THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE ARTHUR W. M^RCHMONT THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE 'OVER AND OVER WE ROLLED IN THE DUSTY ROAD. Page a Che QuccrTe Hdvocatc By ARTHUR W. MARCHMONT Author of "When I Was Czar," "For Love or Crown," "A Courier of Fortune," "In The Name of a Woman," "Sarita the Carlist," etc., etc. A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers /* ft * <* NEW YORK -* * * * COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY ARTHUR W. MARCHMONT CONTENTS CHAPTER PACK I. THE RESCUE .. 9 II. KARASCH 25 III. MORE WITCHCRAFT 39 IV. A CONTEST IN WILL POWER ..... 53 V. UNWELCOME VISITORS ....... 67 VI. A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES ...... 82 VII. ESCAPE 94 VIII. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT . . . .107 IX. FROM BAD TO WORSE 121 X. AT POABJA 137 XI. To SAMAC . . .150 XII. ON THE HILL AT SAMAC 162 XIII. PREPARING FOR THE CAMPAIGN . . . . .176 XIV. ELMA 190 XV. DEVELOPMENTS 204 XVI. THE ARMY'S PLANS 217 XVII. THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE ...... 232 XVIII. A DECLARATION OF WAR ...... 246 XIX. PRINCE ALBREVICS 263 XX. THE INSULT 278 XXI. THE DUEL 291 XXII. THE SCENT OF PERIL 304 XXIII. A PLAN OF DEFENCE 317 XXIV. THE NIGHT OF TERROR ...... 330 XXV. IN GATRINA'S HOUSE 343 XXVI. CHRIS TO THE RESCUE ...... 356 XXVII. MY DEFENCE 369 XXVIII. "I CANNOT LEAVE MY COUNTRY" .... 383 XXIX. PETROSCH HAS A PLAN 396 XXX. THE CAMP AGAIN 409 2137228 The Queen's Advocate CHAPTER I. THE RESCUE. Crack ! It was a rifle shot, sure enough, somewhere in the hills, and Chris raised his huge head with a low growl and thrust his nose against me in warning. I was lying on the flat of my back, my hands clasped under my head, thinking lazily, as I watched the glorious sunset amid the Gravenje hills where the play of sunset colour is at times almost as fine as in Colorado and speculated when the storm which was brewing would break. I had just been chuckling at the idea of what the men in Wall Street or the dandies of Fifth Avenue would have thought of Chase F. Bergwyn, million- aire, mine-owner, and financier, could they have seen me then vagabondising in the Bosnian hills. My dress was a kind of nondescript native costume, half peasant's, half miner's, very dirty and worn with my rough prospecting work; and I carried a ten days' growth of scrubby beard on my sun-tanned face. The report of the rifle stopped the chuckle on my lips. One of my men must have been after some hill io THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE game, I guessed, and in the eagerness of the chase had disobeyed my strict orders against shooting. I was anxious not to draw any unnecessary attention to my doings. I was after another pile, in fact. When in Vienna, just before, I had been offered what appeared to be a good thing in the shape of a con- cession to work a rich mining district in these Bos- nian hills, and, as I still had a touch of the vagabond in me, I was roughing it in order that I might look into the thing for myself. I knew that part of Eastern Europe pretty well. I had lived there as a lad with a relative stationed in Prague, and as I had the knack of picking up the Balkan languages, he had found me of such use that he had taken me with him on many an expedition among the hills in Bosnia, Servia, and Herzgovina. I had delighted in the 'hills, and had carried my love for them across the Atlantic when things changed and I went to the States in search of fortune. After a time of pretty hard rough-and-tumble hurly- burly buffetting I had " struck it rich," and turned up in New York wealthy enough to play a strong hand in the big gambles of Wall Street. Then the wandering fever laid hold of me again, and, remembering my days in the Balkans, I was seized with the idea of utilising the old experiences for business purposes. There was money to be made, I believed; and I opened up communications with folks in Belgrade and Sofia, and was in Vienna, on my way to the Servian capital, when this Bosnian mining affair turned up. The pile was there right enough, just waiting for THE RESCUE n someone to come along and harvest it. But whether the difficulties of harvesting it could be overcome, I should have to settle elsewhere; and until they were settled I didn't wish to draw the inquisitive eyes of any blockheads of Austrian officials upon me. There were other dangers, too. Lalwor, a hill village, was not far off, and the reports about the vil- lagers were not pleasing. They were not likely to jump one's claim, or do anything of that sort, but were said to be quite ready to knock me on the head if they had an inkling that I was a rich foreigner. That at least was the opinion of the man who had acted as my guide; and probably he knew. So that, altogether, that shot annoyed me; and I sat up, thinking no more about either New York or the sunset, but just how to find out who had fired it, and bent upon punishing him for disobedience. Not so easy this last as it would have been, had I disliked all the four men composing my party less and trusted them more. Crack ! Another shot. This time nearer. Chris showed greater uneasiness than before, and getting up ran forward sniffing the air. Almost im- mediately afterwards I heard a faint throbbing sound on the earth, uncommonly like a horse's gallop. But who could be galloping our way? No one who was at all likely to be welcome; that was certain. I scented trouble, and calling the dog back crouched with him be'hind a bush-covered hillock and gazed, not without some anxiety, up and down the steep, rough mountain road. 12 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE The camp which consisted of a cottage or hut for my use, a shed for the horses, and a tent for the men lay two or three hundred yards along a gully, which branched off at right angles from this road. I was lying at the mouth of the gully, and from my position commanded a view from the top to the bot- tom of the hill, about a mile in length. Crack! crack! Two more shots in quick succession; the throb- bing sound of the 'hoofs came nearer and nearer; and a horse and rider showed at the top of the hill. I caught my breath in surprise as I saw the rider was a woman, who was urging her horse, a wiry little white animal, to its utmost efforts as it dashed at break-neck speed down the steep, winding, boulder- strewn, dangerous road. Next, two horsemen came into sight and, with a loud shout, one of them reined up, and taking delib- erate aim fired at the fugitive woman. My eye was on her as the shot rang out, and I saw the little white beast start, and swerve as if hit. The next instant the blood began to run freely over the flank, and the horse's gait told me it was badly wounded. The men behind saw it, too; and the brute who had fired the shot shouted to his companion, and then continued the pursuit. The chase was all but over. The white horse struggled on gamely, but as it neared the gully where I lay the pace slackened ominously. Its rider looked back at her pursuers, and then across the ravine; and then, to my further amazement, I saw that she was no more than a girl in years and a very pretty one, THE RESCUE 13 too; her face flushed with the excitement of the mad gallop, her eyes wide with alarm, and her features set with the courage of desperate resolve. Her pursuers realised her plight; and being now sure of capturing her, slung their guns and rode down the ugly path very cautiously. I made ready to take my share in the business. I had my revolver in my hip pocket, and drew it out, but did not show myself. My intention was to let her pass and then get between her and the men. But her horse was done. The bullet had evidently found the artery, for the blood was spurting out fast; and just before she reached the spot where I crouched the poor beast lurched badly and half sank on its quarters. The rider had only time to jump cleverly and quickly from the saddle when the end came, and the gallant little horse rolled over. She must have given up all for lost then; but she showed no sign of faltering courage. One swift, desperate glance round she gave, as if in search of some chance of escape, and I saw her face was pale and set, 'but full of determination. Then, drawing a dainty little stiletto from her dress, she stood at bay behind the body of the dying horse with a calmness all eloquent of pluck and nerve. Meanwhile, with Chris at my heel, and keeping as much as possible under cover, I crept forward until I was opposite to her. The men dismounted when they were still some fifty yards or so above her, and they were rushing forward to close upon her when I showed myself, with Chris growling ominously at my 3ide. 14 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE The surprise caused by my unexpected appearance gave me a moment's advantage. " Have no fear. The dog will guard you," J called to her as I passed. " Guard, Chris, guard, good dog," I told him; and instantly understanding me, he ran to her side. " Thank God," I heard her murmur as I sprang toward the men, with my revolver levelled at them. " You may give it up," I cried; but that was not their view. One of them swung his gun round on the instant, and was in the act of levelling it at me when I fired, aiming low, and shot him in the leg, bringing him to the ground. His companion hesitated at 'this, then clubbed his gun and appeared to be about to attack me, when he suddenly changed his mind and made a dart for the horses. I dashed after him, and as he vaulted into the saddle I fired at his horse and wounded it. Utter- ing a cry of rage, he leapt with extraordinary agility to the unwounded horse, and might then have got off had not the reins of both animals become en- tangled. Before he could disengage them I had closed up to him. I called to him to surrender, but he had plenty of fight in him, and, taking me no doubt for the peasant I looked, he first struck at me furiously with his gun, and then tried to ride me down. I checked that effort with a bullet in his horse's head, however, and threatened to put one into the man himself if he did not submit. But still he would not. Leaping free of the falling horse he surprised me THE RESCUE 15 by running back down the hill helter-skelter towards the girl, who stood watching us with breathless inter- est. I thought he meant to attack her, and, wild with sudden anger, I rushed after him. He had ap- parently remembered, however, that his comrade's gun was loaded and his object was to secure it. But Chris stopped this. The weapon lay near the girl and Chris sprang forward and snarled so savagely looking so formidable and dangerous, that the man hesitated, and before his hesitation was over I caught up and closed with him. Over and over we rolled in the dusty road in a fierce, hand-to-hand tussle, writh- ing, kicking, and sprawling as we gripped each other in that desperate wrestle. But I had the advantage of method. I was Cumberland bred, and in my boy- hood had learnt some tricks and falls which had stood me in good stead before now in many a " scrap " in my rough-and-tumble mining days in Colorado and Montana. I got my grip of him presently, and bit by bit moved my hands up till my fingers were playing on his windpipe, and he was seeing stars as I dashed his thick head again and again on the hard road, until all the fight and all his senses too were knocked out of him. Then I rose, and taking the reins from the girl's horse, I tied him up securely with them. All this time I had not spoken to her, except that first sentence; but I had caught her great grey eyes fixed upon me questioningly as she followed every action. Before going to her I had a look at the man I had shot, and found his leg was broken between the 16 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE knee and the ankle. I had some rough knowledge of surgery one picks up such things knocking about the world as I had so I probed about with my knife and found the bullet, which was in the muscular calf, cleansed the wound as best I could, and set the bone. Then I placed him in as comfortable a position as I could, and told him not to move until I could do more. This done, I rose and went to the girl. She was now leaning against a boulder by the wayside, deathly pale, and to my infinite concern I saw that her dress was all blood-stained. One of the coward's bullets must have hit her, I thought. "Are you hit?" I asked. I spoke in Serb, as I was more familiar with that than any other of the Balkan languages. " No. It is the blood from this poor beast." " Thank God for that. You're very pale, but you won't have any more trouble from the men. I'll see to that." Instead of replying she appeared in some way to resent my tone of reassurance, and looked at me steadily with this curious expression of resentment mingled with gratitude and some fear. But she had made friends with Chris, and the great fellow was pushing his head against her as she stroked him. " You were very brave," I said after a pause, dur- ing which I could not keep my eyes off her. She was indeed a beautiful girl, with a figure of queenly grace, and I daresay some of the intense admiration I felt may have shown in my glance. I had never seen so lovely a face. THE RESCUE 17 " If that man is much hurt you had better see to him," she said, with a distinct note of command in her voice. " His leg's broken. I'm going to improvise a splint, and then get help." " Help ? " Quick suspicion prompted the ques- tion. " Do you live about here ? " I shut down a smile. She took me for a peasant; and well she might, I thought, as I glanced down at my clothes, dust-stained, torn, and dishevelled. " There is a cottage close here and a tent," I answered, evading her question and her glance. There was clearly a mystery about her to be solved. It was as evident as that she herself was well-born, and accustomed to give orders for which she expected prompt obedience. But leaving all explanations over for the time, I set about making the splint. Returning to the men's horses I took off the bridle and saddle of the dead one, cut away the saddle flaps, and carried them and the reins to the injured man. The flaps made good splints, and I bound them tightly with the reins round his leg. He had borne all my crude surgery work with suc'h stoicism that I guessed he was a Turk, and spoke to him in the little Turkish I knew, telling him I would get help and have him removed directly. He grunted something about being all right, and soon was smoking as placidly as thougfi nothing had happened, and a broken leg was one of the usual events of daily life. I returned then to the girl, who was sitting on the ground with her hands clasped over her face. I "i8 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE guessed she was as desperately puzzled as I was what to do next. She sprang up quickly as I approached, and again stared at me with much the same expression of anxiety and doubt. " You seem very clever and resourceful," she said. " Can yet get me a horse ? " "What for? To lose yourself in the darkness among the hills? " " I can pay you later, I mean. I nave no money on me. Tell me how to send it to you, and I will give you any price you name. And I will add to it a generous reward for what you have done already." " Do you think you are strong enough to travel yet? You are still very white, and trembling like a leaf. You are scarcely used to this sort of thing, you see." " I can judge that for myself," she answered, al- most haughtily, making a great effort to rally her shaken nerves. " I don't think you are. You don't realise yet how much this thing has shaken you." " I am not accustomed to be contradicted in this way." " You are very near contradicting yourself by fainting," I answered. I could see it plainly. " How long have you been without food ? " " I do not wish you to question me. Can you get me a horse, or must I try to walk ? I must have a horse." " There's another reason. If you know anything of these hills you'll know what a storm means among THE RESCUE 19 them; and there's one brewing now. Listen." As I spoke we 'heard the rumbling of distant thunder among the hills. " I cannot stay here, in any case," she shot back quickly. Then, after a pause, " Who are you? Your name, I mean? " This in her sharp imperious man- ner. " My name is Bergwyn." I slurred the pronunci- ation intentionally. I had strong reasons for not wishing anyone to know I had been on the hills on my mission. But the effect of the name upon her was remark- able ; and her agitation was too great to be concealed even by the effort she made. She appeared com- pletely unnerved; and while her eyes opened wide in unmistakable fear, she shrank from me as though I were a pestilence incarnate. " Bourgwan the the brigand ? I have heard of you." The words were just a whisper, uttered with a catch of the breath all eloquent of terror. " No, I'm not " I began with a smile intended to reassure her ; but before I could finish the sentence her own unfortunate guess had completed her un- doing, and with a little gasping sob down she went in a heap to the ground unconscious, to my utter consternation. Disconcerting as her collapse was, it nevertheless had the result of deciding me what to do. Another clap of thunder came at the moment; and, without waiting to think any longer, I picked her up and set off as quickly as I could along the ravine to the camp. She had not recovered consciousness when I 20 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE reached the cottage; and as there was but one room in it, I laid her on the bed, bundled my few things together, tossed them out of sight, and leaving the dog with her, I went over to the tent. I found my four men asleep there, and waking them with an impartial kick or two, sent them down to bring up the prisoner and his wounded companion. Then I began to realise what a really awkward matter it was likely to be to have a girl, and such a girl, quartered upon us. I was not by any means sure of my own men, even. They had been chosen by the guide; but even he had deemed them so worth- less and unreliable that he had gone off that morning in search of others. Without him my position was very grave. He was already a couple of hours over- due; and with this storm coming up it was long odds that he would not arrive until the next morning at the earliest. Still the thing had to be faced. I must take my chance in the tent with the men that night, and trust to my own authority and vigilance and wits. I went back to the cottage, and was alarmed to find the girl still unconscious ; so I got some brandy, and supporting her head managed to get a few drops between her lips. This soon had an effect, and after a repetition of the remedy she opened her eyes with a deep, long-drawn sigh, and gave a great start as she found me bending over her and herself on the bed in the hut. " It's all right," I said, soothingly. " You fainted, probably from exhaustion and the fright you had. and I brought you here. It was the only thing I THE RESCUE 21 could do. You are perfectly safe, and the best thing you can do is to be quiet until you can eat something. As soon as you're well enough I'll find you a horse and send you wherever you want to go." She listened very quietly, and smiled. A rare thing, that smile of hers. " I want you to feel you can trust me. I am not that brigand, Bourgwan, or any other brigand, as it happens; although my name is sufficiently like his to cause you to make the mistake you did about it. It's all very rough here; but it's the best we can do for you. Now, do you think you can feel safe enough to eat and drink something without believing we mean to poison you? " " Don't." It was only a whisper, but it was good hearing. " I've had to give you a little brandy. Here's some more, if you'll like it ; and I can get you some preserved milk and biscuits presently. Shall I leave you alone here? " The light had gone as the storm gathered ; and just as I spoke the storm burst right overhead with a flare of lightning that filled the small room with lurid light, followed by a deafening clap of thunder which seemed almost to shake the eart ! h until the hut trembled. But she showed no fear of the storm; so that I gathered slie was used to the violence with which they raged in that district. She sat staring out of the one narrow window wistfully and disconsolately. " I cannot go ? " she said, making it almost a ques- tion. 22 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE I threw the door wider open, and pointed to the rain that was coming down in sheets just like a tropical downpour. " Quite impossible you can see." She rose and looked out, shuddered, and then went back to the bed with a sigh of disappointment. Some moments passed then. The storm raged furi- ously : the lightning flaring and flashing with intense brilliance, filling the sordid little dingy room almost continuously with its vivid blue light; the thunder pealing and crashing and roaring as though the very heavens would split; and the rain sweeping and swirl- ing down like a flood. And within there was silence between us: she sit- ting dead still on the low pallet, the dog haunched by her side; and I standing, very ill at ease, near the door, not knowing what to say or do next, and feel- ing very much of an awkward fool. I wanted to know that she trusted me, and would have given any- thing for a word from her to show she did; while at the same time I felt I would have bitten my tongue out rather than have asked for such a word. Yet out it came, nevertheless. " You feel better and and safe ? " I asked. The lightning showed me that she moved slightly, turned her head and glanced toward me just for an instant, but said nothing. " I'll get you something to eat," I murmured fatu- ously, and went out and pelted through the rain to the tent. I had got some biscuits and a tin of milk, when a thought occurred to me. The men had not re- THE RESCUE 23 turned, and their guns piled in a corner of the tent caught my eye as I was leaving. I made a bundle of them and carried them away. I could trust my men just as well if they had no firearms. When I got back to the hut she was sitting on the side of the bed and had quite shaken off the faintness. " You need not have gone through the rain but I suppose you are used to it ? " she said. " A man in my position has to get used to any- thing. Here are the biscuits and the milk. I've some tinned meat in the cupboard here. Can you eat?" " What are those ? " she cried, pointing to the guns. " The men's guns. Best to keep them in the dry, you see." I spoke as indifferently as I could; but she was very quick, and by the light of the storm I saw her eyes upon my face, with a sharp, piercing look. " That's not your reason. I hear it in your voice. Is there anything more to fear ? " " No." It was a lie, of course, but I uttered it stoutly, feeling the need of it. " If you'll eat some of this and get some strength back, I'll explain the position presently." " What's that ? " she asked, starting and listening. In an interval of the storm I heard the voices of the men raised in high tones. " Nothing, only the men with the prisoner," I re- plied calmly; but I didn't understand the reason for the high voices, and didn't like it. " I'll just go and see them." 24 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Don't go, please." Half command, in the same imperious tone I was getting to know well; but un- mistakably also half entreaty. It was the note I had been waiting for so eagerly, and I felt myself go hot with pleasure. She did trust me. " As you wish," I answered. " But I had better go." There was a pause, and then she said, in a quiet level tone: " You must do as you think best, of course." " Chris here will answer for your safety. Try and eat something," I said; and with that I ran back again to the tent. In a moment I saw something was wrong. My four men were clustered near the fellow whose leg I had broken, quarrelling angrily, with many gestures ; while the man I had made prisoner was not in the tent at all. "Where's the other man?" I asked. They all turned at the sound of my voice, and one of them, with whom I had before had some bother, took the question to himself. He shrugged his broad shoulders, first scowled, and then laughed in- solently. " He's escaped," he said, his tone a mixture of doggedness and defiance. The trouble I had been looking for had come, just when it was most unwelcome. CHAPTER II. KARASCH. I had had to deal with worse trouble than this before, however, and to tackle far more dangerous men than the fellow who, having sounded the first note of rebellion, stood eyeing me with lowering brows, while his fingers played round the haft of the knife he carried. These Eastern Europeans can be dangerous enough in a crowd, or in the dark, or in any circum- stances Which offer a chance of treachery. But they don't fight well alone or in the open. That's where they differ from the desperadoes of the West and the mining camps; and I knew it. The tent was a very large one, affording plenty of room for a scrimmage, and as I walked straight up to the man, keeping my eyes fixed on his, the rest drew back a little. That's another peculiarity of the people of the hills. They will back up a companion so long as the man in command is out of the way, and then back down quite as promptly when tEe music has to be faced. " See here, Karasch," I said to the ringleader; " I don't want any more trouble with you or with any- one else; but I'm not taking any insolence from you. Mind that, now. What