A PROPOSAL
She shrank back with a great dread in her heart. Marlanx, of all men!
Why was he in the park at this hour of the night? There could be but one
answer, and the very thought of it almost suffocated her. He was drawing
the net with his own hands, he was spying with his own eyes. For a full
minute it seemed to her that her heart would stop beating. How long had
he been standing there? What had he seen or heard? Involuntarily she
peered over the rail for a glimpse of Baldos. He had gone out into the
darkness, missing the men at the lamp-post either by choice or through
pure good fortune. A throb of thankfulness assailed her heart. She was
not thinking of her position, but of his.
Again she drew stealthily away from the rail, possessed of a ridiculous
feeling that her form was as plain to the vision as if it were broad
daylight. The tread of a man impelled her to glance below once more
before fleeing to her room. Marlanx was coming toward the verandah. She
fled swiftly, pausing at the window to lower the friendly but forgotten
umbrella. From below came the sibilant hiss of a man seeking to attract
her attention. Once more she stopped to listen. The "hist" was repeated,
and then her own name was called softly but imperatively. It was beyond
the power of woman to keep from laughing. It struck her as irresistibly
funny that the Iron Count should be standing out there in the rain,
signaling to her like a love-sick boy. Once she was inside, however, it
did not seem so amusing. Still, it gave her an immense amount of
satisfaction to slam the windows loudly, as if in pure defiance. Then
she closed the blinds, shutting out the night completely.
Turning up the light at her dressing-table, she sat down in a state of
sudden collapse. For a long time she stared at her face in the
mirror. She saw the red of shame and embarrassment mount to her cheeks
and then she covered her eyes with her hands.
"Oh, what a fool you've been," she half sobbed, shrinking from the
mirror as if it were an accuser.
She prepared for bed with frantic haste. Just as she was about to
scramble in and hide her face in the pillows, a shocking thought came to
her. The next she was at the windows and the slats were closed with a
rattle like a volley of firearms. Then she jumped into bed. She wondered
if the windows were locked. Out she sprang again like a flash, and her
little bare feet scurried across the room, first to the windows and then
to the door.
"Now, I reckon I'm safe," she murmured a moment later, again getting
into bed. "I love to go to sleep with the rain pattering outside like
that. Oh, dear, I'm so sorry he has to walk all night In this rain.
Poor fellow! I wonder where he is now. Goodness, it's raining cats and
dogs!"
But in spite of the rain she could not go to sleep. Vague fears began to
take possession of her. Something dreadful told her that Count Marlanx
was on the balcony and at her window, notwithstanding the rain pour. The
fear became oppressive, maddening. She felt the man's presence almost as
strongly as if he were in plain view. He was there, she knew it.
The little revolver that had served her so valiantly at the Inn of the
Hawk and Raven lay upon a stool near the bedside every night. Consumed
by the fear that the window might open slowly at any moment, she reached
forth and clutched the weapon. Then she shrank back in the bed, her eyes
fixed upon the black space across the room. For hours she shivered and
waited for the window to open, dozing away time and again only to come
back to wakefulness with a start.
The next morning she confessed to herself that her fears had been
silly. Her first act after breakfasting alone in her room was to seek
out Colonel Quinnox, commander of the castle guard. In her mind she was
greatly troubled over the fate of the bold visitor of the night
before. There was a warm, red glow in her face and a quick beat in her
heart as she crossed the parade-ground. Vagabond though he was, he had
conquered where princes had failed. Her better judgment told her that
she could be nothing to this debonair knight of the road, yet her heart
stubbornly resisted all the arguments that her reason put forth.
Colonel Quinnox was pleasant, but he could give Beverly no promise of
leniency in regard to Baldos. Instructions had come to him from General
Marlanx, and he could not set them aside at will. Her plea that he might
once more be assigned to old-time duties found the colonel regretfully
obdurate. Baldos could not ride with her again until Marlanx withdrew
the order which now obtained, Beverly swallowed her pride and resentment
diplomatically, smiled her sweetest upon the distressed colonel, and
marched defiantly back to the castle. Down in her rebellious, insulted
heart she was concocting all sorts of plans for revenge. Chief among
them was the terrible overthrow of the Iron Count. Her wide scope of
vengeance even contemplated the destruction of Graustark if her end
could be obtained in no other way.
Full of these bitter-sweet thoughts she came to the castle doors before
she saw who was waiting for her upon the great verandah. As she mounted
the steps, a preoccupied frown upon her fair brow, General Marlanx,
lean, crafty and confident, advanced to greet her. The early hour was
responsible for the bright solitude which marked the place. But few
signs of life were in evidence about the castle.
She stopped with a sharp exclamation of surprise. Then scorn and
indignation rushed in to fill the place of astonishment. She faced the
smiling old man with anger in her eyes.
"Good morning," he said, extending his hand, which she did not see. She
was wondering how much he had seen and heard at midnight.
"I thought the troops were massing this morning," she said
coldly. "Don't you mass, too?"
"There is time enough for that, my dear. I came to have a talk with
you--in private," he said meaningly.
