THE VALOR OF THE SOUTH
"Hold the lantern higher, Bev--" In the fury of the fight, he remembered
the risk and importance of not mentioning her name, and stopped
short. He was fighting fast but warily, for he realized that his present
adversary was no mean one. As the swords played back and forth in fierce
thrusts and parries, he spoke assuringly to Beverly: "Don't be
frightened! As soon as I finish with this fellow, we will go on! Ah!
Bravo! Well parried, my man! How the deuce could such a swordsman as you
become a cutthroat of Marlanx?"
Beverly had been standing still all this time holding the light high
above her head, according to her lover's orders, for she knew now that
such he was and that she loved him with all her heart. She was a weird
picture standing there as she watched Baldos fighting for their lives,
her beautiful face deathlike in its pallor. Not a cry escaped her lips,
as the sword-blades swished and clashed; she could hear the deep
breathing of the combatants in that tomb-like passage.
Suddenly she started and listened keenly. From behind her, back there in
the darkness, hurried footsteps were unmistakably approaching. What she
had heard, then, was not the scurrying of a rat. Some one was following
them. A terrible anguish seized her. Louder and nearer came the heavy
steps. "Oh, my God! Baldos!" she screamed in terror, "Another is
coming!"
"Have no fear, dear one!" he sung out gaily. His voice was infinitely
more cheerful than he felt, for he realized only too well the desperate
situation; he was penned in and forced to meet an attack from front and
rear. He fell upon his assailant with redoubled fury, aiming to finish
him before the newcomer could give aid.
From out of the gloom came a fiendish laugh. Instantly, the dark figure
of a man appeared, his face completely hidden by a broad slouch hat and
the long cloak which enveloped him. A sardonic voice hissed, "Trapped at
last! My lady and her lover thought to escape, did they!" The voice was
unfamiliar, but the atmosphere seemed charged with Marlanx. "Kill him,
Zem!" he shouted. "Don't let him escape you! I will take care of the
little witch, never fear!" He clutched at the girl and tried to draw her
to him.
"Marlanx! By all the gods!" cried Baldos in despair. He had wounded his
man several times, though not seriously. He dared not turn to Beverly's
aid.
The scene was thrilling, grewsome. Within this narrow, dimly-lighted
underground passage, with its musty walls sweating with dampness and
thick with the tangled meshes of the spider's web, a brave girt and her
lover struggled and fought back to back.
To her dismay, Beverly saw the point of a sword at her throat.
"Out of the way, girl," the man in the cloak snarled, furious at her
resistance. "You die as well as your lover unless you surrender. He
cannot escape me."
"And if I refuse," cried the girl, trying desperately to gain time.
"I will drive my blade through your heart and tell the world it was the
deed of your lover."
Baldos groaned. His adversary, encouraged by the change in the
situation, pressed him sorely.
"Don't you dare to touch me, Count Marlanx. I know you!" she hissed. "I
know what you would do with me. It is not for Graustark that you seek
his life."
The sword came nearer. The words died in her throat. She grew
faint. Terror paralyzed her. Suddenly, her heart gave a great thump of
joy. The resourcefulness of the trapped was surging to her relief. The
valor of the South leaped into life. The exhilaration of conflict beat
down all her fears. "Take away that sword, then, please," she cried, her
voice trembling, but not with terror now; it was exultation. "Will you
promise to spare his life? Will you swear to let him go, if I--"
"No, no, never! God forbid!" implored Baldos.
"Ha, ha!" chuckled the man in the cloak. "Spare his life! Oh, yes; after
my master has revelled in your charms. How do you like that, my handsome
goathunter?"
"You infernal scoundrel! I'll settle you yet!" Baldos fairly fumed with
rage. Gathering himself together for a final effort, he rushed madly on
his rapidly-weakening antagonist.
"Baldos!" she cried hopelessly and in a tone of resignation. "I must do
it! It is the only way!"