do you mean by saying the prisoner escaped ? " 26 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE Before he answered he glanced round at his com- panions. " He ran away," he muttered. " I tied him up so that lie couldn't run. Who set him free? .Whoever did that will answer to me." " Karasch did it," answered one of the others. Then I guessed the reason of the high words I had heard, and that the speaker, whose name was Gartski, had been against the thing in opposition to the rest. " Why did you do it, Karasch? " " Because I c'hose to; I'm no wench minder," he replied with an insolent laugh. I did not hesitate a second, but while the laugh was still on his lips I struck him full in the face as hard as I could hit him, and down he went like a ninepin. He scrambled up, cursing and swearing and spitting out the blood from his mouth, and made ready to rush at me with his long knife, when I covered him with my revolver. " Put that knife down, Karasch," I cried, sternly. " Don't try any monkey tricks with me. And you others, choose right now which side you're on. I've been looking for this trouble for a couple of days past, and I'm quite ready for it." Gartski came to my side, and one of the others, Petrov, drew to Karasch; the fourth, Andreas, re- maining undecided. "You're faithful to me, Gartski?" I asked. My guide had told me before that he was, so I felt certain of him. " My life is yours," he answered simply. " Good; then we'll soon settle this. Wait, Kar- KARASCH 27 asch. There isn't room for two leaders in this camp, and we'll settle this between us you and I alone once for all." I took Gartski's knife and handed him my revolver. " If anyone tries to interfere in the quarrel, shoot him, Gartski," I said, and knife in hand I turned to the others. " Now, Karasch, if you're man enough, we'll fight on equal terms." " Good," said the other two. It was a proposition fair enough to please them all, particularly as his sup- porters believed Karasch could account for me pretty easily in such a fight. He was quite ready for the tussle, and we began at once. The tent was so gloomy we had only the dim light from a couple of lanterns that it was with some difficulty I could keep track of his eyes as he crouched down and moved stealthily around, watch- ing his opportunity to catch me at a disadvantage for his spring, his long ugly knife reflecting a gleam now from one and now from the other of the lan- terns as he moved. The storm was still raging furiously, and now and again a lurid glare of the lightning would light up the tent for an instant so vividly that the place seemed almost dark by contrast the next moment. The men drew to one side watching us, and the wounded prisoner, stoic as he had shown himself in his pain, propped himself up on one arm and fol- lowed the fight with close interest. My antagonist's fighting was in the approved cat- like method. Crouching low, he would move, with lithe, stealthy tread, for a step or two, then pause, 28 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE then spring suddenly in a feinted attack, then as quickly recover himself, and begin all over again. Fortunately I was no novice at the game ; but I had learnt the thing in another school. A Mexican had taught me an adept with the knife, with half a score of lives to the credit of his skill. I stood all the time quite still; every nerve at tension, every muscle ready for the spring when the moment came, but wasting no strength in useless feints. The less you do before the moment comes, the more you can do when it does come. Never for an instant did my eyes stray from his; noting every change of expression; watching every movement, step, and gesture; almost every breath he drew; and using every second to find the weak spot in his attack. I soon saw his purpose. He was striving to make me give ground and drive me back to where I should have no elbow room for free movement. But I did not yield an inch, not even when he sprang so near me in one of his feints as to make me think he meant business at last. Instead of giving ground I began to take it. Twice he made as if to rush at me and each time as he leapt back I stepped a pace forward. As the tent was too small to admit of his circling me, he saw that he was losing ground; and I noticed a shadow of uneasiness come creeping to his eyes. Then I saw my plan, and the real shrewdness of the Mexican's tactics. My opponent's method had a serious flaw. During the moment that he was re- covering himself after his feints 'he was incapable of KARASCH 29 attack, and if I could close with him at one of those moments I should have him at an immense disad- vantage. With this thought I drew him on. When his next feinting spring came I fell back a pace, and I could tell by the renewed light in his eyes that he felt re- assured and confident. He had made me give way, apparently, and felt he could easily drive me back until he would have me at his mercy. The next time I repeated the manoeuvre, and then a grim grin of triumph lighted his face. He crouched again and moved about me, stalking me to drive me into an awkward corner of the place, his eyes gleam- ing the While with fierce confidence and murderous intent. Inspired by this over-confidence, Tie sprang at me again, this time too far, calculating that I should again give way. But I did not, and as he jumped back 'hurriedly to retrieve the mistake I closed on him, caught his right wrist with my left hand, and pressed him back, chest to chest, holding my right hand away from his left which groped frantically and desperately to clutch it. In that kind of tussle he was no match for me. I had all a trained wrestler's tricks with my legs, and tripped him in a moment so that he went down with his left arm under him. I heard the bone snap as we fell and I tore the knife from his grip. His life was mine by all the laws of combat in that wild district, and for a moment I held my weapon poised ready to strike home to his heart. To do him justice he neither quailed, nor uttered a 30 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE sound. If he had shown a sign of weakness I think I should have finished the thing as I was fairly en- titled to, and have killed" him. But he was a brave fellow, so I spared him and got up and turned to the rest. " Do either of you dispute my leadership? " I said to the others. But they had had their lesson, and had apparently learnt it thoroughly. " It was Karasch's doing, and his only," said Pe- trov, who had formerly taken sides against me. " Get up, Karasch," I said, in a short sharp tone. He got up, and I saw his left arm was dangling use- lessly at his side. " Now tell me why you set that prisoner free ? " " You can fight. Your muscles are like iron. I'll serve a man who can fight as yoo-can," he growled. " That's a bargain," said I. " Here; " and I held out my hand. He looked at me in surprise. " By the living God," he muttered, as he put his hand slowly into mine. " Here's your knife," I said next, returning it to him. He drew back, his surprise greater even than before. "You trust it to me?" He took it in the same slow hesitating manner; and then with a quick change of manner he set his heel on it and with a fierce and savage tug at the haft, he broke the bright blade in two. " It's been raised against you ; and I'm your man now and for always," and down he went on one knee, KARASCH 31 and seizing my 'hand kissed it, and then laid it on his head. Demonstrative folk these rough wild hill men of Eastern Europe, and I knew the significance of this act of personal homage. So did the others who had watched this quaint result of the fight with the same breathless interest as they had followed the fight itself. " If you serve me well you'll find I can pay better than I can fight, Karasch," I said, as he rose. " I'm not serving for pay now," he replied simply. " I serve you. My life is yours. Gartski, go and saddle a couple of the horses." "What for?" I asked. " I'll go and find the prisoner. He can't have rid- den far in this storm; and I know his road." " But your arm is broken." " We can tie it up while he gets the horses." " Tell me why you set him free, Karasch," I said, as Gartski and Andreas went out. " And while you talk I'll see to your arm." I examined it, and found the fracture in the upper arm; and having set it as best I could I dressed it and bound it up while he spoke. " On account of the woman," he said. " I know the man, and he told me about her. She's a witch and a thief and worse, and comes from Belgrade. She murdered a child, and was being sent to Maglai, in the hills, to be imprisoned; and this morning cast a spell over the men who were taking her and escaped. They were to have a big sum of money if they got her safe to Maglai, and the man promised 32 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE me a share of it if I'd let him go back and bring his friends here to retake her. I have no mercy for a witch. God curse them all ; " and he crossed himself earnestly and spat on the ground. " She is no witch, Karasch, but just a girl in a plight" " A witch can look just as she pleases. You don't know them, Burgwan " this was how they pro- nounced my name. " She was an old woman when she left Belgrade. My friend told me that; and she's been growing younger every hour. She's known to be a hundred years old at least. She's cast her spell over you." This was true enough; although not in the sense he meant. He was so obviously in earnest that I saw it was useless to attempt to argue him out of his superstition. " Well, witch or no witch, spell or no spell, I am going to see her into safety," I answered firmly. " You'll live to rue it, Burgwan. If I help you, it's because I serve you ; not to serve her, God's curse on her ; " and he crossed himself again and spat again, as he always did when he spoke of her. " If you want to be safe from her spells and the devil, her master, you'd better twist her neck at midnight and lop off her hands. It's the only way to break the spell when once cast." " Ah, well, I'll try and find another way. And I'll take all the risks. Was that what you were all wrangling about when I came in the hut just now? " " Yes. She's done harm enough, already. That man's broken leg, three good horses killed, and now KARASCH 33 my arm ; " and he cursed her again bitterly. " It'll be you next," he added. " It'll not be my arm that she breaks," was my thought. " What he says is true," interposed the man whom I had shot. " She's a witch and a devil. Else how did she know when to escape and how to ride here to you?" " Answer that, Burgwan," said Karasch, con- fidently. " How could she know, if she weren't a witch?" Gartski came in then to say the horses were ready, and his entrance made any reply unnecessary, for Karasch rose at once, went out and mounted. " I'll bring him back," he said, " I know I can find him unless that devil blinds the track." " Why should she do that, as it's for her own ad- vantage? " I asked; but he and Andreas were already moving off, and his answer was lost in the night air. The storm had passed and the rain ceased, and as I watched the two men ride off, the moon came out from behind the clouds, so that I could follow the horses for some distance down the ravine. As soon as they had passed out of sight I turned to the hut. I did not enter, but stood near the little window and leant against the wall thinking. The tale I had heard concerning the girl had made me very thought- ful. Those who know anything of the ignorant superstition of the peasantry of the Balkans will best appreciate the danger to her of that grim reputation. I had heard scores of stories of men and women who had been done to death with merciless barbarity for 34 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE witchcraft. The mere charge itself was enough to turn from them any chance of fair trial and justice: and I knew there was not one of the men with me who would not have thought he was doing a Chris- tian act to strangle her. To kill her was to aim a blow at the devil: the accepted duty of every God- fearing man and woman. But it was not so much her danger that set me thinking then as the reason which must lie behind the accusation. Who could have been devilish enough to set such a brand upon her; and why? Did she know her reputation? There must have been some black work somewhere to account for the plight to which such a girl had thus been reduced. High-born and gently nurtured she certainly was; accustomed to command and to be obeyed, as she had given abundant proofs; endowed with beauty and grace far beyond the average of her sex; and with innocence and purity stamped on every feature and manifesting itself in every act! Great enough to have powerful enemies, probably, I guessed; and in that I looked to find the key to the problem. I was in the midst of these somewhat rambling thoughts when the casement was pushed open gently. " Is it you, Burgwan? " " Yes, it is." "What are you doing there?" I was beginning to listen now for the little note of command in her voice. " I am on watch." " I have turned you from your cottage." This KARASCH 35 was half apologetic: followed directly by the other tone. " You will be well paid." " Thank you." It was no use protesting. It seemed to please her to feel that she could repay me for any trouble; and it did no harm to humour her. " The storm is over. Can we not start? " " Where would you go? " She hesitated. " I wish to get to the railway." " To go where ? " " Do not question me." " I beg your pardon. I am not questioning you in the sense you imply. There are two lines of rail- way about the same distance away. One leads to Serajevo, the other to Belgrade." " How far away ? " "The former perhaps twenty miles; the other I don't know." She caught her breath at this. " Where am I, then?" " In the middle of the Gravenje hills." " God have mercy on me." It was only a whisper; but so eloquent of despair. " You need not despair. It is as easy to travel forty miles as thirty ; and twenty are not much worse than ten. I will see you through." But this touched her dignity again. " You shall be well paid," she repeated. I let it pass, and there came a pause. "Can we not start?" " You have not told me for which railway; but it doesn't matter, as we cannot start to-night." " Why not ? " .The imperative mood again. 36 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " My guide is not here." "Your guide?" Suspicion and incredulity now. " Do you mean to say you don't know your own country? Do you expect me to believe that? It is a mere excuse." " Have you found me deceive you yet in any- thing?" " There may have been no cause yet." " Will it not be more just to wait until you do find cause then? " Another pause followed. " I don't wish to anger you," she said, with a touch of nervousness; and as if to correct the impres- sion, she added : " Perhaps you do not think I can keep my promise to pay you." " You may disbelieve me, but I don't disbelieve you. I have told you no more than the truth." " But why do you need a guide? " she asked after a moment's thought. " Because I don't know the way, and don't care to trust to the men here now." " But if it is your own country, why don't you know it? " " It is not my own country." This surprised her, and again she was silent for a time. " Who are you? " was the next question. " And where do you belong? " " I am Burgwan." " That is the name of the brigand." " I know that; but I am not a brigand. And now I think you had better try and rest. If we are to reach the railway to-morrow, it will be a long day's "IK A SECOND SHE WAS IN THE GRIP OF HAT.F A DOZEN MEN." Page 37 KARASCH 37 ride, and you must get some sleep. You can sleep in perfect safety, the dog will stay with you." " You are a strange man, Burgwan. What are you?" " Does it matter so long as I can bring you out of this plight? Do what I ask, please. Rest and get sleep and strength." " Do you presume to give me your orders? " " Yes, when they are for your good. Have you eaten anything?" " It is for me to give orders, not to obey them." " Have you eaten what I brought you? " " Yes." " So far well, then. Good-night ; " and I moved a pace or two away. " Where are you going? " " I shall be out here all night within call. And you have Chris." She looked at me in the moonlight and our eyes met. " Why do I trust you, Burgwan ? " I started with pleasure. " It doesn't matter so long as you do. Good- night." " It is a shame for you to have to stay there all night; but I shall feel safe if you do." " It's all right." I was smitten suddenly with nervousness and answered brusquely. " I shall sleep, Burgwan. Good-night." Her tone had a touch of gentle confidence, and I thought she smiled. But I did not look straight at her and made no reply. In one way she was a witch, truly enough; she had 38 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE cast over me a spell which made me feel to her as I had never felt toward any other woman; and I leaned back against the wall with my arms folded thinking, thinking, aye, and dreaming, for all that I was full awake and my every sense alert and vigilant on my watch. Presently, how soon or how long afterwards 1 know not, I heard the casement opened softly and she peeped out and round at me. " You are still there, Burgwan ? " " I said I would be, and I generally keep my word.'* " You are not going to stand all night? " " No; there's a stone here that will serve for a seat if I tire." She drew in her head for a moment, and I heard her move something in the cottage. " There is a chair here and a rug. Take them ; " and she put them out through the window. " You are kindly thoughtful," I said. But here again I seemed to cross the curious dividing line in her thoughts, for she drew her head up, and looked at me half indignantly. " Good-night." She spoke very stiffly, and closed the casement with sharp abruptness. But I forgave the action for the kindness of the thought, and resumed my watch and my dreaming. CHAPTER III. MORE WITCHCRAFT. The night hours sped away with only one incident to disturb us. I heard a strange noise which I could not locate nor understand, and as I stood listening intently Chris, within the hut, barked loudly. I heard the girl speak to him, and was half minded to ask her to let him out that he might help my watch; but I heard nothing more, and so let the thing pass. Day had broken before Karasch returned. He was alone, and had only failure and mishap to report. Trouble had dogged him from the start. He had not seen a trace of the man he had gone out to find. His companion's horse had put his foot in a hole and broken his leg, and nearly killed Andreas, who was lying some fifteen miles away in the hills; while Kar- asch himself had twice been thrown, the second time with disastrous results to his broken arm. He left no doubt as to where he laid the blame. " We are bewitched, Burgwan," lie said, his brow frowning and his glance threatening. " In five years I have never once been thrown; and now twice within as many hours. The spell was upon us, and we were not meant to find the man." " Does anyone cast spells for their own hurt, Kar- asch? It was necessary for her safety that the man 40 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE should be caught and prevented from bringing his comrades here." " You are not of this country, or you would know better. These devils work their own ends in their own ways. I lifted my hand against you because of her, and have brought the spell upon me. God de- fend us; " and he crossed himself earnestly. " But why should she help to bring her pursuers here ? " I repeated ; and might as well have reasoned with the wind. " You do not know. He will never reach his friends; or, if he does, the way hither will be hidden from them." " Don't be a blind fool, Karasch," I exclaimed, losing my temper. He looked at me and shook his head slowly with a suggestion of commiseration. " It is not I who am the fool or blind, Burgwan," he answered, almost sadly. " Listen. The first time I was thrown, I saw before me a stretch of beautiful turf and pricked my "horse to a gallop across it when he plunged right into a pit; and I wonder I was not killed. The next time, just before dawn, I was feel- ing my way carefully when she herself appeared sud- denly in front of me, all white fire, and flashing a gleaming sword before my eyes. I checked my horse, in fear, and he reared and fell back almost on top of me. Is not that enough to prove the spell? " It proved to me that he had either been asleep on his horse or was suffering from disordered nerves as the result of fatigue and the pain from his arm; but MORE WITCHCRAFT 41 when I told him so, he grew more morose and pity- ing in his manner. " I know why you talk as you do," he said. " You have looked into her eyes. The spell is on you, too on all here; and we shall die unless she does." The last three words were uttered after a long pause, during which he had glanced ominously and fear- somely toward the hut. Superstition held him in its thrall. I judged it best to check the thought under the words at once. " The man who lays a finger on her to her hurt will have to reckon with me, Karasch," I said, sternly, and turned away. He made no reply, but rode on to the shed some distance to the rear of the tent, where we stalled the horses. I began to scent a fresh danger for the " witch," and was fast growing as anxious as she herself could be to get away. If Karasch believed that he would be saving me from the spell by killing her, I knew he was quite capable of doing it in the face of any com- mands I might lay upon him and the others. It was easy to guess at his crude reasoning. I had looked into her eyes, and was thus under her spell while she lived. My orders for her safety would thus be regarded as the result of the accursed en- chantment; and they would only have to kill her to free me from the spell and make me to see that they had done the right thing. They would feel that I should then be as eager to reward them for her mur- der as I was now to forbid them touching her. 42 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE Added to this was the actual and pressing danger arising from the fact that the man who had pursued her had escaped to carry the tidings of her where- abouts to his companions and bring them down upon us, perhaps in force. The situation was growing tighter with every fresh turn, and I made up my mind to rush matters and get away at once. I would not wait for the return of my guide, but take the risk of finding my way alone. I had just made this decision when Gartski came running round the tent with a white, scared face. He stopped some yards short of the hut, as if loath to come too near the abode of the accursed one, and crossed himself. " The horses have been killed, Burgwan. Will you come to the shed to Karasch ? " The news, if true, was ill enoug'h to make me change colour, and I went back with him. " We are all under a curse. It is witch's work," he said in a curiously awed tone; and he wrung his hands and crossed himself again. I was beginning to regard that gesture of devotion with a pretty con- siderable dislike by that time. The news was true enough. The three horses lay dead on the shed floor, each in a pool of blood ; and on the quarter of each of them a small ring of blood was to be seen some two inches across. Peering into the shed stood the horse from which Karasch had just dismounted, his neck outstretched and his ears cocked in fear. Karasch and Petrov were inside, preternaturally; 'MORE WITCHCRAFT 43 grave and awe-struck. Both looked as frightened as Gartski when he had come running with the news to me; and Karasch pointed ominously in turn at the marks on each of the dead animals. ''' The witch's mark. It's always there," he said. It was unquestionably very strange, and I looked solemn enough no doubt to lead them to believe I was beginning to share their own superstitious fears. It was about the worst thing that could have occurred at such a juncture; and for the moment I could think of nothing but the possible consequences of so dis- astrous an occurrence. With an effort I roused myself and examined the " witch's " mark on each of the beasts. A circle had been cut with the point of a sharp knife, the mark being just skin deep. " How did they die, do you think, Karasch ? " He pointed again to the marks and smiled grimly, as though the cause were too plain to need words. " And all this blood? " I asked. He shrugged his great shoulders. I looked at Gartski and the third man closely, for any sign that they had had a hand in it; but their superstitious fear was too genuine to be doubted. " Turn the horses over," I ordered; but they shrank away and obstinately refused to put a finger near them. " Who is smeared with the blood of a witch-killed beast dies before the moon is old," said Karasch. ' They must burn where they lie." ' You're a set of fools," I cried angrily. But neither anger nor request was heeded. 