"It is sufficiently private here, Count Marlanx. What have you to say to
me?"
"I want to talk about last night. You were very reckless to do what you
did."
"Oh, you _were_ playing the spy, then?" she asked scornfully.
"An involuntary observer, believe me--and a jealous one. I had hoped to
win the affections of an innocent girl. What I saw last night shocked me
beyond expression."
"Well, you shouldn't have looked," she retorted, tossing her chin; and
the red feather in her hat bobbed angrily.
"I am surprised that one as clever as you are could have carried on an
amour so incautiously," he said blandly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I saw everything that occurred."
"Well, I'm not ashamed of it," obstinately. "Good-bye, Count Marlanx."
"One moment, please. I cannot let you off so easily. What right had you
to take that man into your room, a place sacred in the palace of
Graustark? Answer me, Miss Calhoun."
Beverly drew back in horror and bewilderment.
"Into my room?" she gasped.
"Let us waste no time in subterfuge. I saw him come from your window,
and I saw all that passed between you in the balcony. Love's eyes are
keen. What occurred in your chamber I can only--"
"Stop! How dare you say such a thing to me?" she fiercely cried. "You
miserable coward! You know he was not in my room. Take it back--take
back every word of that lie!" She was white with passion, cold with
terror.
"Bah! This is childish. I am not the only one who _saw_ him, my
dear. He was in your room--you were in his arms. It's useless to deny
it. And to think that I have spared him from death to have it come to
this! You need not look so horrified. Your secret is safe with me. I
come to make terms with you. My silence in exchange for your
beauty. It's worth it to you. One word from me, you are disgraced and
Baldos dies. Come, my fair lady, give me your promise, it's a good
bargain for both."
Beverly was trembling like a leaf. This phase of his villainy had not
occurred to her. She was like a bird trying to avoid the charmed eye of
the serpent.
"Oh, you--you miserable wretch!" she cried, hoarse with anger and
despair. "What a cur you are! You know you are not speaking the truth.
How can you say such things to me? I have never wronged you--" She was
almost in tears, impotent with shame and fear.
"It has been a pretty game of love for you and the excellent Baldos. You
have deceived those who love you best and trust you most. What will the
princess say when she hears of last night's merry escapade? What will
she say when she learns who was hostess to a common guardsman at the
midnight hour? It is no wonder that you look terrified. It is for you to
say whether she is to know or not. You can bind me to silence. You have
lost Baldos. Take me and all that I can give you in his stead, and the
world never shall know the truth. You love him, I know, and there is but
one way to save him. Say the word and he goes free to the hills; decline
and his life is not worth a breath of air."
"And pretending to believe this of me, you still ask me to be your
wife. What kind of a man are you?" she demanded, scarcely able to speak.
"My wife?" he said harshly. "Oh, no. You are not the wife of Baldos," he
added significantly.
"Good God!" gasped Beverly, crushed by the brutality of it all. "I would
sooner die. Would to heaven my father were here, he would shoot you as
he would a dog! Oh, how I loathe you! Don't you try to stop me! I shall
go to the princess myself. She shall know what manner of beast you are."
She was racing up the steps, flaming with anger and shame.
"Remember, I can prove what I have said. Beware what you do. I love you
so much that I now ask you to become my wife. Think well over it. Your
honor and his life! It rests with you," he cried eagerly, following her
to the door.
"You disgusting old fool," she hissed, turning upon him as she pulled
the big brass knocker on the door.
"I must have my answer to-night, or you know what will happen," he
snarled, but he felt in his heart that he had lost through his
eagerness.
She flew to Yetive's boudoir, consumed by rage and
mortification. Between sobs and feminine maledictions she poured the
whole story, in all its ugliness, into the ears of the princess.
"Now, Yetive, you have to stand by me in this," announced the narrator
conclusively, her eyes beaming hopefully through her tears.
"I cannot prevent General Marlanx from preferring serious charges
against Baldos, dear. I know he was not in your room last night. You did
not have to tell me that, because I saw you both at the balcony rail."
Beverly's face took on such a radiant look of rejoicing that Yetive was
amply paid for the surprising and gratifying acknowledgment of a second
period of eavesdropping. "You may depend upon me to protect you from
Marlanx. He can make it very unpleasant for Baldos, but he shall pay
dearly for this insult to you. He has gone too far."
"I don't think he has any proof against Baldos," said Beverly, thinking
only of the guardsman.
"But it is so easy to manufacture evidence, my dear. The Iron Count has
set his heart upon having you, and he is not the man to be turned aside
easily."
"He seems to think he can get wives as easily as he gets rid of them, I
observe. I was going back to Washington soon, Yetive, but I'll stay on
now and see this thing to the end. He can't scare a Calhoun, no
sir-ee. I'll telegraph for my brother Dan to come over here and punch
his head to pieces."
"Now, now,--don't be so high and mighty, dear. Let us see how rational
we can be," said the Princess gently. Whereupon the hot-headed girl from
Dixie suspended hostilities and became a very demure young woman. Before
long she was confessing timidly, then boldly, that she loved Baldos
better than anything in all the world.