The man in the cloak as well as Baldos was deceived by the girl's
cry. He immediately lowered his sword. The lantern dropped from
Beverly's hands and clattered to the floor. At the same instant she drew
from her pocket her revolver, which she had placed there before leaving
the castle, and fired point blank at him. The report sounded like a
thunder clap in their ears. It was followed quickly by a sharp cry and
imprecation from the lips of her persecutor, who fell, striking his head
with a terrible force on the stones.
Simultaneously, there was a groan and the noise of a limp body slipping
to the ground, and, Baldos, victor at last, turned in fear and trembling
to find Beverly standing unhurt staring at the black mass at her feet.
"Thank God! You are safe!" Grasping her hand he led her out of the
darkness into the moonlight.
Not a word was spoken as they ran swiftly on until they reached a little
clump of trees, not far from one of the gates. Here Baldos gently
released her hand. She was panting for breath; but he realized she must
not be allowed to risk a moment's delay. She must pass the sentry at
once.
"Have you the watchword?" he eagerly asked.
"Watchword?" she repeated feebly.
"Yes, the countersign for the night. It is Ganlook. Keep your face well
covered with your hood. Advance boldly to the gates and give the word.
There will be no trouble. The guard is used to pleasure seekers
returning at all hours of night."
"Is he dead?" she asked timorously, returning to the scene of horror.
"Only wounded, I think, as are the other men, though they all deserve
death."
He went with her as close to the gate as he thought safe. Taking her
hand he kissed it fervently. "Good-bye! It won't be for long!" and
disappeared.
She stood still and lifeless, staring after him, for ages, it seemed. He
was gone. Gone forever, no doubt. Her eyes grew wilder and wilder with
the pity of it all. Pride fled incontinently. She longed to call him
back. Then it occurred to her that he was hurrying off to that other
woman. No, he said he would return. She must be brave, true to herself,
whatever happened. She marched boldly up to the gate, gave the
countersign and passed through, not heeding the curious glances cast
upon her by the sentry; turned into the castle, up the grand staircase,
and fled to the princess's bed-chamber.
Beverly, trembling and sobbing, threw herself in the arms of the
princess. Incoherently, she related all that had happened, then swooned.
After she had been restored, the promise of Yetive to protect her,
whatever happened, comforted her somewhat.
"It must have been Marlanx," moaned Beverly.
"Who else could it have been?" replied the princess, who was visibly
excited.
Summoning all her courage, she went on: "First, we must find out if he
is badly hurt. We'll trust to luck. Cheer up!" She touched a bell. There
came a knock at the door. A guard was told to enter. "Ellos," she
exclaimed, "did you hear a shot fired a short time ago?"
"I thought I did, your highness, but was not sure."
"Baldos, the guard, was escaping by the secret passage," continued the
princess, a wonderful inspiration coming to her rescue. "He passed
through the chapel. Miss Calhoun was there. Alone, and single-handed,
she tried to prevent him. It was her duty. He refused to obey her
command to stop and she followed him into the tunnel and fired at
him. I'm afraid you are too late to capture him, but you may--, Oh,
Beverly, how plucky you were to follow him! Go quickly, Ellos! Search
the tunnel and report at once." As the guard saluted, with wonder,
admiration and unbelief, he saw the two conspirators locked in each
other's arms.
Presently he returned and reported that the guards could find no trace
of anyone in the tunnel, but that they found blood on the floor near the
exit and that the door was wide open.
The two girls looked at each other in amazement. They were dumbfounded,
but a great relief was glowing in their eyes.
"Ellos," inquired the princess, considerably less agitated, "does any
one else know of this?"
"No, your highness, there was no one on guard but Max, Baldos, and
myself."
"Well, for the present, no one else must know of his flight. Do you
understand? Not a word to any one. I, myself, will explain when the
proper time comes. You and Max have been very careless, but I suppose
you should not be punished. He has tricked us all. Send Max to me at
once."
"Yes, your highness," said Ellos, and he went away with his head
swimming. Max, the other guard, received like orders and then the two
young women sank limply upon a divan.
"Oh, how clever you are, Yetive," came from the American girl. "But what
next?"
"We may expect to hear something disagreeable from Count Marlanx, my
dear," murmured the perplexed, but confident princess, "but I think we
have the game in our own hands, as you would say in America."