44 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE I took the iron bar from the door, and levering it under the smallest of the horses turned the carcase over sufficiently to find what I sought the cause of death. There was a wound just under the heart. The horse had been stabbed with a sword or long knife. Whoever had done the work knew where and how to strike so as to kill instantly. I went outside then and searched the ground all round the door carefully. " Come back to the tent all of you," I said. I led the way, scrutinising every inch of the ground and following a somewhat unaccountable trail I had dis- covered. It led direct to the tent. " Let me see to your arm, Karasch," I said first, intending to let them have some minutes to recover from the first effects of their stupefaction. " No, Burgwan. You have cursed blood on you. You cannot touch me. I should die, too." " Very well, then, we'll settle this thing first. You saddled Karasch's horse last night, Gartski. Did you fasten the shed afterwards? " "No; we never fasten it. Bars won't keep out devils." " This is the work of no devil. Those horses have been killed by someone who plunged a knife into their hearts and then cut that ring on the haunch. I saw the wound myself on the beast I examined. They were all right when you left them ? " " Yes, quite right." " Did either of you go near the shed again until Karasch returned, or did you sleep ? " I asked next, MORE WITCHCRAFT 45 remembering the strange noise I had heard in the night. " We had had a long day, and both slept soundly." " We're getting very close to it now," I answered. I turned to our prisoner with the broken leg. " How is your leg this morning, my man ? " " Very painful, but better," he replied after a pause. " Did you sleep, or did you hear anything in the night?" " I slept all through the night. I was asleep when you came in just now." " Then it ought not to be so painful. I'll have a look at it." " No, no," he cried, putting up his hands to ward me off. " Don't touch me. You have touc'hed the accursed blood." " Do you believe in it, too? " and I looked keenly at him. He crossed himself earnestly and spat on the floor. " Stay, stay. You're a Turk ! why do you cross yourself with the cross of the Christians? I won't touch you against your will, but I must see how your leg is doing. Lift him up, Gartski," and I pointed to a bench. They hesitated. " Do as I say; and smartly, too. You know me," I cried sternly. The man objected and protested with many oaths, and cursed me volubly. But I insisted; and the others did not dare to disobey me. Karasch himself plucked the man's rug off, and the other two lifted him. The mystery was instantly plain to me. The man 46 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE was smeared from head to foot with mud and blood, the traces of which he had tried to remove; and lying where his body had covered them were a knife and a small lantern; while a glance at his injured leg showed me that the splints had been all but torn off in the exertions of his night's work. He was a faithful servant to his masters, whoever they might be; and he had conceived the design of killing the only horses we had, in order to prevent the escape of the girl before his comrades could re- turn to recapture her. Waiting until the two men in the tent were fast asleep he had dragged himself, painfully and labori- ously, through the mud to the shed, had shut him- self in, and, by the light of the lantern he carried, had deliberately stabbed one horse after the other, put- ting on each the witch's mark. He knew the super- stition about it, of course, and trusted to that to save him from the risk of discovery. I had seen the slimy trail he had left in the mud, however, and had thus detected him. With what dogged effort he had acted and the stoical endurance he had shown were evidenced by the condition of his wounded leg. The splints had been torn off, and he must have suffered excruciating agony in the grating of the fractured bones. I taxed him with the deed, but he denied it, of course, and swore by every oath he could think of, Christian and Mahomedan alike, that he was inno- cent and had slept soundly the whole night through. I drew Karasch aside. " You can see for yourself what happened," I said, significantly and triumph- MORE WITCHCRAFT 47 antly. But his superstition was proof even against such evidence. " You do not understand, Burgwan ; I do," he re- plied, in the same dismal fanatical tone. " The thing can be seen as plainly as a mountain in the moonlight," I exclaimed, impatiently. " He wants to prevent our getting away until his com- panions get 'here." But Karasch only shook his head. " You can see that he did it, can't you, man? " " I can see she used his body to do it. They often do that. He did it in a dream. His hand; her mind. I'll question him." " And put a ready-made lie into his thoughts," I exclaimed, angrily. " It is witch's work, more than his," he repeated, stubbornly and doggedly. I felt I should lose my temper if I stayed longer, and tossing up my hands in despair at his folly, I gave up talking sense to him. I washed off the traces of the blood from my hands, and having got materials for a breakfast, went away to the hut to try and think what next to do in view of this fresh disaster. I don't think I had ever been more completely cornered than I was by the position which faced me then. I was thirty miles or so from anywhere; I did not know the road for even a league from the camp; and I hadn't an animal left worth calling a horse. If I attempted to leave with the girl, we should probably be lost, or break down by the way. Yet if I stayed where I was, we should have her pur- suers back to fetch her; while, even if they did 48 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE not come, there was an almost hourly risk that my own men would break out against her in order to deliver me from her enchantment. Whichever way I turned I could see nothing but imminent peril for her peril of death indeed; and cudgel my wits as I would, I could see no turning in the long, straight lane of danger. I remember stopping midway between the tent and the hut, and setting down the things I carried, and glancing round at the circle of frowning hills with a confused and dismaying sense of feebleness. The breeze of the morning, fresh and invigorating as it was, seemed to grow hot, stifling, oppressive, until it was positively difficult to breathe freely. The hills had become suddenly as the walls of a prison, shutting me in, a helpless, crippled prisoner. Light, freedom, hope, life were all on the other side .of them, but the path was barred and the way of escape blocked. My nerves were shaken and the mental perspective warped, for the. moment, in the exag- geration of sudden alarm for the girl. The sight of her brought me to my senses again. She appeared at the door of the hut and looking about her saw me and smiled. I must keep the knowledge of danger from her, of course, so I went down and pretended to busy myself with my pack- ages while I pulled myself together. I picked them up and went on to the hut whistling a strain of the " Star Spangled Banner," and trying to appear as if I hadn't a thought in the world above breakfast. " Good-morning, Burgwan," she said, with a sort of chary patronage and encouragement. MORE WITCHCRAFT 49 " Good-morning. I have brought your breakfast. Very homely diet, but the best we can offer you here." "Never mind. What time do we start?" She had a rare knack of finding awkward questions. " The guide is not come yet," I answered, con- scious that my pause would rouse her suspicions. " But I cannot wait long." " That's true enough." I spoke the thought aloud, unwittingly. "What does that mean?" Very sharply asked, this. " I can't answer any questions yet. I have to think." The reply appeared to offend her, and her eyes flashed as she drew herself up with a gesture of authority and constraint. She was turning back into the hut when she caught sight of some stains on my clothes. " That is blood? " She paused before the word. " Yes, it's blood. I didn't know it was there." She shrank from me for a space against the lintel. " It's horse's blood. We've had some trouble in the stables, and I'm afraid I don't cut a very pretty figure just now." I tried to make light of it in this way; but it was a feeble effort. " Tell me at once. The truth, please." There was eagerness now in her tone, as well as the usual imperative note. I hesitated. " I suppose you'd better know it," I said then. " There has been foul play in the night, and our horses have been killed. I got this on me 50 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE when I was tracing the thing to its source. That's all but it's bad enough." "How many?" " All but one and he's dead lame, I'm afraid." " Is this true? or is it an excuse to keep me here? " I winced. The injustice bit deep. I looked at her with a protest in my eyes. " If you'll put that question plainly, perhaps you'll see it in its proper light, and understand how it may sound to me. No, I don't mean that. It doesn't matter. I have told you the truth; that's all." " But it does mean delay? " " I'm very sorry; but thirty or forty miles make a long march for a lame horse. I could manage on foot, of course, but " I left the sentence un- finished. She started, and bit her lip as she realised my meaning. To avoid seeing her distress, and to fill the pause, I dropped one of the tins I was carrying and stooped to pick it up. " I have to beg your pardon, Burgwan, for doubt- ing you." " That's no account, I assure you. I couldn't have helped it myself if the position had been reversed. The truth does sometimes look strangely like false- hood." " But you don't seem to understand that I must get away. I must." " I do realise it," I answered, very earnestly, " and mean to find a way, somehow. I'm not easy to beat, most times." " When can we start, then ? " I noticed the " we," MORE WITCHCRAFT 51 and I think it had something to do with putting me off my guard. " I shall have to think a bit," I said. " It must be soon, Burgwan. What time is it now? " Without thinking, I pulled out my watch from an inner pocket a big gold chronometer on a gold chain and the moment I caught her quick eyes on it I saw the mistake, and regretted it. " Just six o'clock," I answered, as indifferently as I could. " That's a very valuable watch you carry in these lonely hills ; " and her look spoke her thought much more eloquently than her words. " It's a very good timekeeper," I answered at random. Her intent gaze held me all the while, and I saw gathering in her eyes something of the suspicion with which she had first heard my name the previous night. "How did you get it?" " Are you not over quick with your suspicions ? " " Am I to fear you or trust you? " " If you trust me it will have to be without asking any questions at present. You have no reason to fear me ; and never will have." ' You must tell me where you got so valuable a thing you, a peasant of the hills? " " I am not a peasant of the hills." " Where did you get it ? " " If I told you, you would scarcely believe me," " Where ? " she insisted. 52 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE "I bought it; that's all." She drew a deep breath and bit her lip. " I have thought of you as a brave man capable of real nobleness. I have believed you to be true and honest. If you fail me I have no hope. And if you mean me harm, for the sake of the living God tell me so." She spoke with intense but carefully restrained passion until the last few words. " Don't take it like that," I replied, firmly and calmly, although moved to the core by her appeal. " I will tell you something. I am not what I may have seemed to you. I am no peasant and no brigand, as you seem to fear. Who and what I am, and why here, I cannot tell you yet; but, believe this, I will serve you and save you from this trouble. If you wish it, I will take any oath you like on that. But my word is my word, and you may trust it." She listened intently, marking every word, and when I finished she bent forward and gazed search- ingly right into my eyes. Then she drew a deep, long breath, as of relief, and smiled. " Thank God, I feel I can trust you. I will not question you again, Burgwan.'" " Then the best thing you can do is to show it by getting some breakfast." The change to the commonplace and practical from that moment of feverish passion was a welcome relief to us both. " Yes; you are right. I will," she answered, forc- ing a smile; and picking up the things I had laid on the chair, she carried them into the hut. CHAPTER IV. A CONTEST IN WILL POWER. 'After that incident there was something of a change in the curious relations between us. She was just as imperious at times; but less patronising. She seemed to expect my services less as a return for pay- ment to be made, or by right of caste and station, than in virtue of her womanhood and helplessness. Either she now believed entirely in my good faith, or she was anxious to make me think she did. I explained to her how I generally contrived to prepare my food, showed her how to manage the spirit stove, pointed out where the few things need- ful were kept, and offered to make the meal ready for her. " I am not helpless, and can do it myself, thank you," she said, half resentfully. " I didn't know," I answered, and soon after left her to it. I went back to the tent to wash my face and hands and endeavour to get the blood stains from my clothes. I began to be disquietingly conscious of my exceedingly ungroomed condition. The men were eating their breakfasts and talking together with lowered brow and gloomy faces. " What are we to do, Burgwan? "' asked Karasch, coming over to me presently. 54 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " There will be no work to-day. I shall remain in camp." "Who is to fetch Andreas?" This was the man who had ridden with him on the previous night and lay out on the hills. " I can't spare the horse, now we have only one. One of you must take food to him on foot, and try to hire or buy some horses in place of the dead ones." " It will not do," he said, lowering his voice. " I cannot walk so far; and you can't trust the others." " I can trust Gartski." " Not after this morning's business with the witch- killed beasts." " Don't talk such nonsense, Karasch. I proved to you that that treacherous devil over there stabbed them to prevent us getting away." " He has explained that. He had a vision and remembers it now. She stood over him with a flam- ing sword, just as she appeared to me, and compelled him to do it." " How a man of your shrewdness can believe such rot passes my understanding, Karasch. You might be a great baby if I didn't know you were a brave and clever man." But flattery was of no more use than reproaches. " You don't understand these things, Burgwan. We do. You see with her eyes; we use our own." The dogged manner and tone alike showed that he spoke with dead conviction. " Then the best thing will be for the lot of you to clear out," I exclaimed testily. " You can't be left alone in her power. I shall A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 55 stay with you to the end. You gave me my life when I had lost it fairly, and I'll save yours in return." " What do you mean? " I asked sharply, as a glint of his intention shot into my thoughts. Instead of meeting my eyes as usual, he looked down and shuffled uneasily. " The spell must be broken and then you'll see the truth and and no harm may come to you after all." " What do you mean ? Speak out, Karasch, and meet my eyes openly like a man, as you usually do." But this he would not or could not do. " There is only one way," he said doggedly. " And it must come to that in the end. We have talked it over. Your life must be saved." " I should have thought you all knew by this time that I can take pretty good care of that for myself." " There is only one way," he repeated in the same dogged tone. "And what is that way? Out with it, man, in plain terms." " She must die, Burgwan, or you will." I thought a moment, and then saw a different line and promptly adopted it. " You are too late, Karasch." I said, as gravely and solemnly as I could speak. " No, there is always time within the same moon." " No ; she has rendered me proof against any knife or bullet for three days on condition that I defend her. And I've sworn that I will die before anyone shall harm her." It was a beautiful bluff. He started back and 56 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE looked at me in manifest horror and crossed himself as he muttered a prayer. " Don't do that, you hurt me, Karasch," I said, pretending to shudder. " Great God of all. And you a Christian, Burg- wan." His agitation was almost piteous. He turned deathly pale and beads of perspiration stood on his forehead, as he stared at me horror-struck. " And I have sworn to save you." It was just a whisper of dismay and helplessness, and it showed the struggle which was raging between his superstition and his fealty to me. " I'll release you from your oath to me, if you wish; and you and the rest can leave as soon as you like." " No, by God, no; not if I'm damned forever," he cried. " I'll stand by you, Burgwan, mad blind fool though you've been. Curse the witch and all her infernal arts ; " and he was at it again with his vehe- ment crossing and spitting and prayers. His devotion moved me deeply. I knew how much the effort must cost him. He believed that he was jeopardising not his life only, that he was always ready to risk, but his very soul as well. Rough, coarse, crude, ignorant, half civilised boor that he was, he had shown a fidelity to me such as I had never witnessed before. He should have a reward; and it should be rich enough to surprise him if ever we got out of this mess; but I could say nothing of it to him then. He would have laughed to scorn the A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 57 promise of money in such a case. I accepted his sacrifice therefore without another word. "What shall we do about Andreas?" I asked. " Gartski and Petrov had better go out to him." " No. If they go, it will be only to find help and bring others back here to do what you say must not be done. Andreas must take his chance." " You must go somewhere then, and find us horses." " If I take my eyes off those two they'll run away. 1 must stay to watch them." " But we must have horses and at once," I urged. " Tell her to send some here. She can if she chooses." His belief in her supernatural powers was complete; but that time it served to turn the tables with a vengeance. I had no answer. " It must be as you say. I'll ask her ; " and with that I left the tent, wishing that the miraculous supply of horses were as easy of accomplishment as K.arasch believed. There was one that I could have, however, and I deemed it best to make sure that neither Gartski nor Petrov should have the chance of stealing it. So I led it over to the cottage to tether it close at hand, carrying the saddle with me. Hearing me, the girl came out. " You have horses, then ? " she asked, in a tone of satisfaction. " I have this one, that's all ; " and I fastened it up to a tree close by the hut. " You are looking very serious, Burgwan. Has anything more happened ? " 58 " A little misunderstanding- with the men. Noth- ing more serious than I've had before. Have you breakfasted ? " " Yes. I have yours here; " and she brought out to me coffee and a steaming dish of food which she had prepared for me with her own dainty hands. She might have been a witch, indeed, for the cleverness with which she had concocted a savoury meal from the rough fare at her disposal. I was very hungry, and while I ate it with thank- fulness and relish she fed Chris. " The dog takes to you, readily," I said. " Yes. Good Chris," and he wagged his tail and looked up at her. " He is another mystery, Burg- wan like that watch ; " and she smiled. "Yes; and in his way quite as reliable." " It is not a breed often found in the hills." She was fishing, but I would not see the bait, and answered with a monosyllable. " He is very fond of you," she said. " He knows me and trusts me, I think." " Is that a reproach ? " " It is not for me to reproach you. You don't know me yet." " There are many things I don't know yet. For one, how I got here to this hut? " I smiled. " I carried you," I answered. " You dared? " A quick impulsive rebuke in the question. " I didn't dare to leave you lying out there in the road when that storm was coming up." A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 59 " You had no right," she cried, and went back into the hut. Chris looked up as she went and ran to the door after her; but returned and finished his breakfast, and then went in to her. I had finished mine then, and sat thinking over the position of things when she came out. " I was wrong to be angry, Burgwan. Of course, there was nothing else for you to do." " I couldn't think of anything, at any rate." " I ought not to have been so childish as to faint," she said, with a smile and a shrug. Then she picked my cup and platter. " Where can I get water to wash these ? " " You needn't bother about that. It's not fit work for you." " But I wish to," she cried, with a little stamp of the foot. " There is a spring close here, then," I replied; and taking a pannikin I fetched the water and sat down again and went on with my thinking. " Can we start now, Burgwan ? " she asked. " I wish to reach the railway that will carry me to Bel- grade." " That means thirty miles through a country where I don't know a yard of the road ; " and I shook my head. " You always raise difficulties." "No; I don't raise them, I see them. That's all. I wish I didn't. It may come to it at the last but we had better wait for the guide. He ought to be here soon now." 60 THE QUEEN'S "ADVOCATE " Don't the men know the road ? " " We had better wait for the guide." " Are not you the leader here ? " " In a way, yes; but not in such a matter. I am thinking all I know to find the best thing to do." " But suppose the others should come first before this guide, what then ? " "What others?'" " The rest of the men who were taking me to Maglai." " Oh, you were going to Maglai. How many were there? " " Six. Four beside the two you captured." " How far from here were you when you escaped ?" I noticed that she no longer resented my questions as on the previous night. " I don't know. It was about noon, and they called a halt; and having fed and drunk they lay down and slept, leaving one to watch. But he fell asleep, too, with the heat, and I stole off. I rode fast for some hours, and then was going slowly, thinking I was safe from pursuit, when suddenly the two ap- peared in the distance and chased me. I let my horse go where it would, and it carried me here." " You had been riding about seven hours or so, then. That means fourteen at least, without the delay of the storm ; and then he'd have to chance find- ing them." " Whom do you mean by * he ' ? " I had been calculating roughly how long it would take the man Karasch had set free to reach his friends and return with them, and unwittingly had spoken A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 61 the thought aloud. I pretended not to hear her question. " You don't know whether all the men rode after you on the same road, or spread out in different directions?" I asked. She made no reply, and when I glanced up I met her eyes bent earnestly upon me. " You are concealing something from me. You heard my question, I know, for I saw you start." With the curious feeling that I was at a disad- vantage sitting down below her, I stood up. " You *iad better leave the run of this thing to me. I won't ask any more questions than I am compelled; and if they bother you, you can turn a deaf ear to them, as I do when I don't want to hear yours." Signs of rebellion flashed from her eyes, and she made ready to give battle. She held her head high and squared 'her shapely shoulders. " I won't be dictated to like that, and I won't remain here on any such terms." " I am not dictating; I'm talking common sense." " I won't submit to it; I will not." And she stamped her foot. " I will have an answer to my question. I won't have things hidden from me. Why won't you answer it? " " Didn't I tell you I had my deaf ear to it? " " How dare you try to pass it off with a flippant jest like that? Who are you to presume to insult me?" "Do you really think I wish to insult you?" I asked, very quietly. " What you wish to do I neither know nor care. 62 But it is an insult, as even the commonest instinct of courtesy would tell you." " We rough men of the hills haven't much to do with courtesy." " You are not of the hills, you know that. You told me you were no peasant. Do you suppose I can't see that for myself?" I made no reply, and after a pause she added, " I know why it is you will not answer me. You think I must be a coward be- cause I am a woman." " Is that another of the commonest instincts of courtesy the average man's courtesy, I mean?" I said this with the deliberate intention of irritating her to keep her away from the matter. But she saw my purpose instantly. " Will you answer that question of mine? " " Let me finish first with mine, and then you ask what you will." She paused to think, and then nodded as if in answer to her thoughts. " I am not a coward to be frightened by bad news, and I have already guessed the answer to it." " Then there can be no need for me to tell it you," I said. She waited again, and then looking at me fixedly said, with an air of deliberate decision : " If you do not tell me, I will not remain here another minute." This was a challenge to a trial of wills; and I took it up at once. ;< You are not a prisoner," I said, and stepped aside ostentatiously as if to leave the way free for her. " Can I have that horse there? " A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 63 " I'll saddle him for you. I can lead him down to the ravine to where your horse lies, and get your side- saddle." " Which road do I take to get to the railway? " " I don't