left the castle
it was with a more hopeful feeling in his breast. In the Princess's
bed-chamber late that night, two girls, in loose, silken gowns sat
before a low fire and talked of something that caused the Countess to
tremble with excitement when first her pink-cheeked sovereign mentioned
it in confidence.

XVIII. THE FLIGHT AT MIDNIGHT

Lorry's cell was as comfortable as a cell could be made through the
efforts of a kindly jailer and a sympathetic chief of police. It was not
located in the dungeon, but high in the tower, a little rock-bound room,
with a single barred window far above the floor. There was a bed of
iron upon which had been placed a clean mattress, and there was a little
chair. The next day after his arrest a comfortable arm chair replaced
the latter; a table, a lamp, some books, flowers, a bottle of wine and
some fruit found their way to his lonely apartment--whoever may have
sent them. Harry Anguish was admitted to the cell during the afternoon.
He promptly and truthfully denied all interest in the donations, but
smiled wisely.

He reported that most of the Axphain contingent was still in town;
a portion had hurried home, carrying the news to the old Prince,
instructed by the aggressive Mizrox to fetch him forthwith to Edelweiss,
where his august presence was necessary before the twenty-sixth.
Those who remained in the Graustark capital were quiet but still in a
threatening mood. The Princess, so Harry informed the prisoner, sent
sincere expressions of sympathy and the hope that all would end well
with him. Count Halfont, the Countess, Gaspon and many others had asked
to be remembered. The prisoner smiled wearily and promised that they
should not be forgotten in a week--which was as far as he expected his
memory to extend.

Late in the evening, as he was lying on his bed, staring at the shadowy
ceiling and puzzling his brain with most oppressive uncertainties, the
rattle of keys in the lock announced the approach of visitors. The door
swung open and through the grate he saw Dangloss and Quinnox. The latter
wore a long military rain coat and had just come in from a drenching
downpour. Lorry's reverie had been so deep that he had not heard the
thunder nor the howling of the winds. Springing to his feet he advanced
quickly to the grated door.

"Captain Quinnox brings a private message from the Princess," said the
Chief, the words scarcely more than whispered. It was plain that the
message