A Visit and Its Consequences

That same afternoon Baldos, blissfully ignorant of the stir he had
created in certain circles, rode out for the first time as a member of
the Castle Guard. He and Haddan were detailed by Colonel Quinnox to act
as private escort to Miss Calhoun until otherwise ordered. If Haddan
thought himself wiser than Baldos in knowing that their charge was not
the princess, he was very much mistaken; if he enjoyed the trick that
was being played on his fellow guardsman, his enjoyment was as nothing
as compared to the pleasure Baldos was deriving from the situation.

The royal victoria was driven to the fortress, conveying the supposed
princess and the Countess Dagmar to the home of Count Marlanx. The two
guards rode bravely behind the equipage, resplendent in brilliant new
uniforms. Baldos was mildly surprised and puzzled by the homage paid the
young American girl. It struck him as preposterous that the entire
population of Edelweiss could be in the game to deceive him.

"Who is the princess's companion?" he inquired of Haddan, as they left
the castle grounds.

"The Countess Dagmar, cousin to her highness. She is the wife of
Mr. Anguish."

"I have seen her before," said Baldos, a strange smile on his face.

The Countess Dagmar found it difficult at first to meet the eye of the
new guard, but he was so punctiliously oblivious that her courage was
restored. She even went so far as to whisper in Beverly's ear that he
did not remember her face, and probably would not recognize Yetive as
one of the eavesdroppers. The princess had flatly refused to accompany
them on the visit to the fortress because of Baldos. Struck by a sudden
impulse, Beverly called Baldos to the side of the vehicle.