"Is she likely to--er--marry any one of them, O'Dowd?"
"Do you mean, is she betrothed to one of the royal nuts? If I were her worst enemy I couldn't wish her anything as bad as that. The world is full of regular men,--like meself, for example,--and 'twould be a pity to see her wasted upon anything so cheap as a king."
"Then, she isn't?"
"Isn't what?"
"Betrothed."
"Oh!" He squinted his eyes drolly. "Bedad, if she is, she's kept it a secret from me. Have you aspirations, me friend?"
"Certainly not," said Barnes sharply. "By the way, you have mentioned Prince Bolaroz the Sixth, but you haven't given a name to the country he ruled."
O'Dowd stared. "The Saints preserve us! Is the man a numbskull? Are you saying that you don't know who and what--My God, such ignorance bewilders me!"
"Painful as it may be to you, O'Dowd, I don't seem able to place Bolaroz in his proper realm."
"Whist, then!" He put his hand to his mouth and whispered a name.
An incredulous expression came into Barnes's eyes. "Are you jesting with me, O'Dowd?"
"I am not."
"But I thought it was nothing more than a make-believe, imaginary land, cooked up by some hair-brained novelist for the purpose of--"
"Well, ye know better now," said O'Dowd crisply. "Good-bye. I must be on my way. Deliver my best wishes to her, Barnes, and say that if she ever needs a friend Billy O'Dowd is the boy to respond to any call she sends out. God willing, I may see her again some day,--and I'll say the same to you, old man." He arose and held out his hand. "I'm trusting to you to get her away from these parts before the rat- catchers come. Don't let 'em bother her. Good-bye and good luck forever."
"You are a brick, O'Dowd. I want to see you again. You will always find me--"
"Thanks. Don't issue any rash invitations. I might take you up." He strode to the door, followed by Barnes.
"Is there anything to be feared from this Prince Ugo or the crowd up there?"
"There would be if they knew where they could lay their hands on her inside of the next ten hours. She could a tale unfold, and they wouldn't like that. Keep her under cover here till--well, till THAT danger is past and then keep her out of the danger that is to come."
Barnes started upstairs as soon as O'Dowd was off, urged by an eagerness that put wings on his feet and a thrill of excitement in his blood. Half way up he stopped short. A new condition confronted him. What was the proper way to approach a person of royal blood? Certainly it wasn't right to go galumping upstairs and bang on her door, and saunter in as if she were just like any one else. He would have to think.