know, but I can give you a map and a compass." " Get them, please." She had plenty of will, that was certain; but I couldn't afford to let her bluff me. I went into the cottage and rummaged about till I found the compass and the map, and then added a touch of realism. I took a spare revolver and loaded it, and held it out to her with some extra ammuni- tion. " You had better take these as well." She took 1 them and then drove in the spur in her turn, by say- ing in her haughtiest manner : " You shall be paid for them, Burgwan." " You can give the value of them to a c'harity in Belgrade," I answered. We were both angry now. " Are you ready ? " She was pinning her hat, and when I saw that her fingers trembled, I had hard work to persist. But I held on. " Yes," she said, after a moment. We went out and I untethered the horse, and with Chris in close attendance, we walked without speak- ing to the mouth of the ravine, close to where her horse still lay. " Will you hold him, while I get the side-saddle ? " Our eyes met for a moment, and I saw that at last she was convinced I was in earnest. I turned away, feeling bad, and unbuckled the 64 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE girths from the dead animal, and then saddled the one she was to ride. I took plenty of time over the work, too, hoping she would see the madness of what she proposed to do and give in. But she shewed no sign of doing anything of the sort; and at last the work was done. " All is ready," I said, giving a last look at the bridle. " Can you mount by yourself, or shall I help you?" She made no answer, but stood with her head half averted, looking away down the steep mountain road. She was biting her lips strenuously, and the fingers which held up her skirt were tightly, almost fiercely, clenched. Eloquent little proofs of the struggle that was raging between pride and prudence. But I held my tongue and just waited. Then she turned to me. She was very pale, but her eyes were flashing. " I thought you were a man," she cried, between her set lips. I met her look steadily without a word. And we stood so for the space of some seconds; her face the embodiment of hot passionate con- temptuousness; mine as impassive as a stone. " And what a coward you are ! " I stood as though my ears were indeed deaf. She still hesitated; and the woman who hesitates can be saved as well as lost. Then came the last effort of her pride. " Lead the horse to that stone. I will not soil myself by letting you help me." I led him where she pointed; and she mounted with the ease of a practised horsewoman. She even gath- A CONTEST IN WILL POWER 65 ered up the reins and settled herself in the saddle; and then waited to look almost yearningly for some sign from me. I gave none, but held the bridle as if T had been her groom. Chris stood looking from one to the other of us as if in deep perplexity. " Will you take the dog? " I asked. Then came the end. " Do you mean me to go? " It was all I had been waiting for. "No, not now," I answered at once; "since you see the folly of it." "How dare you? I WILL go now;" and she gripped the reins tightly and touched the horse with her heel. But he hadn't much fire in him, and obeyed my hand on the bridle instead of her heel. I held him with my left hand and stretched out the other toward her. " Come; you had better dismount. This folly has gone far enough ; " and I put as much command and authority as possible into my tone. I shall never forget the look she gave me, nor my surprise when a second later she put her hand into mine and slipped off the saddle. The rush of relief was too great for her to simulate further anger. " How hard you can be. I though you meant it," she murmured. " You shouldn't try us both in this way," I said. " I had to show you that my will is stronger than yours; and 'you made the lesson hard." " Would you have let me go? " she asked. " No, certainly not." 66 " Oh, I wish I had held out," she exclaimed, vehe- mently. I smiled. "We call it bluff in the States; and I am an older hand at it than you. That's all." "The States?" she asked quickly. "What States?" " United States. I am an American, you see, nat- uralised, that is; I'm English by birth." "American? English? But I thought . . ." Face, eyes, everything eloquent of questioning sur- prise. " Yes, I know. You thought all sorts of things except the right one. But anyway, I'm not quite the coward you thought just now.' " Don't." " No, I won't again. Come, let us get back to the cottage. We haven't lost after all by this we have the side-saddle." " I don't know what to think or say," she cried, in dismay. " I can understand your purpose. But let us get back, please ; " and with that we went, I leading the horse as before and she walking by my side, Chris keeping close to her as though in some way he under- stood everything. Again it was a silent walk at first; but this time the motives for silence were very different. * , "I REALLY BELIEVE THE BARONESS THINKS YOU ARE A PEASANT IN DISGUISE." CHAPTER V. UNWELCOME VISITORS. That contest of wills, followed by my avowal that I was an American, marked another very distinct ad- vance toward a better understanding between us. My companion's interest was stimulated and her curiosity piqued; and our relationship was at once placed upon a footing of personal equality. She made 'that plain intentionally, I think her mo- mentary chagrin at defeat in the trial of strength be- tween us overshadowed completely by her sense of relief and reassurance. Chris was a great help to us just then. He seemed to have settled it in his thoughts there had been trouble which was now put right, and he stalked along by her side, thrusting his great nose into her hand, nestling his head against her, and giving many signs of his satisfaction. She caressed him gently, and presently, with a half glance at me, she said, as if to him : " And are you American, too, Chris ? And is your name really Chris?" " He's American born, not like his master, and his name is really Chris," I replied. " And have you a strong temper, too, Chris? " "Like master like dog. He. can show his teeth 68 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE at need,',' I said with a smile. " But he can be a staunch friend to those who trust him." " Does he show them to women? " she asked, turn- ing to flash her eyes upon me. "Is that quite fair?" " You can show yours," she said, shrugging her shoulders. " I've seen him hold a man up with a growl when I knew he didn't mean to bite. Just as a lesson, you know." " I would trust my hand between HIS teeth," she answered, as she thrust her fingers into his great mouth. The rascal mouthed them, and fawned upon her and looked up in her face. " Ah, he's kissing it to congratulate you on hav- ing made peace," I said drily; and she drew her hand away so heartily that for a moment I feared I had offended her. But I 'had not. " Does HE understand what you call ' bluff ' ? " was her next question, after a pause. " He's very much like me in many ways." " I can believe that. He is so silent about him- self." " Like us both in that, perhaps, isn't he? " " Is that a reproach or a question? " she retorted, and added, seriously, " I cannot tell you about my- self; but you shall know some day." " I am not asking. We'll leave it unsaid on both sides, shall we at any rate for the present ana just take each other on trust? " " As you will. I have learnt my lesson and shall not question you." The reply was given with a mix- UNWELCOME VISITORS 69 ture of irony, rebellion, and assumed submissiveness in manner and tone. " I am glad to find you so ready a pupil. Chris there could tell you that where there's a toughish job to handle he finds it best to let me go my own way." We had reached the cottage, and she was entering the door as I said this. She turned quickly, and threw up her head. "You expect a dog's obedience, then?" " From Chris, yes," and I smiled. " From me, I mean. You know I mean that." " From you I ask nothing except to do what your judgment prompts, tempered perhaps by your trust in in Chris." " In Chris's master, you mean. Why don't you say it?" " Old Chris would do nothing I didn't approve; so it's about the same thing," I answered, and led the horse away, tethered him, and having loosened the girths gave him a feed, and fetched him some water from the spring. When I returned with it she was standing by the house. "Can I help you?" " Not in this, thank you." " In what, then ? I have nothing to do." " I'm afraid I can't find you anything." " Don't you do any work in the camp, then ? " " Not to-day. You see it's a kind of holiday." "Why?" " The work here is finished. I'm getting ready to leave. As soon as Georgev that's the guide, you know gets back, I shall be off." 70 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE " I suppose I am not to ask what the work was? " She asked this with a smile and a shrug, contriving to convey the impression that while she was impa- tiently curious the question had behind it no vestige of distrust. " I did not intend to tell you, but if you wish it I will. This is a prospecting expedition. I've been looking to see if any mines could be opened here. Of course, it's a sort of secret, you know." "Oh, you're hoping to make money here?" and the glance she gave at my clothes told me her thought. " You are an engineer? " " No, I am a prospector. I have done it before in the States." " I hope you will be successful. But I am sure you will. You are the kind of man that does suc- ceed ; so masterful, I mean." We both smiled at the word. " Yes," she added, as if in answer to my thought; " I am judging by what has just occurred, for one thing." " I am afraid I seem a bit of a brute." " I don't think so. I I was very angry when I said what I did. I I didn't mean it; and I'm I'm sorry." " I'm not. I know you don't think it now; but you meant it then; and it was just what anyone else would have meant and said. It helped us to under- stand things better. That's all. I was very much afraid you meant to ride off alone, and then . . . well, I don't know about then." " I wish I had known your thoughts," she said, with a sort of half mischievous regret. UNWELCOME VISITORS Ji " You mean you would have outplayed me?" She nodded and smiled, " Yes." " Well, please don't try it again. It might be very dangerous play." " I won't, I promise you," she said readily, under- standing from my serious tone that I was very much in earnest. " When you use that tone I have no rebellion left in me. I am like Chris, I suppose, in that." Chris himself interrupted us then by growling, and looking round I saw Karasch coming from the tent. " Chris hates Karasch," I told her. " The man struck him once savagely, and I had all my work to keep the dog from his throat. He never forgets. You can see now that every hair on his neck is bristl- ing with anger; and Karasch won't come near him." " He is a fierce looking man," she said. " But he will serve me now, faithfully, and Chris must make friends with him. Will you go into the hut a moment? Come, Chris," and as she went away I led the dog to Karasch and made him understand that he was to regard the man as a friend. It was not easy, for Karasch himself was afraid; but I stood by while he patted the dog's head, and I made Chris lick his hand. Then I sent him back to the hut. " Now, Karasch, what is it? " I asked. " The devil is it, Burgwan. I slept and Petrov has gone." It was ugly news, and made me grave. " So you couldn't even keep watch, for all your big words," I said angrily. " It has never chanced so before," he replied sul- 72 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE lenly; and his glance across toward the cottage told me the thought behind the words. " If you were to cut your finger I suppose you'd set it down to the same cause just now. You have served me an ill turn. You can send Gartski to find him, the sooner the better." " You are mad, Burgwan." " Mad to have trusted to your keeping awake, per- haps. Not in this. If one has got away, where's the use of keeping the other? When we had both safe, it was well; but two can do no more harm than one away; and we needn't be bothered by keeping watch over a traitor. I'll speak to him." " Come here, Gartski." He rose sheepishly and crossed to me. " How long has Petrov been gone, and where has he gone? " " I was asleep, and know nothing," he lied glibly. ' Yesterday, when the trouble was here, you took my side; now you are against me, and want to go." " I am not against you," he began, with much gesticulation. " Don't lie. I have means of knowing everything in your thoughts." He shrank back a pace and trembled, and crossed himself. '' You know what I mean, I see," I said. It was no good to have a reputation for witchcraft and not make use of it. " If you lie to me now," I went on, looking into his eyes with as fierce an expression as I could assume, " you will not outlive the present moon. Tell the truth, and no harm will come to you." Glancing at my hand I saw I had broken the UNWELCOME VISITORS 73 skin in tending the horse, and I smeared a little circle of blood on the tent post close by. " If that dries be- fore you speak, it will be too late, Gartski," I said, solemnly. It seemed to be a very reliable card to play, this superstition of theirs. He looked at the little circle in horror, his face went ashen white and he trembled violently. "We meant nothing against you, Burgwan; only against the witch," he mumbled. " It is drying fast, Gartski. Beware." " Petrov has gone to get help to deal with her." " To murder her, you mean? " " It is no murder. To kill her for your sake, I swear." " Where has he gone? " " To the priest at Lalwor the hill village." " How far is that, and in which direction? " " Four leagues up the hills to the south." " How long has he been gone? " " Less than an hour." " Come; " and I put my hand on his shoulders, and led him out of the tent. " I have no use for spies and traitors here. You can go after him. Get away, or I'll set the dog on you ; " and with that I shoved him from me with a parting kick to which the rage I felt gave additional force. He limped a few paces and then turned and looked back at me. " Go," I thundered, making a step toward him, and then he ran in a limping fashion comical enough to have drawn a smile had the position been less grave. I had frightened enough of the truth out of him 74 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE to show me that no ill results could follow for a few hours. It would take Petrov some three hours to reach the hill village; some time would be needed to get together a posse, and I felt that I might safely wait an hour or two longer in the hope that Georgev would arrive. But it was clear now that we might have to start before he arrived, so I questioned Karasch as to his knowledge of the country which we should have to cross. Somewhat to my dismay he declared he knew nothing of it. I returned to the hut then and found the " witch " studying the map. " I was going to ask you for that," I said. " Can we start ? " " Not yet; I am still waiting for the guide and the horses he may have with him; but I want to make out our way." Instead of giving it to me she clasped her hands over it as it lay on her lap. " I want to ask you a favour." Things were changing indeed. "Well?" " Won't you tell me what all this means ? You have had more words with your men. I know it is about me. Won't you tell me?" "They are a set of fools; and they are all gone now, except the big fellow, Karasch, whose arm is hurt broken, in fact." " Of course, it is on my account, and, of course, also it means danger of some kind. I am not afraid UNWELCOME VISITORS 75 to know it with with Chris and and you to protect me." " I have quarrelled with the men have just kicked one of them out of the camp, in fact. That's all." She sighed and lifted her hands. " Can't you see that this uncertainty is worse to bear than any knowledge could be, however bad?" She was strangely gentle now. " You needn't exaggerate things because you don't know them." " Here is the map. You try me very much. Tell me, please," she urged as I took the map. I fingered it thoughtfully. " You must not frighten yourself." " I am not frightened except that I think there must be some terrifying news you keep back, fearing to frighten me. You put a great strain on my nerves." " I had not thought of that, and there is no need for it. I will tell you enough to show you that. I have had trouble with the men; and it is about you. They are only under me because I hired them to do certain work. Well, that prisoner whom I shot in the leg yesterday got at them with a tale that you were a prisoner of such importance that a consider- able sum of money was to be paid for your safe deliv- ery at Maglai; and they had a fancy to help in earn- ing it. We quarrelled about it, and they've left the camp. " Who do they say I am? " 'They do not know, and could not tell me; of course; and I myself do not even know how to ad- 76 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE dress you. You must have seen this whether ma- dame or mademoiselle even? " " You put your question adroitly, Burg-wan. Are you Burgwan, really? But you can't be, of course. You are American." " It is the name I have here ; and I did not know how pleasant a sound it had until I heard you speak it. I would rather you called me by that name than any other. And you? " She had her hands in her lap and kept her eyes bent down as she slowly clasped and unclasped her white fingers. Then she lifted her face and looked at me with a slow, hesitating smile. " You might call me Barinschja." " That is Russian for an unmarried woman, isn't it?" " Did you think I was married? " The smile in her grey eyes was unmistakably brighter. " I did not think you were Russian." " I am not. I am a Serb." " Then what we have to do is to get you to Bel- grade as soon as possible, Barinschja," and I turned to the map. " No. I cannot be Barinschja to you. I will be mademoiselle." " I thank you." I understand enough Russian to appreciate the difference. Barinschja is from in- ferior to superior; mademoiselle from equal to equal. " Then it shall be mademoiselle. Now for the map." " No, not yet. You have forgotten something. You have spoken of the man you wounded yester- day, but not of the one you fought and bound. It is UNWELCOME VISITORS 77 he who has gone free, isn't it, to fetch his com- rades? " " Yes, but I did not mean to tell you. How did you guess ? " " From what you said before you before we" fetched that side saddle." She smiled as she changed the phrase. " When you would not answer the ques- tion, which I tried to force you to answer." " Mademoiselle is very quick-witted." " And Burgwan can be very obstinate," she re- torted; and I smiled in my turn. " The fellow was set free by my men, but I do not think he can get back in time to do any harm." " And why have your men deserted you ? " " They were not bound to remain with me." " Then the desertion had nothing to do with me? " " Yes, I told you we quarrelled about you. But I wish to see our course; will you let me study the map?" ' Yes, if you will assure me that their desertion bodes no danger." " Is Burgwan or Mademoiselle in charge of things here?" "Will Burgwan answer Mademoiselle's question? Why did those men say there was a price on my head?" " It was all nonsense, of course." '* But I wish to know. I have a right to know." " They said you had done something or other, and that they were to be paid handsomely for getting you to Maglai." " Do you know what they said? " 78 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE '' Yes that you had committed some crime." " Some crime ! " she cried, in quite indignant astonishment. Then she laughed scornfully. " Do you believe it? " " No. If I did, it would make no difference." " A criminal ! With a price on my head ! What can it mean? " This was more to herself than to me, so I plunged into a study of the map, and in a few minutes had made out a part of the route we should have to go. " I am no criminal, Burgwan," she said, breaking in suddenly on my study of the map. " I didn't need to be told. This is the way we shall have to go at first "; and I drew her attention to the map. While we were examining it, Chris grew restless, and at length got up and stood sniffing the air and the ground and listening. "What is it, Chris, old dog? " He came and nosed my hand and then went a few yards off and pointing towards the ravine, growled. " Someone is about," I said, as I folded up the map and put it in my pocket. " Will you go into the hut, Mademoiselle ? It may be the guide Georgev or it may not ; and may mean trouble of some sort. Take Chris with you and shut the door. He'll answer for anyone who tries to bother you. Chris, inside; on guard, good dog." He understood and obeyed at once, although his eyes said he would rather stay with me. I strolled half way to the. te.nt and called to Kar- asch, who came out. UNWELCOME VISITORS 79 " I think someone is coming up the ravine, Kar- asch. It may be Georgev, or some of the men in search of Mademoiselle yonder. You mean to stand by me?" " On my oath, yes. But if they are in search of her, you'd better give her to them, Burgwan." " Stop that fool talk, and leave everything to me; and do exactly as I tell you from start to finish." Then I heard the sound of horses' hoofs, and I lit a cigar and sat down to wait for the riders. There were three of them, and the first glance showed me Georgev was not among them. I sat smoking until they rode up, then I rose slowly. " Are you the new men hired by the guide, Georgev? " I asked. " No," answered one who appeared to be the leader. "Is there a man named Karasch here?" " What do you want? " I asked. " An answer to my question. And I mean to have it. This is the place, sure enough," he said, turning to his companions. " The tent and the hut; " and he nodded toward each. " You're Karasch, by your description," he said to Karasch. " Where's the prisoner? " " I'm in charge here. Put your questions to me," I broke in, brusquely. Resenting my tone, he looked at me more sharply than before, and then laughed. " I know you. You must be the man who rescued our prisoner yesterday and shot Drago. You'll answer for that, I promise you; but I don't want any trouble. Your other men are on our side, you know." 8o THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " The man I shot lies in the tent there with a broken leg. The prisoner you seek is in the cot- tage." " That's better," he cried, with a sneering laugh. " You know when you're beaten, I see." I shrugged my shoulders as if indifferent. " We're only two here, and Karasch has a broken arm. So you're not likely to have much trouble." "Where are the others?" he asked, suspiciously, as if half fearing an ambush. " There were five of you." " One, Andreas, lies out on the hills somewhere, hurt riding after your comrade in the night. Petrov and Gartski have gone to Lalwor, the hill village yonder, seeking help to take the prisoner." " You'll have to come with us." " That's as it may be. But we've no horses. Your fool of a man killed ours last night, so that we shouldn't get away until you returned. But he didn't expect you so soon." " Nor did you, I expect. We came upon our comrade on the hills by chance this morning, too ill even to put a leg across a horse. It's all that devil's work. He wishes he'd had no hand in the black business, I can tell you. And so will you." " You can take her as soon as you like the sooner the better. She's caused enough trouble here," I answered, and putting my cigar between my lips I sat down again and lolled back as if in lazy indiffer- ence. But my indifference was not even skin deep. My object was to make them confident that there was no UNWELCOME VISITORS 81 sort of resistance to be expected, and every nerve and sense in me was on the alert. I was making- a kind of corner in risks just then, and should need all my wits to avoid being squeezed. I was already fully resolved to use the three horses thus fortunately brought within my reach, and my first step was to get the present riders off their backs. The second would be to keep them off; and the third to put Mademoiselle, myself, and Karasch in their places. Karasch had said that the " witch " could bring horses our way if she pleased; and when I looked his way and saw his eyes glance meaningly from me to the horses, I was half persuaded that he connected their presence with some supernatural agency. The three men spoke together a moment and then the leader dismounted, handed the reins of his horse to one of the others, and came toward me. " I daresay you mean to act all right and give up the prisoner," he said, bluntly; " but while we stay here I'm going to make sure you can't play any trick upon us by tying your hands behind you. Stand up." As he spoke he signed to the other two, who levelled their guns point blank at me. It was a wholly unexpected turn and seemed to spell crisis. Not seeing for the moment what to do, I made no effort to rise, and he repeated his com- mand. " Get up," he cried this time with an oath. " We've no time to waste over you." CHAPTER VI. A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES. I met the man's bullying look and glanced from him along the barrels of the guns which his com- panions held pointed at me; and then sat up. " I don't see the necessity for it," I said, quietly. " No, but I see it, and mean to do it. Get up at once, or you may find it difficult ever to rise again," he said, savagely. I scrambled