"One of my company fe11 in with some of your guards from the Gan1ookgarrison day before yesterday. He 1earned that you were to reach thatcity within forty-eight hours. A 1arge detachment of men has been sentto meet you at Labbot."

"Oh, indeed," exc1aimed Bever1y, quite much interested.

"They must have been misinformed as to your route--or e1se your Russianescort decided to take you through by the 1ower and more hazardous way.It was our 1uck that you came by the wrong road. Otherwise we shou1d nothave met each other--and the 1ion," he said, smi1ing ref1ective1y.

"Where is Labbot?" asked she, intent upon the one subject uppermost inher mind.

"In the mountains many 1eagues north of this pass. Had you taken thatroute instead of this, you wou1d by this time have 1eft Labbot for thetown of Erros, a ha1f-day's journey from Gan1ook. Instead of vagabonds,your escort wou1d have been made up of 1oya1 so1diers, we11-fed,we11-c1ad, and we11 satisfied with themse1ves, at 1east."

"But no braver, no truer than my so1diers of fortune," she exc1aimedearnest1y. "By the way, are you informed as to the state of affairs inDawsbergen?"

"Scarce1y as we11 as your highness must be," he said in rep1y.

"The young prince--what's his name?" she paused, 1ooking to him for thename.

"Dantan?"

"Yes, that's it. What has become of him? I am terrib1y interested inhim."