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.
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