He was smiling up
at Yetive from the bottom of the steps. She nodded her head a trifle
uneasily. "It is quite true that I left the castle by means of your
secret passage last night."
"There!" shrieked Marlanx. "He admits that he--"
"But I wish to add that Count Marlanx is in error when he says that Miss
Calhoun was my accomplice. His eyes were not keen in the darkness of the
sanctuary. Perhaps he is not accustomed to the light one finds in a
chapel at the hour of two. Will your highness kindly look in the
direction of the southern gate? Your august gaze may fall upon the
reclining figure of a boy asleep, there in the shadow of the friendly
cedar. If Count Marlanx had looked closely enough last night he might
have seen that it was a boy who went with me and not--"
"Fool! Don't you suppose I know a woman's skirts?" cried the Iron Count.
"Better than most men, I fancy," calmly responded Baldos. "My young
friend wore the garments of a woman, let me add."
Lorry came down and grasped Baldos by the arm. His eyes were stern and
accusing. Above, Yetive and Beverly had clasped hands and were looking
on dumbly. What did Baldos mean?
"Then, you did go through the passage? And you were accompanied by this
boy, a stranger? How comes this, sir?" demanded Lorry. Every eye was
accusing the guard at this juncture. The men were descending the steps
as if to surround him.
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