up leisurely, dropping my hand into the pocket where I had my revolver, and my fingers closed on it as I held it ready to shoot without draw- ing it out. One of the educational advantages of life in a rough mining camp in the West is the use of a revolver from the safe concealment of a pocket. This man didn't appear to understand the trick. I didn't want his blood on my hands; but I wasn't going to let him tie me up as he proposed. " Turn round," he ordered. " Wait a moment," I said, quite coolly. " If you do this, how am I to know you'll set me free again when you go ? " " Do as I tell you," he cried savagely with another oath. " No, by God, no." A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 83 This was from Karasch, very loudly and angrily spoken, and the man turned from me to him. "What do you mean?" " What I say. This was my doing from the first. I set your man free to go and find you and bring you here; but this shan't be done." The interruption was very timely, and I took ad- vantage by it to edge away until I was sheltered from the guns by the leader's body. " What Karasch says is right enough. But you need not say any more, Karasch. There won't be any more talk about binding, me or anyone else." " By the Cross, but there will ! " cried the leader fiercely, and was turning to give an order to his com- panions when I gripped him by the shoulder and held him. " Don't move. You're just in the line between those two guns and me, and I can talk all the more comfortably while you stay there." Karasch laughed, and the man tried in vain to wriggle out of my grip. " I'm covering you all the time with my revolver, and if you get away I shall shoot. You've been a deal nearer death all the while than you thought," and I showed the ugly little muzzle above the edge of my pocket. The argument carried conviction. He ceased to struggle, and changed colour. " Tell those men of yours to throw their guns on the ground. They might go off by accident, and I'm not taking that kind of risk any longer." He hesitated, and I showed him a bit more of my pocket argument, 84 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " I'm accustomed to be obeyed pretty quickly. Ask Karasch there," I said, drily. Karasch laughed again and swore. The leader shouted the command over his shoul- der, and after some demur it was obeyed. " Go and pick the guns up, Karasch, and get this man's from his horse, and bring them to the tent," I said, and waited while he fetched them. Then I took my hand from the leader's shoulder and stepped back. " Now we shall all breathe a little more freely. You see the kind of soft fool you've got to deal with in me now, and you won't make any more mistakes of this kind. There are two ways of doing what you've come to do the rough and the smooth. You've tried the rough and have run up against a snag. Now we'll go to the tent and talk over the smooth way." " Give us our prisoner, and we'll go." " But Karasch and I wish to go with you, and I want to explain to you the little difficulty your man has put in the way. Come." " I don't want to go there." " If you'd rather go straight to hell, you can," I exclaimed, fiercely. " Choose, and be quick about it." " I'll come," he said, sullenly. " You can tell your men there we're going to talk, and that they may as well bait their horses. We may be some time." He was getting to be quite an apt pupil. He turned and gave the order, and the two men stepped A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 85 from their saddles and growled to him to make haste. I led him round the tent to the shed where the three dead horses lay. " Last night your man killed them. You see, there are three of them." "Well?" " Well, there are three dead ones here, killed by your man, and there are three live ones out there on which you have just ridden up." "You don't mean what DO you mean?" he asked. He was beginning to understand. " How do you propose to make up that loss to me?" He laughed uncomfortably. " You're a cool hand," he said. " I'm cool enough just now," I returned drily; " and none the safer on that account, perhaps, to fool with. How are you going to replace those three horses? " " Speak out, and to hell with you," he growled. " I propose an exchange, that's all. You can have these, and I'll take yours and cry quits." His face was a study; rage battling with the con- viction of helplessness as he glared at me. "You are three to two, I know; but we're well armed, and you have nothing but your knives. I could put a bullet into you at this minute just as easily, and much more surely than your men could have shot me a while since." He started, and I saw his hand go stealing to his sash. " I shouldn't draw it if I were you," I said quietly. 86 THE QUEENS ADVOCATE He took the advice and stood thinking in sore per- plexity. Then I made my first mistake. " I'll treat you fairly. I shall pay you for the horses, and will send you a couple of hundred gulden for each of them, good Austrian money." His eyes lighted; and I read it for a sign of avarice. " Six hundred gulden," he said slowly and with gusto. " Six hundred gulden. It is a large sum of money; but we should be without horses; " and he looked at me cunningly. " I'll make it a thousand." " Easy to promise. As easy a thousand as ten." " What I promise I can do." " May the Stone of the Sepulchre crush me if I understand," he exclaimed after a pause. " It may help you to decide if I remind you I can take the horses without even promising a single gulden." "And about the prisoner?" " She goes with me." "Why?" " Because she prefers to." " So that we lose the payment for her as well as our horses." " How much were you to be paid? " He paused as if in doubt how much to ask. " Five hundred gulden each. There are six of us." He watched me closely as he named the amount. " Three thousand gulden ! " She must be a pris- oner of importance. Who is she? " 'A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 87 " It's a long road to Maglai and a difficult." " That doesn't answer my question. Your man told mine she was a witch." He laughed. " So we were told. Any tale was good enough to listen to at that price. We can't talk so glibly about hundreds and thousands of gulden as you can." " Then YOU don't think she is a witch? " " I believe what I'm paid to believe if the pay is high enough. And no one would pay such a sum for a mere witch." " I'll pay you the three thousand gulden and the six hundred as well, if you let me have the horses quietly, and tell Karasch what you told me, that the prisoner is no witch." He laughed again, and with sudden change to earnest he shot a sharp look at me and asked : " How will you pay ? Who are you to have such a sum? " " No matter who I am. I will send you the money to any place and in any way you name." " Horses are horses, and I know who is to pay for the prisoner when we get to Maglai." " And I'll increase the price four thousand gulden if you give me the name of the man who has em- ployed you." " I'd like to serve you, if you really had money to throw away like that." " I'm paying to avoid trouble and to gain informa- tion ; but I mean to have the horses in any case. You can choose." He paused to think again. 88 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " You must be very rich. If I thought you'd pay, I'd do it." " You can take my word." " You don't look it," he said doubtingly, and with an accent of regret. " I'm through with the talk. Choose," I answered, shortly. " I'm ready to risk it, -but I must speak to the others." " That's right enough. You can do that ; but you must bring the horses up to the side of the tent first." I let him go in front of me round the tent, and he called to his companions to lead the horses over to us. Karasch met them half-way, and he and I teth- ered them while the three men held a long and animated discussion. I told Karasch what had passed, emphasising what the leader had said about the prisoner being no witch. " But you said she had put a charm over your life, Burgwan." " Because I saw you were set on killing her. She is no witch, but a prisoner of great importance. They are to have three thousand gulden for taking her to 'Maglai." " Three thousand gulden ! " he cried, his eyes wide at the thought of such a sum. To him it was a for- tune. " Would anyone pay so much for a witch, Kar- asch?" He shook his head. " The man may be lying." I called to him, and he came and confirmed what 'A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 89 he had said to me so stoutly that Karasch was con- vinced. " Are you agreed yet? " " There would be no difficulty if we were sure of you. Can he pay such a sum as four thousand florins? " he asked Karasc'h, nodding his head toward me. " It is a big fortune," was the answer, with a shrug of the shoulders. " But what he promises he always does." Not a very convincing banker's reference that at the best; and the leader shook his head. " That's the point. It's only a promise," he said, slowly, with a shake of the head. " Have you got any of it here to give us now?" The question was asked casually enough, as if it were no more than the occasion warranted; but I saw more than that in it. " I've told you I'd pay you afterwards. That's the last word." "I'll try what I can do then;" and with that he went back to his companions, and the earnest con- ference was resumed. " I don't trust him," said Karasch. " Let us get away quietly with the horses, and we'll trust to ourselves, Karasch," said I. " Can you pay such a sum as he named ? " "Yes, ten times the amount, Karasch; and ten times that again if necessary." " Great Lord of the Living ! " he exclaimed. " And yet you come here to the hills in this way ! " The three men had now apparently ended their conference, and the leader came across to me. 9 o THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Two of us are agreed," he said, as he reached me, " but one will not without proof. Let me see our comrade whom you shot. He must have a voice in it too." " He is in the tent here," I answered. We entered it, and he went and knelt by the wounded man. I did not trust him any more than did Karasch, and, although I noticed nothing to rouse my sus- picions, I watched the two closely, and kept my hand on the revolver in my pocket, and told Karasch to watch the two outside. So far all had gone as well as I could have wished, We had the horses under our hands, and the men were divided so that we could deal with them in turn should they attempt to put up a fight. Such a thing seemed far from their thoughts, moreover. From the snatches of talk I heard, the leader appeared to be arguing with his comrade, urg- ing him to agree, and answering the objections which he raised. Words began to run high between them presently, and at length the leader cursed the other volubly for a fool and got up. " I can do nothing with this pig," he exclaimed angrily to me. " You must settle your own matters, and be quick about it," I returned sharply. I was getting very anxious now on account of mademoiselle. She had been shut up in the cottage all the time, and knowing nothing of what was pass- ing between the men and me it was easy to guess the effect which so trying a suspense would have upon her. r A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 91 "What can I do? He vows that if I yield to you he will denounce me at Belgrade idiot, pig, and fool that he is," he cried furiously, pacing the floor and throwing his hands about. " We are equally divided now, two to two." " The meney I shall pay would be a fortune for the two who help me. The others would have no part in earning it, and no right to share it. Two thous- and gulden, you know." He had passed me, and at the words turned and stood looking at me with an expression of consum- mate cunning. " You are the devil to tempt a man," he muttered. " Give me your help in this, and I'll make your share three thousand," I said, in a low tone. " Three thousand gulden," he murmured under his breath. " Three thousand gulden for myself." " And you shall have the horse we have and come with us as guide to where we wish to go. You know the country? " " Every yard of it. Three thousand gulden ! " He murmured it almost caressingly, like a man dazed at the prospect of such riches. " I'll do it," he ex- claimed, and threw up 'his hand. " You'll swear on the cross to pay me?" He made a couple of steps toward me as he spoke, and I stepped back, not wishing him to come too close. " Now," he cried, and sent up a great shout. There was a guttural sound behind me, and the next instant I felt the burning sting of steel in my flesh as the wounded man thrust a knife into my leg 9 2 with a force and suddenness that made me stagger; a clutch on my coat followed, which upset my bal- ance and drew me back all a-sprawl across him. Only by the narrowest chance did I escape death then the chance that in falling I so hampered the man that he could not deliver the second thrust for which 'he had already lifted his knife. He struck at me, but missed his aim. The blade pierced my coat only, and, mercifully, I was unhurt. I was out of his reach before he could strike again, and with a heavy kick I put his arm out of action and sent the knife flying across the tent while I shouted for Karasch. It was all the work of an instant, and I was barely on my legs before the leader rushed at me. My fingers were still closed on my revolver and I fired, but in the confusion missed him, and we grappled one another in grim earnest. He was a more powerful man than I, and although I strove with all my strength and used every trick of the wrestling ring that I knew, I could not shake him off. He knew I was losing blood from the wound in my leg; and he clung to me, pinning my arms to my side, and waiting for my strength to give out, as assuredly it must. For some minute or two matters were thus; his arms wrapped round me with the force of iron clamps, fixing mine to my sides; his muscular body pressed, straining against mine, and our faces so close that I could feel his breath on me as it came through his dilated nostrils. Then chance was my friend once more. As I writhed and staggered in my desperate efforts to A FIGHT FOR THE HORSES 93 shake off his terrible grip, and we tossed and swayed in that grim, wild struggle, he caught his foot and down we went crash to the ground, he undermost. His grip relaxed for the instant, and with a frantic effort I thrust myself free from him, and scrambling up jumped out of his reach. In a second I had the drop on him; and when he regained his feet and faced me with a heavy club he had picked up, he was looking down the barrel that meant death. If I hadn't been a dhicken-hearted fool I should have shot him down on the spot ; but instead I offered him his life ; and then, as if in contempt of my weak- ness, Fortune deserted me. " Throw your hands up, or I'll put a bullet into you," I cried. He stood a second as if weighing the chances, and then from outside came the noise of trouble. The crash of breaking wood, a cry from the girl, the sav- a g e growl of Chris, and an angry shout in Kar- asch's deep voice. It was almost the last thing I knew of that fight. Maddened by the sounds I sprang to rush from the tent, when the wounded man, resourceful daredevil as he was, made his last effort and flung his rug right at my face. The last thing I saw was the leader springing to- ward me with his uplifted club; I fired at him; and the same moment a blow on the head finished the fight, and I went down stunned and senseless. CHAPTER VII. ESCAPE. My first conscious sensation after the blow felled me was as singular as it was unpleasant. I seemed' to be nothing but one huge head on which a hundred invisible smiths were hammering with quick, rhyth- mic blows, each of which gave me such excruciating pain that I yearned to cry out to the impish torturers to cease, but was tongue-tied and helpless. After a time the throbbing sensation decreased in violence; but while the sharpness of the pain of each throb was less, it lasted longer, producing a deaden- ing sickening ache, which was equally intolerable. Next I felt something touch my hand with a curi- ously restless movement. The thing was some- times cold and damp, and at others warm and cling- ing, with a touch now and then of roughness. I tried to draw my hand away, but found it heavier than the heaviest metal, so that I could not stir even a ringer. I shrank from the thing and shuddered; it rilled me with a sense of uncanny terror; and it appeared to be many long hours to me before I found that it was Chris, nosing and licking me and rubbing his head against my hand. I can recall to this day the rush of relief which this discovery produced, If Chris was by my^ side, all ESCAPE 95 must be well. Just that one vague thought, without any other conscious connection, followed by a sensa- tion of calm peaceful comfort. I think I passed from semi-insensibility then into sleep, for when I became conscious again, I was much better. I was no longer all head; I could move my hand to touch Chris, who still kept his watch over me; and I heard his little whimper of pleasure at my caress, as he took my fingers in his great mouth to mumble them, as his manner was when very demon- strative of his affection. But I was content to lie quite still and soon after- wards another and very different set of sensations were started. Someone came to my side, a fairy touch smoothed the pillow under my head, a gentle, cool hand was laid on my burning forehead, deft, quick fingers light as gossamer removed the bandage on my head and bathed it with water of deliciously refreshing cold- ness. I heard a pitying sigh from tremulous lips as the someone bent over me; I caught whispered words. " It was for me ; " and just when I was striving to open my eyes, the lips were pressed swiftly and gently to my brow. It did more to soothe me, that one swift, gentle touch, than all the waters of all the coldest rivers in the world could have done; and although I felt like a guilty hypocrite, I kept my eyes closed and my limbs still in eager hope that another dose of the same elixir might be administered. But at the moment I felt the deft fingers start and 9 6 tremble; the bathing recommenced a little more hur- riedly; and Chris growled.- " Hush, Chris, good dog," whispered Mademois- elle. " It's only Karasch. Dear old dog," and a hand left my head to pat him, and in patting him, the fingers touched mine and then lifted my hand with ever so gentle a movement higher on to the bed. A heavier tread approached. " Is he better? " It was Karasch's gruff voice re- duced to a whisper. " I have been bathing his head," was the reply. I could have laughed in sheer ecstasy at the sweet remembrance of part of that treatment. And she called it " bathing." But I did better than laugh. I moved slightly and sighed. I must not show full consciousness too soon after that " bathing." " He moved then," she said, with a start, in a tone of pleasure, and I felt her bend hurriedly over me again in the pause that followed. Karasch broke the silence. " It is not safe for you to stay any longer," he said. " I came to tell you." The words opened the floodgates of my memory to all that had occurred. I had forgotten every- thing; but in a moment I understood. " I told you I should not leave him, Karasch." " He would wish it, I know. Your safety comes first with him." " Come where we can speak without fear of dis- turbing him," was the reply; and then I was left alone with Chris. I opened my eyes and looked about me, remem- "PUT THObE GUMS DO\VX ! " Page 96 ESCAPE 97 bering things. I was in the tent close to where I had fallen and they had brought the bed from the cottage and placed me on it. I looked about for the wounded man who had been the cause of my undoing-, but he was not there. Everything else was as it had been before the trouble; and I wondered what had happened. " Good Chris, old dog-," I said, putting out my hand to pat him. He barked, not very loudly, but the sound jarred my head with such a spasm of pain that I hushed him ; and as I was doing 1 so, Mademois- elle and Karasch came hurrying back. " You are better, Burgwan? " she asked. "What does it all mean?" I asked. "I remem- ber I had a crack on the head." I lifted my head, though it took all I knew not to wince at the pain it cost me, and put my hand to it. " We will tell you everything presently. You mustn't talk yet. You are not strong enough." "Tell me now. I am all right;" but I was glad to yield to her hand and lay my head down again. "Where are those men?" " All is well. You may be perfectly at ease," she said, soothingly. "What time is it?" " It is afternoon." "The same day?" ''' Yes, the same day. You have been unconscious from that blow on the head. I am so glad you are better. But you must sleep." I looked across at Karasch, who was staring at me with trouble in his eyes. 98 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE "Did we keep the horses?" I asked him; but Mademoiselle replied. " Yes. All is well. You can rest in perfect safety." Karasch started to say something, but she checked him with a glance and a gesture. "Any news of Petrov or Gartski?" I asked him; and again she gave the answer for him. " They will give us no trouble now, none at all," she said, with gentle firmness. " You can rest quite assured." Again Karasch wanted to speak and again she stopped him just as before with a glance and a quick gesture. I understood then. " I want to speak to Karasch alone," I said. " No, you must not speak to him yet. There will be plenty of time when you are better. Go away, Karasch; you disturb Burgwan and excite him." He lingered in hesitation and looked at me; and she repeated her words dismissing him. " Yes go, Karasch, and saddle the horses. Three of them ; and put together enough food for three of us for a couple of days. And come and report the moment you are ready." " Burgwan ! You are mad," cried Mademoiselle. " No, I am just beginning to be sane again. Go, Karasch ; " and without any more he left the tent. " You must not attempt such folly. I will not go." " You'll find it both lonely and unsafe alone here then." She smiled at that, but tried to frown. " That is just like you. But you shall not take ESCAPE 99 this risk. You are not fit to move from where you are." " Fit or unfit, I'm going. I read Karasch's mean- ing in his looks when you wouldn't let him put it in words." " Don't attempt this, Burgwan. Please, please don't," she cried with such sweet solicitude for me and such complete indifference to her own danger that I could not but be deeply moved. " What would happen if Petrov or Gartski got back with a crowd? I'm not strong enough just yet to do any more fighting, but I am strong enough to run away. And run away I'm going to." " It may kill you," s'he murmured, despondently. " Not a bit of it. I am getting stronger every moment. See, I can sit up; " and I sat up and tried to smile as if I enjoyed it, although my head seemed almost to split in two with the effort. I can't have been very successful, for she winced and flinched as though she herself were in suffering. " You need rest and sleep you must have it." " I can sleep in the saddle. I'm an old hand at that." " But the jolting oh, no, no, you shall not." " The jolting won't hurt me. I can shake my head any old way now." I shook it, and she and the tent and the bed, the earth itself seemed to come tumbling all about me in a bewildering rush of throb- bing pain. ' You nearly fainted then," she cried. And I sup- pose I did, for her voice sounded far off and her sor- row-filled face and eyes were looking at me through ioo THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE a hazy film of distance. But I pulled myself together. " I'm a bit weak, of course, but fit enough to ride." " Burgwan ! You are going to do this madness for me." " No, no," I said, my head clearing again. " I am just running away because I'm afraid of what may happen to me if I stay until Petrov and the other fools get here." " Let me go by myself then." "And desert me?" She lifted her hands with a glance of protest. "You make things so difficult," s'he cried; then with a change as a new thought occurred to her, she added : " Beside, there is another reason for you not to come with me. You are so weak we should not be able to ride fast enough. You must see that." " You fear I should hamper your escape? " " Yes," she answered stoutly, although her eyes were contradicting her words and she dropped them before my look. " You are not strong enough." I affected to believe the words and not the eyes. " I give in. You must go alone then." " I am not afraid to stay." " And face the brutes who would come here? Do you know why they are coming? " " Yes. Karasch has told me all his own belief about me, and that of the others." " You are brave, Mademoiselle." The words were simple enough in themselves, but I think she read in them something of what was in my thoughts. She kept 'her head bent down and her ESCAPE 101 interlocked fingers worked nervously. Then she looked up and smiled. "You know the risk you would run; why would you do it ? " I asked. She threw off the more earnest feeling with a shrug of the shoulders. " I don't know that there would be any risk." I took this as her way of avoiding the channel into which we were drifting. I smiled. " You would be so helpless, too, alone here," I said. " Alone ? " catching at the word. " Yes alone. I am afraid to stay and am going in any cas.e ; if not with you, to hamper you, then by a different road." Her eyes clouded and she gave a little nervous start. " I am punished; but I I didn't mean that," she said very slowly. " I know. If I had not seen your real motive I might have been content to stay. Nothing would have mattered then. " Burgwan ! " Quick protest and some dismay were in her tone; and the colour rushed to her cheeks. " I will go and see if Karasch is ready," she added, and hurried away. Had I said too much and offended her? I sat look- ing after her some moments, in somewhat anxious doubts and fears, and yet conscious of a strange feel- ing of exhilaration. Then with a sigh of perplexed discontent I threw back the rug, rolled off the bed, and got on my feet. I was abominably weak. My brain swam with every movement I made, so that the place whirled about 102 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE me until I must have nearly fainted. My leg was stiff and painful where that treacherous brute had run his knife into me. I remember looking at the bed with a sort of feverish longing to get back on to it almost impossible to resist as I clung to the tent pole to steady myself and let my head clear. " It's got to be done, Chris, old man," I said to the old dog, who was standing by me; and after a struggle resolution lent me strength, and I ventured at length to do without the support of the pole and began to limp slowly and painfully up and down. If there had been no one but myself to think about I should have given in and just lain down again to let happen what might. But the thought of Mademoiselle's danger was tonic enough to keep me going; and when I heard Karasch and her outside, I managed to crawl to the opening of the tent to meet them. " We are ready, you see, Chris and I," I said. Mademoiselle said nothing, but the look in her eyes was full of sweet sympathy and deep anxiety. " I'm afraid I don't look very fit," I murmured. I must have cut a sorry figure, indeed, I expect; my clothes rough and torn, begrimed with dirt and smeared here and there with blood, my head swathed in a bandage, and my face pale to whiteness above and blackened below with my sprouting beard. " I wish you could laugh at me. It would do me a power of good." " Laugh ! Burgwan ! " she said, her lips trem- bling. She put out 'her hand. " Let me help you. Lean on me." ESCAPE 103 " As if I wanted any help," I laughed, and making an effort, I started toward the horse I was to mount, only to stagger badly after half a dozen steps. In a moment her arm was under mine. " You see," she exclaimed, in quick distress. But I laughed. " Coward, to gloat over my fallen pride. I only tripped over something." " Lean on me," was all she said. " Are you really fit to travel, Burgwan ? " asked Karasch. " Get me on to the horse. I can ride when I can't walk." " I think you should stay here," he declared. " Silence, Karasch," I returned, angrily. My anger was at my own confounded weakness, but I vented it on him. " The air will pull me together." I started again for the horse and this time reached it, and with Karasch to help me, clambered into the saddle. Mademoiselle watched us almost breathlessly. If my face was whiter than hers, I must have looked bad indeed. " Have you got everything, Karasch ? " ' Yes. Food, water and arms ; " and he pointed to the horse he was to ride which was well laden. " I can't help you up, Mademoiselle," I said, with a smile. I seemed to be the only one of the three who could raise a smile; for she looked preternaturally grave and troubled as she mounted, and Karasch as though he had never known a smile since he was born. But then he was never much of a humorist. 