charge without appealing to--to my brother. He
has always been loyal to you," the girl said with eager eloquence.
"I know, dear, and I have known all along. He will be honorably
acquitted. Count Marlanx was overzealous. He has not been wholly wrong,
I must say in justice to him--"
"How can you uphold him, Yetive, after what he has said about me?" cried
Beverly, with blazing eyes.
"Beverly, Beverly, you know I don't mean that. He has been a cowardly
villain so far as you are concerned and he shall be punished, never
fear. I cannot condone that one amazing piece of wickedness on his
part."