Bewildered, her heart palpitating with various emotions, she took his
arm and allowed herself to be drawn wonderingly through the massive
doors. As they entered, followed by the brilliant company, the superb
orchestra that Beverly had so often enjoyed, began to play the stirring
"Hands Across the Sea." The musicians themselves seemed to have caught
the universal feeling of joy and mirth that was in the air, and played
as if inspired, their leader bowing low to the young American girl as
she passed. It was his affectionate tribute to her. Prince Dantan, to
her amazement, led her up the entire length of the banquet hall, to the
head of the royal table, gorgeous with the plate of a hundred Graustark
rulers, placing her on his left and next to the slightly raised royal
chairs. Candace was on his right, the picture of happiness. Beverly felt
dizzy, weak. She looked helplessly at Prince Dantan. His smile was
puzzling. As if in a daze, she saw Grenfall Lorry with the Countess
Yvonne standing exactly opposite to her, he with the others, awaiting
the appearance of the princess and the one who was to sit beside her.
The music ceased, there was a hush over the room, and then Yetive came
forward, magnificent in her royal robes, smiling and happy. A tall man
in the uniform of an exalted army officer stood beside her, gold braid
and bejeweled things across his breast. Beverly turned deathly white,
her figure stiffened and then relaxed.
It was Baldos!
She never knew how she dropped into the chair the servant held for
her. She only knew that his dark eyes were smiling at her with love and
mischief in their depths. There was a vague, uncertain sound of
chattering; someone was talking eagerly to her, but she heard him not;
there was a standing toast to the Prince of Dawsbergen; then the
audacious ghost of Baldos was proposing a ringing response to the
Princess Yetive; the orchestra was playing the Graustark and Dawsbergen
national hymns. But it was all as a dream to her. At last she heard
Candace calling to her, her face wreathed in smiles. Scores of eyes
seemed to be looking at her and all of them were full of amusement.
"Now, say that a girl can't keep a secret," came to her ears from the
radiant sister of Dantan. Ravone, at her side, spoke to her, and she
turned to him dizzily.
"You first knew me as Ravone, Miss Calhoun," he was saying
genially. "Then it became necessary, by royal command, for me to be
Prince Dantan. May I have the honor of introducing myself in the proper
person? I am Christobal of Rapp-Thorburg, and I shall be no other than
he hereafter. The friendship that binds me to Prince Dantan, at last in
his proper place beside the Princess of Graustark, is to be strengthened
into a dearer relationship before many days have passed."