104 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " The map and the compass, you have them ? " I asked him. " I have them," said Mademoiselle. " Then we can go. Wait, wait," I exclaimed. " I have forgotten something. I must get off." "What is it?" she asked. " We must have money. It's in the hut. I must get it." " You can't go in there," she said, quickly. "Why not?" " The men are there." "The men there?" I repeated dully, not under- standing. "What are they doing there?" " When you were found in the tent we dared not move you, so we brought the bed across to you and put the wounded men in the cottage." " Yes, of course, you haven't told me yet what occurred. But my money is 'hidden there and we must have it." " We'll fetch it if you tell us where to find it." "Karasch?" I answered, doubtingly. " You can trust him. I am sure of him," she declared with implied confidence. " He is a Serb and would give his life for for us. I would trust him with mine." " There is more there than he thinks. I'd rather he didn't see it all. Life is one thing, money's an- other." " Tell me then. I will get it. He shall go with me to the hut door, but shall not see it." I told her where to find it and she and Karasch dismounted. I waited on my horse and while they* ESCAPE 105 were in the cottage I heard the report of a gun in the distance. Chris started up at the sound and barked in warn- ing. " I don't like the thing either, old dog." I didn't ; for unless I was too dizzy to guess right, it came from the direction of Lahvor and threatened trouble. They lingered an unnecessary time in the cottage and every moment was now dangerous; so I rode up to the door and called them. When they came out Mademoiselle was trembling and looked scared and ill. " I must get them some water, Burgwan," she said, as she handed me the money. " I cannot leave them like that. One of them the one Chris flew at seems to be dying." " We dare not stay ; " and I told them of the gun- shot I had heard. " There will soon be enough here to look after them." Karasch settled the matter with a promptness Which showed what he thought of the news. He threw down the pannikin he carried and shut the door of 'the hut. " Come," I said to her; and seeing we were both so earnest, she gave way and we started. We rode slowly and in silence down the ravine until we reached the mouth of it, and made such speed as we could down the mountain road. 'There's a lot I want to ask; but as the easiest pace for me is a canter, and as it's the safest for us all just now, we'll hurry. We can talk afterwards," I said when we reached the level; and I urged my io6 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE horse on until we were cantering briskly, the old dog loping along close to me and looking up con- stantly as though he was fully conscious that some- thing was very much amiss with me calling for the utmost vigilance and guardianship on his part. CHAPTER VIII. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT. We did not slacken speed until we had put some miles between us and the camp; and although at first I suffered abominable torture from the jolting, I had to keep on, and after a time I found that the rush of the cool air, acting as a kind of stimulating tonic revived me. My head became gradually less pain- ful and my brain cleared. If we had only been certain of our road I should have had no serious misgivings as to the result. We were all well mounted, and although the horses were not fresh, yet they were quite fit to carry us the dis- tance we had to travel to reach the railway. But I could only guess the road, picking the way by the compass; and in that difficult and barren district there was a constant risk that we should lose the way, especially as we should have to ride through the night. It was almost evening when we left the camp, and my intention was to ride as far and as fast as pos- sible while the daylight lasted and then rest until the moon rose. We should then have six or seven hours to ride before even the earliest peasants would be astir, and in that time I calculated we should be able to reach the frontier town of Samac, the ter- minus of the line. io8 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE The overpowering reason for travelling at night was the fear that some attempt would be made at pursuit. If Petrov and Gartski succeeded in bring- ing any considerable party back to the camp from Lalwor, they would learn from the men there of the reward to be paid for getting Mademoiselle to Maglai; and for any such sum as three thousand gulden the average Bosnian peasant would leave all he had in the world and go scrambling for a share of it. And with greed to back up the superstitious abhorrence of witchcraft, there was no telling what would be done. We were a party easily tracked, too. Two wounded men, a woman, and a huge hound like Chris would be readily remembered if once seen anywhere at any time; and the night was thus the safest for us. I kept all these thoughts to myself, however, and pushed on as fast as practicable, although both Mademoiselle and Karasch urged me more than once to halt and rest. " We must get on while the light lasts," was my answer. " We shall be compelled to rest when the dark falls ; " and the only time we slackened speed was when the nature of the road compelled us. " I wish you would rest, Burgwan, if only for an hour," said Mademoiselle as we were walking the horses up a hill. " Not while the light lasts," I replied. " The fret- ting impatience to get on would do me more harm than the rest would good. I am in little or no pain now. Tell me what happened after I was knocked over." WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 109 " Karasch and Chris saved me. He says the man in the tent with you shouted some signal at which the two Who were with him broke open the hut door. Chris flew at them, pinned one man by the throat, and the other who was close behind fell in the con- fusion. " Good Chris," I exclaimed. " Yes, indeed, good dog. Well, Karasch was on the watch and as the man was getting up and draw- ing his knife to attack Chris, Karasch rushed up and knocked him senseless with a gun." " Well played, Karasch. And then? " " That was all, except that I had great difficulty in making Chris loose his hold. His fury was really awful to see. But he obeyed me, and Karasch and I together bound the men and made them prisoners; but both were badly hurt especially the one Chris mauled." " But the third man ? " I asked, perplexed. " We found him shot in the tent, near you." I remembered then my shot at random just as I was struck. "Is he dead?" " No, but badly wounded; and we got him and the man you took last night to the hut." " Well, it serves them all right ; and the folk from Lalwor will look after them. They meant killing me. But it may make things uglier for us, and is all the stronger reason for us to hurry on while the light lasts; " and we pressed forward again. Just when the gloom was deepening fast, my policy of haste was justified. I io THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE I had halted at a point where the road forked and, in considerable doubt which way to ride, was anxiously consulting my map when Chris put his nose to the ground and whimpered. "Steady, Chris, good dog, steady," I whispered; and he knew he was to make no noise. " Some one is about," I said to Mademoiselle. We sat silent and listened, and presently heard the throbbing of hoofs from the direction we had been riding. " Two horses," said Karasch, whose hearing was very acute. " It may be nothing. Ride into the shadow of those trees and let Karasch and Chris go with you," I said to Mademoiselle. " But you . . . ." she began to object. " Please do as I say and at once," I interposed; and I put my horse on to the grass under another tree. She did as I asked without further protest and I waited for the newcomers. They caught sight of me while still at some distance and checked their horses first to a trot, and then to a walk. " You are well come; I have lost my way," I said as they reached me.. " Who are you? " asked one; and as the question was put the other man laughed, and backed his horse to a safe distance as he said : " It is Burgwan. We are all right; " and I recog- nised the voice. "That is Petrov?" " Yes. You are wanted at the camp, Burgwan, WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT in to explain things there. Where is the witch? May the curse of God blight her ! " " If you are the man, Burgwan, you must come back with us," put in the other man, who spoke with an air of authority. "Must?" " Yes, must. There are some badly injured men there; and the injured make strange charges against you which must be explained." "Who are you?" " I am Captain Hanske, from Lalwor the head officer of the district under the Imperial Govern- ment. You left the place with an escaped prisoner? She must return with you." A most disquieting turn, this. Of all develop- ments possible, the least to my liking was a conflict with the Austrian authorities. " I am prepared to meet any charges," I answered firmly. " An attempt was made upon my life there, and all I did was done in self-defence. But I cannot return with you." " You have no option. You must do as I say and at once." He spoke in curt stern tone of a man accustomed to be obeyed. I knew well enough the fear in which the Austrian officials are held by the Bosnians. " We will see," I answered, in quite as stiff a tone. " I have first a reckoning to settle with Petrov there ; " and I wheeled my horse round and rode toward him. But he did not wait for me to get near him. He was off like the wind; as indeed I had hoped. ii2 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " I'll carry the news back to the rest at the camp," he called over his shoulder, and he galloped back along the road as though the devil himself were at his heels. I listened to the dying sounds of his horse's hoofs with intense satisfaction, and went back with a laugh to the official. " Your character as a desperado is well estab- lished," he exclaimed drily and angrily. " Now we can talk on equal terms," said I, quietly. " I order you in the name of the Emperor to come with me." " And I tell you, man to man, I shall do nothing of the kind. I am no desperado, as I shall be easily able to prove when necessary; but I have no time for anything of the sort now." " Then I shall accompany you." " No, that also is impossible." " What were you doing in the camp yonder? " " My own business, merely." " Where are you going? " " Also about my own business." " Where are your papers? " " I have none to show you." " Then I shall accompany you." " No. That I shall not allow." " Do you dare to threaten me? " : ' There are three roads here. One back to the camp; one to the left there, and one to the right. You are free to choose which you please and I will take another." " I shall not leave you." He was getting very angry and dogged. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 113 " If you are armed you may perhaps force your- self upon me." " I shall do as I say," he answered, with just enough hesitation to assure me he was not armed. Then it occurred to me that it would be safer to get him away from the place and to increase the distance between him and the camp. It would be the more difficult for Petrov and the rest to find him when they returned. " Mademoiselle," I called. She and Karasch came out. " We are to have a companion. This gentle- man desires to ride with us. This is our road; " and choosing that which led away to the right, I rode on with her, leaving the official to follow. She had overheard the conversation and ques- tioned me with some anxiety as to what I meant to do. She went so far even as to suggest a return to the camp. " I have my plans. It will all come right. I should have left him at the fork of the road there had I not thought it best to get 'him further away." " But I could probably satisfy him," she said. " I'll deal with him in my own way, please," was my reply. We plunged along at such pace as we could make now that the darkness had deepened; but when we could go no faster than a walk, and were, I reckoned, some two miles from the cross roads, I called a halt. " We are going to rest here, captain," I said to him, as we dismounted. We three sat by the side of the road and while we made a hasty meal I explained my plan to Karasch, 114 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE who was frankly frightened by the presence of the official. " The moon will be up in a couple of hours, Kar- asch, and you must keep watch. I must sleep or I shall not be fit to ride later. We are going to leave that man here. If he dismounts, find the means to turn his horse astray; if he does not, you must dis- able the horse. But don't shoot it except in the last resource; for we don't know who might hear tHe shot. The man we shall just tie up to a tree." " It is dangerous, Burgwan. He is an officer of the Imperial Government," said Karasch. " If he were the Emperor of Austria himself, I should do it in the plight we are in." I lay down. The excitement had kept me going; but I was done now; utterly exhausted and worn out; and despite the hazard of our position, I was soon fast asleep. I was wakened by a loud, angry cry from the Austrian. I could scarcely lift my* head for the throbbing in it; I ached in every joint and muscle; and my leg was woefully stiff and pain- ful from that knife thrust; but I scrambled to my feet in alarm and confusion at the noise. I must have slept for some three hours; for the moon was up and shining fitfully between the masses of ragged threatening clouds which were scudding across the face of the heavens. By the light I saw the man struggling with Karasch and shouting with a vigour that woke very dangerous echoes in the still night. Mademoiselle was holding Chris, who was growling ominously, and she was attempting to still him. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 115 I went over to them and found that Karasch had strapped the man's legs tight together and was hold- ing on to the strap with his one arm while the Austrian was righting and wrestling to get free. " Down, Chris. You may loose him, Mademoi- selle," I said; and the good dog came instantly to heel. " Stand from him, Karasch," I called next. " Now, sir, you must stop those cries; or I shall put the dog on you." " This is an outrage, an infernal outrage, and you shall all suffer for it," he cried, furiously. " It's done by my orders. The outrage is that you should endeavour to force yourself upon us." " I am doing my duty. I am a Government " " I choose not to believe you; that's all there is to it; and I take you to be a dirty spy set upon me by that other coward, Petrov, who was with you. I am going to tie your arms to your sides and leave you here. We are both suffering from the injuries in- flicted by your accomplices; and if you resist, you must settle matters with my dog here and he makes a rough fighter at the best of times." " You infernal villain. . . ." he spluttered. " Chris." The great dog came close up to him and a fearsome brute he looked in the moonlight as he eyed the captain and showed his fangs with an angry snarl. " Now, Karasch." He ceased to struggle then and let Karasch fasten him up securely; and after that we gagged him, and finding a suitable place some distance from the road we left him. "Where's his horse?" n6 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " I started him over the hills. Mademoiselle helped me. I couldn't have done it without her. She got him from his horse talking with him, and I got rid of the horse. It'll probably go home." " It may go to the devil for aught I care. But we must be off without losing another moment." I felt the necessity now. We had burnt our boats with a vengeance in this treatment of the Austrian captain ; and if we were caught on Austrian territory there might be a big bill to pay before we could settle matters. It was not now Mademoiselle's safety only that depended upon our reaching Samac, but our own also, and we pushed on as fast as possible. " Karasch told me 'how cleverly you got that man separated from his horse, Mademoiselle," I said when we were walking the horses up a steep hill. " He did not hear what I said to him? " she asked, quickly. " He said nothing to me if he did." " He deserves what he has got; but it is a danger- ous thing in Bosnia to interfere with an Austrian official." " What did you say to him ? " " I made the only offer I could. I told him I was the cause of all the trouble, was alone responsible, and offered to explain everything." " Ah, I see. You mean you offered to go back with him, if he would let you go alone. It was like you." She started and glanged quickly at me. " I did not say that." WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 117 " No. But I know you, and where you are con- cerned can make a guess." " You would have been free, Burgwan; and I could have cleared matters." " He was a fool, or he would have guessed and accepted the offer.' " What do you mean? Guessed what? " " That the moment I woke I should have ridden back to the camp." " Burgwan ! " " Do you think I should have left you in the lurch ? It's not the way we treat women in England, or in America." " But you don't understand. I should have been in no danger. Once under Austrian protection I could have explained." "Explained what?" " Who I am. You have never asked me." " I do not care. When you wish me to know, you will tell me; and When I wish to know, I will ask. I can wait. I know what you are to me." Either she did not catch the last words, for I had dropped my voice, or she affected not to hear. She said nothing and when we reached the top of the hill we rattled on again quickly. When we drew rein at the next hill we walked half way to the top in silence and then she broke it abruptly : " I will tell you if you wish, Burgwan." " I do not. To me you are Mademoiselle : to you I am Burgwan; and Mademoiselle and Burgwan we can best remain, until we are out of this bother." H8 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE 11 How far do you think we are from Samac ? " " We ought not to be more than a dozen miles at most but that's not much more than a guess." " When we reach there, we shall part." " You will be glad to be on the safe road to Bel- grade." " Is that another guess, Burgwan? " " Yes, it's another guess, Mademoiselle." " Do you think it's a good one? " " Yes. You would be an extraordinary woman if it were not. I wish with all my heart we were safely there." " Then I wish it, too," she answered, with a ges- ture. A long pause followed until she said, " Yes, I do wish it. I had forgotten how ill you are and how sorely you need rest." " I suppose it sounded as though I was thinking of myself." " Not to me ; you never seem to think of yourself at least during our comradeship." " I like that word comradeship. Thank you for it." " It has been a strange one, Burgwan. How good you have been. And I took you at first for a a peasant, and even once for a brigand." " There are worse folk in the world than peasants or brigands either for that matter." " What trouble I have brought to you." " We shall have the more to laugh over when we meet again." " We shall not meet again, Burgwan," she said, so seriously and deliberately that I thought I could WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT 119 detect a touch of sadness. Perhaps I only hoped it, and the hope cheated me. I answered lightly, " One never knows. The world's a small place now. You might come to America some day." " No, no. That is impossible," she interjected quickly. " Then I might go to Belgrade." " No, no," she exclaimed again in the same quick tone. " That too must be impossible." " Impossible is a word we are going to wipe out of the American dictionary," I replied, with a smile. " We shall see ; but as we are at the top of the hill we'll hurry on to Samac the first stage, whether for America or Belgrade." She turned as if to say something, her face very grave and earnest, but after a moment's hesitation shook up her reins and we cantered on. But a good deal was to happen before we reached Samac; the first stage, as I had so glibly named it. We had some few miles of easy going when the path became very difficult and branched suddenly in three directions. I picked out that which, judging by the compass, promised to lead us straight to Samac. But instead of that, when we had followed it for an hour or more we found it cut by a broad, swift-flowing river. The path led right down to the water's edge and rose from it on the other side; but the river was in flood from the recent heavy rains, and- the ford was impassable. Karasch and I both tried to cross, on horseback first and then on foot, but failed; and then we rode along the bank searching for a fordable spot. 120 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE But this only led us into worse disaster. We came to a spot where another stream, itself as fierce and swift and broad, joined the first. We were cut off hopelessly. We had lost precious hours in this way. It was long past the dawn; and to make matters even worse I could find no trace of the streams on the map any- where near Samac. It was an awkward plight in all truth. To go on was impossible; to stay where we were for the waters to subside was useless; and yet to go back was only to put ourselves once more on the road where we might look for danger from those we knew to be in pursuit of us. The hours we had thus wasted had thrown away all the advantage gained by the night's riding. Yet there was nothing else for it ; and with a bitter sigh and somefhing stronger at the bad luck, I gave the word, and we started to return. CHAPTER IX. FROM BAD TO WORSE. The crushing disappointment and the anxiety it caused, following on the fatigue of the long ride, aggravated the injury to my head so that I could scarcely keep in the