The Night Fires

"Don't be angry, dear," whispered Yetive, coming close to her side." I
will tell you all about it later on. It was all due to Count Marlanx."

"It was all done to humiliate me," replied Beverly, indignation
surpassing confusion at last. "I hate all of you."

"Oh, Beverly!" whispered the princess, in distress.

"Well, perhaps you were led into it," retracted Beverly, half
mollified. "Look at that old villain whispering over there. No wonder
his wives up and died. They just had to do it. I hate all but you
and Count Halfont and Baron Dangloss," which left but one condemned.

"And Baldos?" added Yetive, patting her hand.

"I wish you'd be sensible," cried Beverly, most ungraciously, and
Yetive's soft laugh irritated her. "How long had you been listening to
us?"

"Not so much as the tiniest part of a minute," said Yetive, recalling
another disastrous eavesdropping. "I am much wiser than when Baldos
first came to serve you. We were quite a distance behind Count Marlanx,
I assure you."

"Then he heard something?" asked Beverly anxiously.

"He has been in a detestable mood ever since we rejoined him. Could he
have heard anything disagreeable?"

"No; on the contrary, it was quite agreeable."

All this time Baldos was standing at attention a few paces off, a model
soldier despite the angry shifting of his black eyes. He saw that they
had been caught in a most unfortunate position. No amount of explaining
could remove the impression that had been forced upon the witnesses,
voluntary or involuntary as the case might be. Baldos could do nothing
to help her, while she was compelled to face the suspicions of her best
friends. At best it could be considered nothing short of a clandestine
meeting, the consequences of which she must suffer, not he. In his
heated brain he was beginning to picture scandal with all the disgusting
details that grow out of evil misrepresentation.