"I can't help it, Yetive. I know I oughtn't to, but what is there to do
when one can't help it? There would be an awful row at home if I married
him. Of course, he hasn't asked me. Maybe he won't. In fact, I'm sure he
won't. I shan't give him a chance. But if he does ask me I'll just keep
putting him off. I've done it before, you know. You see, for a long,
long time, I fancied he might be a prince, but he isn't at all. I've had
his word for it. He's just an ordinary person--like--like--well, like I
am. Only he doesn't look so ordinary. Isn't he handsome, Yetive? And,
dear me, he is so impulsive! If he had asked me to jump over the balcony
rail with him last night, I believe I would have done it. Wouldn't that
have surprised old Marlanx?" Beverly gave a merry laugh. The troubles of
the morning seemed to fade away under the warmth of her humor. Yetive
sat back and marvelled at the manner in which this blithe young American
cast out the "blue devils."
"You must not do anything foolish, Beverly," she cautioned, "Your
parents would never forgive me if I allowed you to marry or even to fall
in love with any Tom, Dick or Harry over here. Baldos may be the
gallant, honest gentleman we believe him to be, but he also may be the
worst of adventurers. One can never tell, dear. I wish now that I had
not humored you in your plan to bring him to the castle. I'm afraid I
have done wrong. You have seen too much of him and--oh, well, you
_will_ be sensible, won't you, dear?" There was real concern in the
face of the princess. Beverly kissed her rapturously.
"Don't worry about me, Yetive. I know how to take care of myself. Worry
about your old Gabriel, if you like, but don't bother your head about
me," she cried airily. "Now let's talk about the war. Marlanx won't do
anything until he hears from me. What's the use worrying?"
Nightfall brought General Marlanx in from the camps outside the
gates. He came direct to the castle and boldly sent word to Beverly that
he must speak to her at once. She promptly answered that she did not
want to see him and would not. Without a moment's hesitation he appealed
for an audience with the princess, and it was granted.
He proceeded, with irate coolness, to ask how far she believed herself
bound to protect the person of Baldos, the guard. He understood that she
was under certain obligations to Miss Calhoun and he wanted to be
perfectly sure of his position before taking a step which now seemed
imperative. Baldos was a spy in the employ of Dawsbergen. He had
sufficient proof to warrant his arrest and execution; there were
documents, and there was positive knowledge that he had conferred with
strangers from time to time, even within the walls of the castle
grounds. Marlanx cited instances in which Baldos had been seen talking
to a strange old man inside the grounds, and professed to have proof
that he had gone so far as to steal away by night to meet men beyond the
city walls. He was now ready to seize the guard, but would not do so
until he had conferred with his sovereign.
"Miss Calhoun tells me that you have made certain proposals to her,
Count Marlanx," said Yetive coldly, her eyes upon his hawkish face.
"I have asked her to be my wife, your highness."
"You have threatened her, Count Marlanx."
"She has exposed herself to you? I would not have told what I saw last
night."
"Would it interest you to know that I saw everything that passed on the
balcony last night? You will allow me to say, general, that you have
behaved in a most outrageous manner in approaching my guest with such
foul proposals. Stop, sir! She has told me everything and I believe
her. I believe my own eyes. There is no need to discuss the matter
further. You have lost the right to be called a man. For the present I
have only to say that you shall be relieved of the command of my
army. The man who makes war on women is not fit to serve one. As for
Baldos, you are at liberty to prefer the charges. He shall have a fair
trial, rest assured."
"Your highness, hear me," implored Marlanx, white to the roots of his
hair.
"I will hear what you have to say when my husband is at my side."
"I can but stand condemned, then, your highness, without a hearing. My
vindication will come, however. With your permission, I retire to
contrive the arrest of this spy. You may depose me, but you cannot ask
me to neglect my duty to Graustark. I have tried to save him for Miss
Calhoun's sake--" But her hand was pointing to the door.
Ten minutes later Beverly was hearing everything from the lips of the
princess, and Marlanx was cursing his way toward the barracks, vengeance
in his heart. But a swift messenger from the castle reached the
guard-room ahead of him. Colonel Quinnox was reading an official note
from the princess when Marlanx strode angrily into the room.
"Bring this fellow Baldos to me, Colonel Quinnox," he said, without
greeting.
"I regret to say that I have but this instant received a message from
her highness, commanding me to send him to the castle," said Quinnox,
with a smile.
"The devil! What foolishness is this?" snarled the Iron Count.
"Have a care, sir," said Quinnox stiffly. "It is of the princess you
speak."
"Bah! I am here to order the man's arrest. It is more important than--"
"Nevertheless, sir, he goes to the castle first. This note says that I
am to disregard any command you may give until further notice."
Marlanx fell back amazed and stunned. At this juncture Baldos entered
the room. Quinnox handed him an envelope, telling him that it was from
the princess and that he was to repair at once to the castle, Baldos
glanced at the handwriting, and his face lit up proudly.
"I am ready to go, sir," he said, passing the Iron Count with a most
disconcerting smile on his face.