saddle. I had to cling to the pommel to prevent myself from falling. Mademoiselle was quick to see my condition. " Let us rest, Burgwan," she said. " No, we must push on. They may get ahead of us. I shall be better again directly." " I am too tired," she answered; and without wait- ing to 'hear my protest, she slipped from her horse. " You must not do that," I exclaimed, irritably. " Karasch's arm is bad too," she replied. " Isn't it, Karasch ? " " Yes, it is paining me, Burgwan," he declared then. "I cannot go any further;" and he dis- mounted and came to help me. " Then I'll ride on and find the road and return," I said. " No," exclaimed Karasch, as he seized my horse's bridle. " Stand away, Karasdi," I cried, angrily. I was more like a fractious, obstinate child just then than a reasoning man. I felt I was too weak to go on and was angry with them both because I could not hide it. 122 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " You must get off, Burgwan," he returned, firmly. " I'll break your other arm if you don't loose my bridle, Karasch." " Then I'll hold it. You won't break mine, Burg- wan," said Mademoiselle, taking it quickly. " Hold my horse, Karasch. I am faint for want of food and rest, Burgwan. Won't you help me?" " You are only doing this because you think I'm such a weak fool as not to be able to keep going," I declared, angrily. " Please to loose that bridle, Mademoiselle." " Not until you break my arm, Burgwan." I sat still looking with a child's sullen anger into her clear, calm, resolute eyes. " If you were a man. . . ."I began and then laughed. " I'm a fool and that's all there is to it. I'll get off but I won't forgive you. This is mutiny." I rolled from the saddle and was glad of the help of Karasch's sturdy arm. " You don't seem very weak, you coward," I said, half in earnest, half in jest. " That's not the broken arm, Burgwan," he re- plied, as he helped me with the gentleness of a girl. " I'm all right and could ride fifty miles," I pro- tested angrily as I sat down; and then in proof of it, I fell back and fainted from sheer weakness. When I came to myself Mademoiselle was bathing my face and head, deep pity and care in her eyes. " I'm horribly ashamed of myself," I murmured. " It's a good thing you didn't break my arm, Burg- wan, isn't it?" she said, smiling. " I was angry. I wanted to go on. I'm sorry." FROM BAD TO WORSE 123 " It was mutiny, you know. You feel better now?" " Oh, yes. I can sit up. Was I long? " " Only a few minutes. Karasch has tethered the horses and is getting us something to eat. Do you know, I was never so hungry in my life before? " and she laughed brightly. " We're in a desperate mess," said I, gloomily. " We should have been in a worse if we had gone on." " Rub it in. You got your own way, you know." " I meant to have it; and I'm not going to put my foot in the stirrup again until you have had some- thing to eat and have slept for at least two or three hours." " You have a very masterful way of your own." She nodded and smiled to me. " But the point is whether you are going to obey without more mutiny." " You seem to take this for a kind of picnic." " Here's breakfast at any rate," she cried, as Kar- asdi came up. " Put it down here, Karasch, and get one of the saddles to prop Burgwan up." " I can sit up without anything, I assure you." " Who did you say was masterful ? " I gave in with a smile and a shrug of the shoulders and let them arrange the saddle, and found it very comfortable. It was poor fare. Some hard biscuits, a tin of preserved meat, and some water from the river; but it could not have been enjoyed with more relish if 124 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE it had been the best breakfast that the Waldorf- Astoria chef could have sent up. Mademoiselle's cheerfulness in the strange and de- pressing circumstances was positively dauntless. She would see nothing but the brightest side of things. We were lost on the hills; but then it would be so much the more difficult for any one to find us. The food was rough, but we had plenty to last us for all that day and part of the next. The loss of time might be dangerous, but we all needed rest and could take it without risk where we were. We did not know where to look for the road to Samac, but we should be sure to find a way somewhere. And meanwhile we were getting stronger and so better able to face the trouble. Even Karasch's stern face relaxed under her in- fluence. And as for me well, I rolled over on the soft grass when she told me, and having put old Chris on the watch, went off to sleep as contentedly as though her view of the position and not mine were the true one. I slept for some hours. I woke once and looked round to find Karasch lying on his back at some dis- tance, snoring in a deep stertorous diapason; and Mademoiselle curled up fast asleep peacefully with Chris lying at her feet. The hot sun was pouring down on the liills and crags around us; and I stretched myself lazily and was soon off again in deep refreshing slumber. When I awoke again I was alone to my great sur- prise. The horses were grazing near me tethered; FROM BAD TO WORSE 125 but even Chris was away somewhere; and I sat up wondering in some confusion what it meant. A glance at my watch showed it was two hours and more past noon and that I must have slept for six or seven hours. I felt immensely refreshed. The pain in my head was so slight as to be inconsiderable, and although my leg was stiff, I could move about freely. Feeling in my pockets I found a couple of cigars in my case, and lighted one to think over things. I was smoking it with a rare relish when I saw Made- moiselle coming from the direction of the river with Chris in close attendance. How the old rascal had taken to her! I went to meet them; and as I ap- proached, the dog came running to fawn upon me and then rushed back to fawn upon her; and looked from one to the other of us as though our comrade- ship, as she had termed it, was just the loveliest thing in the- world to him. " Chris seems to approve our comradeship, Ma- demoiselle," I said, marvelling how on earth she managed to look so fresh and sweet after her rough- and-tumble experiences during the last forty hours. Her soft, glossy hair was as neatly arranged as though she had just come from her room, her dress was in such order that so far as I could see not a thing was out of place. " He has been with me to the river on guard. I had no idea it was so difficult to wash in a river, and to do one's hair out of doors and without a glass." " iYou have been very successful. You put me to 126 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE shame sadly," and I glanced down in dismay at my- self. " And you are so bright and sunny." " There is good news. Our luck has turned. Karasch found a peasant who was crossing the hills and is learning from him our route. They are on the hill yonder." " Thank God for that," I said, fervently. " Yes, I suppose it is good news," she replied in a tone which made me glance quickly at her. Then she .added, after a pause : " You look much better for your rest, Burgwan." " I feel a different man." " Kindly disposed toward masterful rebels ? " " Yes; and very grateful to one of them." " I thought you were actually going to strike Kar- asch when he held your bridle rein this morning." " I felt like it, too." " I think he is afraid of you, Burgwan. It was you who broke his arm, wasn't it? " " He broke it in a fall." She paused and glanced at me. " He told me all about that fall, and what he meant to do, if you hadn't beaten him. It was for me you risked your life in that fight." " Karasdh ought to hold his tongue." We reached the spot where we had rested, and sat down to wait for Karasch. " I have been thinking this morning," she said, slowly. " We all have some thinking to do before we are out of our plight." " You call this a plight," and she smiled. " Why, FROM BAD TO WORSE 127 see what a lovely wild country it is. I could live in these hills live, I mean, in the sense of keen, rare enjoyment. Look." She pointed from one hill to another with kindling eye. " The freedom of it. The very air is different from all other." " I should like some clean clothes," I put in, flip- pantly. " Don't." And she gestured and frowned. " I want you to feel what it must be to me, and then to think, as I was thinking a while since, what would have been my fate if it had not been for you. And you call this a plight! It is like Heaven in com- parison ! " " I don't want you to exaggerate what I did." " I am not exaggerating it," s'he replied deliber- ately. " I don't. I could not. You risked your life for me and saved me. Not only when you rescued me from the two men, but afterwards with Karasch; and yet again afterwards when you were hurt. Could I exaggerate that, Burgwan ? Can I ever repay it ? " She was so earnest in the desire to make me feel her gratitude and looked at me with such sweet graciousness, that I came within an ace of telling her how she could repay me. The very words rushed to my lips only to be stayed by an effort as I dropped my eyes before her. I could not speak of this while she was still dependent upon my help. " What a long time Karasch is," I said clumsily after a long pause, not knowing indeed what else to say. I felt her eyes still upon me. She made a slight 128 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE gesture of dissatisfaction and her voice had an accent of resentment. " You are anxious to get to your clean clothes and all that they stand for in exchange for this." " You are not content with this? " " I could be," she murmured, with a sigh. " I don't understand you." " No. I suppose not. You haven't the key." " You can have no reason to be afraid to go back J Belgrade. I know that, because at the camp you were so anxious to start. Your sighs then were of discontent because you couldn't start at once." "You remember?" She smiled slowly, and then grew serious. " No, it is not exactly fear, and yet I suppose in a way it is fear. It is certainly reluct- ance. Oh, I see what you mean." She broke off, smiling very brightly this time. " That there may be some reason connected with the cause of my cap- ture which threatens me: that I have committed some offence or " " No, no, I don't think anything of the sort," I interposed. " No, I'm not a criminal, not even a political crim- inal, Burgwan and not even a witch." The smile became a free and joyous laugh, and I joined in and laughed also. " I'm not so sure about the witchcraft, Made- moiselle." " If I were a witch I should know all about you and I yes, I should like to, and yet I would rather not. We can be so frank while you are just Burg- wan. It is all so strange, this comradeship of ours. FROM BAD TO WORSE 129 I shall never forget it. Shall you even when you get to those clean clothes that are so much in your thoughts?" " Im not likely to change my thoughts even when I change my clothes." " What a time Karasch is," s'he laughed, throwing back my own words at me. " Keeping you from the tailor and the barber in this way ! " " He is keeping you from Belgrade a much more serious matter." " I don't mind that and yet I suppose I ought to. But this is so delightful," she cried, joyously. "This?" " This delicious freedom. This utter irresponsi- bility. This Burgwan and Mademoiselle comrade- ship. This being able to laugh at conventions and snap one's fingers in the face of restrictions the thousand petty ' don'ts ' and ' mustn'ts ' that edge one in so, till one's very breath has to be drawn with restraint and every look and gesture fitted to some occasion and empty etiquette. How I wish I was just no more than a peasant girl ! Oh, it is life." " There are plenty of them who would be glad to change places with you." " Yes, I know I am talking nonsense, and I dare say I should grow tired of it all in a week or a month, and sicken for the flummery and mummery again. Besides, there might be no Burgwan like you and no Chris in the picture, to feel safe with and trust. I couldn't do with only Karasch's, could I ? " " He is a very good fellow, and might make a very good husband." 130 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE " Oh, don't, please. Now you've shattered the dream, and made me wish for Belgrade and my friends." Did she mean all I was ready to read into that sen- tence? Was it intended as a warning lest another than Karasch should presume? I was glad I had held my tongue just before. When I did not reply, she stooped and patted the dog and then laughed. " I wish you were my dog, Chris," she said. " I shall get one just like him and call him Chris." " Would you like to change masters, Chris? " He drew himself lazily across the grass at my words and thrust his nose into my hand almost as if understand- ing my question and answering it. " I will give him to you if you like, Mademoiselle." But she shook 'her head. " No. No, no, no," she cried. "Why not?" She called him back to her side and caressed him before she answered, and then spoke very slowly. " I don't think I know why. I would rather have him than anything in the world, but I couldn't take him. I I couldn't bear to have him, I think." " You may change your mind wfaen you see him next time." She bent over him again and patted him and let him lick her hand. " I am afraid I know what you mean, Burgwan that you think of coming some day to Belgrade. I hope you never will." "Why?" " It would not do. Oh, no, no, a thousand times no. It is so difficult to explain. Here we are Burg- FROM BAD TO WORSE 131 wan and Mademoiselle; and there well, for one thing, you would have your clean clothes," and she broke off with a smile partly quizzical and partly of dismay; and then added: "You would look for Mademoiselle and would only find . . ." she finished with a shake of the head and a sigh. "You think I should be disappointed?" " You must not come, Burgwan. There would be no Mademoiselle in Belgrade." " Chris may wish to see his successor. He is a masterful dog, you know," I said with a smile. " This is no jest, Burgwan. I wish you would promise me not to come there. Ah, here comes Karasch. Promise me, Burgwan; " and in her eagerness she leant across and laid a hand on my arm, the earnestness of her manner showing in her eyes. " I cannot promise," I answered. She drew her hand away with a gesture of impa- tience and said, as she rose : " That is not like Burg- wan. The very mention of Belgrade has changed you." " Not changed me. I have always meant to go," I replied. As I got up Karasch reached us, and there was no chance to say more. He explained that the peasant had been pointing out the way to him and was willing to lead us to the proper road. The horses were saddled at once and when they were ready, I went to Mademoiselle, who had been standing apart gazing at the rugged scenery with in- tense enjoyment. "Are we ready, Burgwan?" 132 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Yes; we may start now." " I am almost sorry, I think," she said, looking about her wistfully. " But it's all over." " Except the comradeship." " No, not even excepting that. You will get your clean clothes and I all the conventions once more and all that they mean. I am ready; " and she sighed. I helped her into the saddle. " And it was only yesterday I would not let you help me to mount. It seems a year ago," she said. " You gave me that lesson in will power ; but I beat you this morning, Burgwan, and had my revenge." " Do you mean about my going to Belgrade? " I challenged. "Ah, you will promise me then?" " If I promised I should only break my word." " Promise, and I will trust you for the sake of the comradeship." " Then I will not promise. " You will force me to tell you things that will compel you to promise. And it will be kinder not to force me. Oh, so much kinder." " You puzzle me." " Will you promise ? Burgwan ? " she urged, pleadingly. " I cannot." " Oh, that hard will of yours ! " and wheeling her horse round she rode off after Karasch and the guide, leaving me to follow. What did she mean? What could she tell that would convince me a future meeting must be FROM BAD TO WORSE 133 avoided? What reason could there be on her side? What could she think there might be on mine? These and a hundred questions arising out of them plagued me during the ride ; and none of the answers that suggested themselves could satisfy me. But I was soon to have other matters for thought. The guide put us in the right road for Samac, which he told us was about fifteen miles distant through a place called Poabja; and as soon as he had left us we rattled over the ground at a sharp canter. For one thing, I was very uneasy about the Austrian officer whom we had treated so drastically on the previous night. If he was found and liber- ated, and raised a hue and cry after us there would probably be some very awkward consequences; while if he was not liberated soon, his very life might be jeopardised. My intention was to send a search party after him as soon as we reached a place where that could be done without risk to ourselves; and I was confident that my influence in Vienna was amply sufficient to cause my explanation of the whole affair to be accepted. But I could and would do nothing until I was certain of Mademoiselle's safety. My anxiety increased when we reached the outside of Poabja; and I kept a vigilant lookout for any signs that the news of our arrival could have pre- ceded us. This was possible, of course. We had strayed so far from the proper road and had stayed so long in the hills that if Petrov and the rest from the camp had followed us to where we had encountered the Austrian, and had continued on the road to Samac, they would pass through Poabja and we might easily run up against some trouble, even with- 134 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE out the complication arising out of the official's rough handling by us. I soon noticed signs which I did not like. We began to meet peasants and others on the road; and. I observed that while some of them did no more than stare at us with close scrutiny, others started away and turned their backs and made the sign of the cross as we passed. Karasch noticed this also; and when we met a couple of men who behaved in this eccentric fashion, he glanced from the men to Mademoiselle and from her to me. " 111 news has got ahead of us, Burgwan," he said to me in an undertone. " We had better avoid the town. You saw that sign of the cross ! " " Go back and question the men." " Why do we halt ? " asked Mademoiselle, as Kar- asch rode back. " We must make certain of the right road," I answered. " But is not this Poabja? " " Yes." " Then we know we are right. Samac is not half a dozen miles beyond." Karasch came back wearing an anxious look. " To avoid the town will cost a couple of leagues. But I think we should take that route," he said. " Why avoid it ? We have lost our way once," said Mademoiselle. " We fear trouble. News of our coming is known," I explained. " Do you mean about the officer who tried to stop us last night? " FROM BAD TO WORSE 135 " No that you are suspected of witchcraft." She laughed. " I have nothing to fear in Poabja. I will find means to charm their anger into friend- ship ; " and she settled the question of route by shak- ing her reins and cantering off toward the straggling little place. The approach lay up a long, winding hill, steep in places, and as we rode up it the people came out from the houses to gaze at us. Languid curiosity gave way to close interest, and this in turn quickened into some excitement. Men and women walked up the hill abreast of us and some few ran on ahead. Near the top of the hill stood an inn outside which some half dozen saddle horses were hitched; and when the riders came hurrying out I was scarcely sur- prised to see Petrov among them talking and gesticu- lating freely to his companions. Men began to call then one to the other; the calls were caught up on many sides, at first intermittently but swelling gradually, as the crowd increased, into a coherent cry which I recognised with deep mis- givings. " The Witch ! The Witch ! The Witch ! " I regretted that we had taken the risk; but Made- moiselle only smiled even when the cries grew louder and more angry and threatening, and hands were raised in imprecations and revilings. " Forward," I cried. " We must get through them." But to my dismay Mademoiselle hesitated. Then Petrov and a man with him ran and placed themselves in front of 'her and made a snatch at her bridle rein. Karasch and I pushed forward. 136 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Stand back there," I said. " That she devil can't pass, Burgwan," answered Petrov. I stretched forward and tore his grip from the rein and flung him reeling back into the crowd. A score of hands were raised in menace and the cries of " The Witch ! Death for the Witch ! " went up all around us ; while the circle closed in ominously. A stone was hurled and narrowly missed me and then some dirt was thrown at Mademoiselle. That was more than I was taking. If we were to get through it would have to be by force. So I drew my revolver and called to Karasch to do the same. " I'll shoot the first man who stops me," I shouted, and for a moment the men fell back before the weapons. " Now is our chance. Gallop for all we're worth and we shall get through." But the luck was against us. A stone struck Mademoiselle's horse and he reared and plunged and then fell. In a second she was in the grip of half a dozen men and before Karasch and I could dismount and get to her assistance we were separated from her by the crowd and seized in our turn, the weapons were struck from our hands and we were over- powered. I was carried into a house close to the inn, my hands and legs were bound and I was thrust into a room and left to curse my folly for having ventured into the place, to brood over the dangers to Made- moiselle, and to breathe impotent vows of vengeance against Petrov and every one concerned in our cap- ture. CHAPTER X. AT POABJA. For an hour and more I was left to gnash my teeth in rage as I tore and struggled fruitlessly to loosen the cords that bound me. In that hour I endured the torments such as even hell itself could not have surpassed. My violent struggles inflamed the hurt to my head until it throbbed as if it would split; but all mere physical pain was lost and dead- ened in the surpassing agony of mind. The thought of that sweet, pure girl in the power of these crazy, superstitious fanatics was unendur- able; and had the torture continued longer it would have driven me mad. Death threatened her every minute she was in the hands of frenzied fools such as they were; and a hundred possible ways in which they might murder her occurred to me, each stimulating the passion of my fear and anguish. At length the door of my room was opened and Petrov and another man entered. The sight of him so maddened me that I strove to rise, bound though I was, to wreak my fury upon him. " No harm is meant to you, Burgwan," he said. My answer was a volley of curses and threats so vehement and furious that he started back in alarm. " No harm is meant to you," he repeated. 138 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Loose these cords then, to prove it," I cried. His companion made as if to approach me when Petrov held him back. " Not yet," he said, turning pale with fear. " It doesn't matter when you do it. You know me, Petrov, and now mark this. If I find that the least harm is done to Mademoiselle, I'll make you pay the price. And the price shall be your life. I'll hunt you down, if it costs me all I have in the world, and when I find you, God have mercy on you, I won't. That I swear." " She is a witch," he said, doggedly. " You lie, you treacherous snake. And if you value your dirty skin, see that no harm comes to her." It seemed to afford me some kind of relief to abuse the beast. " You told me so yourself," he declared sullenly. " Loose these cords and say that again, and I'll tear your lying tongue out by the roots." I must have been beside myself to talk in this strain; but it had its effect on him. " She has come to no harm," he said then. " You may thank your God for that if it's true." " It is true," declared the other man. " We came here to set you free." " Do it then." " Not while he threatens me," put in Petrov, quickly. " I know nothing about that. It's the priest's orders." I pricked up my ears at that and the great crush- ing weight of my fears began to lighten. AT POABJA 139 " Say that again. And tell me what it means," I cried. " She'll only be taken to Maglai," said Petrov. " Say that again," I repeated to his companion. " I don't know what it means. I was told she had confessed to being a witch and asked for the priest, that she might repent and be shriven; and then we were told to come to unbind you." " Why t'he devil didn't you say so then, when you came in, and do it at once? " " You're too violent." " If all's well with her, you can go to hell your own way." The relief from the strain was so intense I felt almost hysterical with sudden joy, and I lay back and laughed aloud. The two men stood staring at me wonderingly. " What shall we do ? " asked Petrov's companion. " If you disobey the priest, my good fellow," I in- terposed, " you'll see what he says to you, and I'll take care that he knows of it." Instead of replying, they left the room and fastened the door behind them. I didn't care now what they did. All was well in the matter that had troubled me. Mademoiselle was unharmed and they might do with me as they pleased. I could trust myself to get out of any trouble when once I was in communi- cation with my agents in Vienna. All was well with her and the world was once more a place to smile in. Then I began to piece things together and to figure out how such a change could have been effected. Mademoiselle herself had found the means 140 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE of doing it all. I recalled her phrase about charm- ing- away the anger of the people at Poabja, and the way in which she had cantered on fearlessly when Karasch and I 'had counselled the other route to avoid passing through the town. She must nave had a strong reason for her confidence. Brave as she certainly was, she would not have faced such a risk voluntarily unless she had had good grounds to know she would pass the ordeal successfully. Who was s'he ? What influence was she, a Serb of Belgrade, likely to have in that out-of-the-way Bos- nian village? On whom was that influence exer- cised? The man said she had confessed to her witchcraft and asked for the priest that she might repent and be shriven. The priest it was who had ordered my release, and the priest it must be, there- fore, through whom she had been able to clear her- self. How? It was an easy inference that he khew her and that she had made the pretended confession so as to get face to face with him. But why had she told me nothing about him? " I have nothing to fear in Poabja," she had said ; but not a word of the priest. And then I thought I could see the reason. She did not wish him to tell me who she was. Had I known of him she knew I should have sought him out first, or have sent for him, and the secret would have been out before she could have cautioned him to say nothing. Rather than that, she had risked entering the place and facing the crowd. Yet she had offered once to tell me about herself. At that point the apparent inconsistency AT POABJA 141 beat me; and the only guess I could make was that she had anticipated getting to the priest without any such trouble as that which had befallen us. I was more than content to lie thene thinking in this way. It pleased me to let my fancy run at ran- dom about her. I cared nothing who she was. To me she was just Mademoiselle; and I wanted to know no more. She had come into my life to stay; and nothing that she could be, and nothing she could ever do, would alter that all-supreme fact for me. Two days before I had never seen her. Forty- eight hours ! But they had been forty-eight hours of comradeship; and forty-eight years could not blot out all that those hours had held for me, when I had been in succession the peasant Burgwan, the brigand, and then the trusted comrade and friend. What had they held for her? I would have given much to know. Daring, imperious, rebellious, yield- ing, solicitous, and at last utterly content to trust as she had been in turn; what feelings lay beneath the surface? How was I to read that conversation oi the hillside? Why was she so resolute that our parting was to spell permanent separation; that I must not go to Belgrade, and must never seek to see her again? I had not given the promise sought, of course. I would not give it. What would she say if I told her that my visit to Belgrade, in my character as finan- cier was already arranged and that my hand had al- ready been felt in that unrestful little centre of Bal- kan policy. Probably she knew nothing and cared little about Balkan politics or finance; and I was in- 142 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE dulging in half a hundred conjectures of her reason for my keeping away from Belgrade when the two men entered my room and brought me a note. " From the priest," said one of them. But it was not. It was from her. " All my troubles are over and you may be quite at rest about me. Give your word not to hurt the man Petrov. I ask this. I ask, too, that you will con- sent to remain where you are for two hours longer. Will you do this a last favour? For all you have done for me I cannot thank you; I can only remem- ber. Do you think me graceless and a churl if I say our comradeship is over and if I go without seeing you? I can only say in excuse, I must. To Burg- wan from " Mademoiselle." " I am taking Chris. You said I should alter my mind. I have. I will treat him as what he has been one of the comrades." I read the letter two or three times. At first with feelings in which chilling despair, a sense of ineffable loss, and intensely bitter regret overpowered me. It stung me like a blow in the face that she could go like this, without even a touch of hands, or a parting glance. She was safe, and I was nothing, or less than nothing to her. But at the second and third reading very different thoughts were stirred. A hope sprang to life in my heart great and wild enough to dazzle and bewilder me. Could it be, not that she careci nothing for me but AT POABJA 143 that she feared for herself in the hour of parting? Dared I hope that ? Did she fear that feelings, which she was all unwilling to shew, would force them- selves out in despite of her efforts in the moment of parting? Was it from that part of herself, from her heart, that she was thus running away, and not only from me? I prayed that it might be so. Then a colder mood followed, cold enough to freeze that hope, at the prompting of judgment. She knew nothing of me. To her I was just Burgwan; at first peasant, then, on my own admission, an Amer- ican in such sordid surroundings as might well make her deem me a mere adventurer. With that belief in her mind, she might well be at a loss how to part from me what to say and do, and whether she ought not to make me some reward for what I had done. The thought bit like a live acid with its intolerable sting; and yet my judgment found reason after reason in support of it. I alternated between a hot desire to rush out there and then and seek her, and a stolid, dogged resolve to let her go and to live down the mad desire to see her and explain all. " You are to give us some answer," said the man who had brought the letter. The two had been watching me in silence during those few distraction- filled minutes. " An answer concerning Petrov here." "You are safe from me, Petrov," I replied. " I will let you go, but keep out of my way for the future." " I meant no harm, Burgwan, on my soul none to 144 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE you. I did what I did for you," he said, and stooped to cut the cords that bound my feet. " I did wrong and am sorry." He was an idiot, but he couldn't help that; and I let him free my hands. " Get me some paper," I said, and he hurried away and returned with it. My hands were too numbed from the cords and the efforts I had made to release myself for me to be able to do more than scratch senseless hieroglyphics on the paper. I could scarcely hold the pencil, indeed, and he and the other man chafed them until the blood was set in circula- tion. Even after some minutes of this I could only write in large, uncouth letters a sort of illiterate scrawl which was no more than a caricature of my hand- writing. But time was pressing. Mademoiselle might be gone before my letter could reach her, so I wrote as best I could. " I agree on condition that you see me. Burg- wan." I spelt my name as she had been accustomed to pronounce it; and having sent Petrov to deliver it, I ordered the other man to get me some food and milk. I had no appetite; but I had eaten nothing for many hours and knew I must keep up my strength; so I forced myself to take it. The milk was grateful enough, for I was feverish and consumed with thirst. But all the time I was waiting impatiently for Petrov's return with the answer to my letter; and as soon as I had finished the meal I paced up and down the low, narrow room feeling like a caged beast. AT POABJA 145 But my resolve was fixed. She should not go without my seeing her; and when minute after min- ute passed and Petrov did not return, I could barely keep within the house, and was seized with a fierce longing to rush off to the priest's house and find her. At length the suspense and restraint passed endur- ance, and I went to the door and shouted for some- one. The man who had been with Petrov came in response. " Who is the priest who gave you your orders? " " Father Michel." "Where does he live?" " By the side of his church at the end of the long street." " How far is it? How long should it take to go there and return?" " The man should have been back before now. I suppose they have kept him while an answer was written." "Who are you?" " This is my house. I keep the inn next door." "Where is my horse?" " Your companion has them all. Karasch is his name, isn't it? " I had forgotten all about Karasch in my anxiety. " Where is he and the horses ? " " They have been fed in my stables. There's a bill to pay," he added, as though that was the most important feature in the whole case. I suppose it was to him. I gave him a gold piece and told him to keep the change, and so made a friend. " Can you lead me to the priest's house? " 146 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE " Of course I can, at need. But I was told you were going to remain here a couple of hours. It is nothing to me." " See if Petrov is coming," I said next. His words had recalled Mademoiselle's letter; and I was still anxious to do what she had asked. He went out and after a minute or two, returned. " He is coming down the hill now," he announced. " You can go then." " I shall be at hand if you want me," he answered, and shut the door behind him. Petrov came a minute later and had a letter. I tore it open with trembling fingers. "Will you wait for me? Mademoiselle." * I breathed a sigh of intense relief, and looking up, caught Petrov's eyes bent upon me. As he met my look he lowered his face. " You can go," I said, curtly. " I want to serve you still, Burgwan." " I have no need for you. Go." ' There is money due to me." "How much?" He named a sum and I gave it him, saying that rightfully he had forfeited it by his disobedience. He counted it slowly as if to make sure it was right. " I want to serve you still, Burgwan," he repeated. " I tell you I have no need for you." " About that Austrian Government officer, Burg- wan, Captain Hanske?" It was said with sly sug- gestiveness. "Well?" " Where is he ? He stayed with you and has not AT POABJA 147 been seen again. No one but me knows you saw him last" I laughed. "Are you threatening me?" " No. I want to serve you. Is he dead ? " " You insolent dog. No." " What did you do with him ? I've kept my lips closed." " Closed or open it's all one to me. Say what you like to whom you like. But get away from here." " I want to serve you, Burgwan. You can pay. Not only about him, but about that, too; " and he pointed to the letter. "What the devil do you mean? " " I was a long time gone, wasn't I? " " Well ? " His manner and tone were full of sug- gestion. " I can serve you. I can help you to get those three thousand gulden ! " " Three thousand gulden ! " I exclaimed, utterly at a loss for his meaning." " Yes, the three thousand waiting to be paid at Maglai" Then I understood and burst into a laugh. " I think you're making a pretty considerable ass of yourself, Petrov; but I'll listen to you." " You meant to take her to Maglai, you and Kar- asch. You knew she was no witch and meant to earn the reward. Well, I can help you now, if you'll give me my share." My first impulse was to kick him out of the room and I started angrily to obey it; but then a very dif- 148 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE fcrent thought stopped me. He knew something that I ought to know. He took me for a scoundrel enough to betray Mademoiselle in this way and thought he could sell this knowledge of his at the price of a share in the reward. " Why were you so long away? " I asked, seizing on the vital point. " What share am I to have? " " Half the reward when I receive it." " You swear that? " he asked slowly. " Tell me what you know," I cried, sternly. " Does she say she'll come here ? " he asked, point- ing again at the note in my hand. " Yes." " Ah. She's gone and if we're to get her into our possession again we shall have to be quick." "Gone? Where?" I exclaimed, aghast at the' check. He threw up his hands. " To Samac. But you haven't taken that oath about my share." ' You infernal villain. Do you think I mean to harm her? Out of the way; " and dashing him aside, I called for the other man and told him I must have my horse at once. Then I turned back to Petrov. " How long has she been gone? " I asked. " I shan't say. I've lied to you, Burgwan." " Here; " and I took out some gold pieces. " These are yours if you tell the truth." " She's gone on the road to Samac, Burgwan, in a carriage which the priest found for her, and has AT POABJA 149 about half an hour's start. They kept me from com- ing back to you." Karasch came up then with his horse and mine, and in a moment 1 was in the saddle dashing in hot haste up the winding street. CHAPTER XI. TO SAMAC. Many of the village folk were still lounging in the street and the clatter of the horses' heels brought out more to gape and stare in wonderment as we clat- tered past. We were nearing the end of the place when I caught sight of a church with a mean-looking presbytery by the side. I checked my horse, rode to it, and asked for Father Michel. A tall white-haired priest came out; kind- faced, with remarkable eyes almost black, under black brows. A man to trust certainly. "You are Father Michel?" For answer he turned his searching eyes upon me, paused and said: " You will be Burgwan?" ' Yes. And you know why I come." " On the contrary, I was in the act of coming to you." " Is she here ? " I did not know how to speak of Mademoiselle; but he understood instantly. He patted my horse's neck and looked up with sympathy in his manner and glance. ' You will let me speak with you? " " Is she here? " I repeated. " She wished me to see you. We arranged that she should go and that I should give you her messages. You will come into my house ? " TO SAM AC 151 " No, I cannot wait. She is gone to Samac. I shall ride after her. I must see her." " You are suffering," he said, with that soothing comfort-offering air which is the priceless possession of many women and some good men. " You will let me give you her messages ? " " I cannot wait," I said again ; and yet I lingered. " Will it ease your own pain to make her suffer? " The question made me wince; and I shirked the an- swer to it. " She has gone to Samac? " " Yes, she has driven to Samac. There is plenty of time for you to listen to me and then to over- take her before she can leave there." " She was to come to me," I said, with a glance of doubt at this. It might be another ruse. He saw the doubt instantly. " You may believe me. I do not wish to detain you if you prefer to go, and should not stoop to a trick." He stepped back and waved his hand as if to signify I was free to go, and added : " It is only for her sake." He knew the strength such a plea would have for me. " I must see her. I will." He threw up his hands with a gesture of pain. I half wheeled my horse round to start and then checked him. " Why did she go in this way ? " Again he turned those wonderful eyes of his upon me, and answered slowly: " If you do not know I must not tell you. She 152 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE has gone out of your life altogether altogether. It is her own doing; her own will and wish and doing. Let her go." " I will not," I exclaimed almost fiercely. " Have patience and the strength of a man, Burg- wan. You have acted nobly to her, offering your life in her defence. She cannot repay you. She knows that, and I know it. Add chivalry to your courage, and spare her." " She told me to wait for her in that letter, I mean; and yet before it was in my hands, she had gone away." " The sweetest pleasure in life as well as the noblest quality in man is self-denial, Burgwan; and in your case it is real prudence and wisdom as well." " But she bade me wait for her," I repeated. " Not in Poabja, Burgwan. She bade me get from you your name and the means of communicating with you if ever " " Then it was a mere trick of words," I cried with angry unreason. " I shall follow her;" and without waiting for him to reply I rode off quickly. I think I was afraid to trust myself longer with him; afraid lest he should prevail with me; afraid lest the fierce consuming desire to look once more upon her face should be chilled by the appeals to my better nature which he knew how to make so shrewdly. Already he had made me conscious of the stubborn selfishness of my purpose; and as I galloped along, I sought to stifle the feeling with specious pallia- tion and anger. She had no right to treat me in this way. I had done nothing and said nothing to deserve TO SAM AC 153 it. She had run away under the cover of a mere trick and ruse. And so on. But I could not shake off the impression of the priest's words, "Will it ease your own pain to make her suffer?" The question haunted me. I could find no answer to it in my own thoughts, just as I had found none in speaking with him. Out of it came the chilling conviction that the part I was playing was the part of the coward. I was forcing myself upon her in face of her re- monstrance and pleading. " Her own will and wish and doing." What was I but a coward to try and force her. The very air took up the cry of coward; and the rythm of my horse's hoofs seemed to echo it at every throbbing stride. But I knitted my brows and set my teeth and held on. I must see her again. I would. It was my pas- sion that urged me. I would see her, let the world cry shame upon me for my cowardice. And I dug my heels into my horse's flanks in my distraction and rushed along up hill and down alike at a mad, reckless speed. Fast as I rode, however, I could not outpace that thought of cowardice. It gained upon me, little by little; now to be flung aside in anger, only to return to chill me until I hated the thing I was doing and had to put forth every effort of my selfish desire to prevent myself checking the horse and turning back to seek some other means to my end. If it was really to cause her suffering, after what she had gone through, how dared I go on? What would she think of me ? She had trusted to me in all 154 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE that time of peril with the implicit trust of a child. Thank God I had been able to stand between her and her danger, and we had come through it together to safety. And now I was so madly selfish that I could not be man enough to spare her from this pain. " I cannot thank you ; I can only remember," she had written. And here was I bent upon blotting the memory with this slur of my own crude, brutal self- ishness. Was this what she would look for in her comrade? Was it what she had the right to expect? How would the act look when she came afterwards to remember? Unwittingly I checked my horse. I was a coward now of another kind. I was afraid to satisfy my own desire; afraid to mar the memory she would have of our comradeship; afraid to meet the look of re- proach I knew would be in her eyes at the sight of me. My horse, glad enough to ease his speed, fell into a walking pace, and I let the reins drop on his neck as I hung my head in sheer dejection. Karasch came to my side in astonishment then. "Is anything the matter, Burgwan?" " Nothing that you can help, Karasch." " We are going to Samac, are we not ? " " I don't know and don't care. Don't worry me with your questions." " Mademoiselle has been taken there, hasn't she ? Are you not going to her help? " "She has gone there of her own will and wish. She is quite safe; you need have no fears for her." " How do you know she is safe? " TO SAM AC 155 " The priest told me." " The priest ! " he exclaimed, with scant respect. " I should like to know it for myself and trust my own eyes." I started and instinctively gathered up the reins again. What if she was not safe after all. Could the whole thing at Poabja be just a trick to get her from me?" I laughed suddenly; so suddenly that Karasch started and looked at me in surprise and some alarm. " May I see the devil if I see a reason for laugh- ing." But I did. I was laughing at the effect his words had had on me at the tempting pretext they offered for continuing the journey. I could pretend that I was in doubt about her safety, and that that was the reason for my riding after her. I played with the thought; and then laughed again. " Don't be a fool, Karasch. She is quite safe, I tell you." " Have you ridden out thus far then at a wild gallop in order to see how dusty the roads are? " " I suppose that's about how it looks," I laughed. " That blow on your head has hurt you more than we thought." " No, it isn't my head this time," I said drily. :< Your leg, you mean ? Or did they do anything to you at Poabja? " ' Yes, it all happened at Poabja, Karasch. I must go back there and see that priest again ;" and I pulled my horse up and turned him. I would have given much to have taken Karasch's view and have ridden 156 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE on, but the thought of Mademoiselle's eyes stopped me. Even if I persuaded myself, I could not tell the lie to her. Karasch sat facing me stolidly. " You are ill, Burgwan, or it wouldn't be like this with you. Go back to Poabja and I'll seek you there." " What do you mean? Where are you going? " " To Samac. I will not desert her." The grim irony of this was too much for me and I smiled. Here was I, consumed with intense long- ing to go to her and compelled to hold myself back with a curb of iron and to Karasch my act seemed no more than paltry cowardice and desertion. My smile seemed to anger him. " You have not been so free with your laughter till now," he said, curtly, " and I see no cause for it." "If I laugh it is not for joy, Karasch; but you don't understand. Do as you say. Go on to Samac and bring me any news you may find there." " You are right. I don't understand. -But you had better ride on with me. If you are really ill, ' we are nearer to Samac than Poabja ; and if there is news you ought to know, it may mean a grievous waste of time to have to ride back to Poabja." How aptly the plea fitted with my desires. It was true, too. She might, after all, have need of me. There was just the chance that matters had been mis- represented. It could do no harm for me to be in Samac. I need not see her even if I went there. Karasch watched me closely as I sat letting these thoughts and others of the kind influence me ; and he TO SAM AC 157 believed that he was persuading me and bringing me back to my right mind. " I shall be very little use without you, Burgwan, if there is really more trouble. We ought to make sure. We should be cowards to desert her now." " I wonder which way the real coward would de- cide to go, Karasch. For the life of me I don't know ; " but I wheeled my horse round again and we rode on toward Samac. After all I was not now going to see her, I said to myself. I would just make sure, as Karasch had suggested, that all was well with her, and then hide myself until she had left. That was how I shut the door and turned the key against those uncomfortable words of the priest about chivalry and self-denial. After all it was perfectly consistent with chivalry to assure myself of her safety to the last minute, and yet keep away ; while as for self-denial that would be all the greater if I did not see her when close to her at Samac than if I remained five miles off at Poabja. Yet in my heart I knew perfectly well I was going to see her. I was going to play the coward and to force myself upon her at the risk of causing her pain; aye, even with the prospect of losing her esteem. I did not ride so fast now, and thus Karasch could talk. He wanted to talk about her; what we should do when we reached Samac. But I could not stand that, and each time he began I mumbled some in- coherent reply and struck my heels into my horse to get away from him; and at last he gave up the attempt. I knew that I was going to ride straight up to the 158 railway depot where I should find her; but I would not admit this even to myself yet, and certainly would not put it into plain words. Presently he chose another topic. " Have you thought about that Austrian Govern- ment officer, Burgwan?" he asked, with some evi- dence of uneasiness. " Yes, a good deal." " What are you going to do about it ? He can't be left where we tied him up." "Would you like to go and find him?" I asked, with a grin. It pleased me to tease him in the mood I was in. " No, by the God of the living, not for a fortune." " Shall we leave him to die then ? " I put the ques- tion angrily, as if rebuking him for callousness. " You'd better go yourself," he growled. " It would be murder to leave him. There will be a big reward offered for his murderers." " No one knows about it," he growled again, un- easily. " Oh, yes. Petrov does. He spoke of it in Poabja to me." ' The blight of hell blind him for a cursed pig," he exclaimed with sudden savageness. ' There's not much chance of that before he can say what he knows, Karasch. I mean to leave the country." He started so violently that he checked his horse, and when he rode up again he looked at me search- ingly. TO SAM AC 159 " Are you trying me? " he asked, half fiercely half in doubt. " No, that's for the judge to do." He chewed this answer for a while in gloomy silence; then he uttered one of his quaint oaths into his black beard, and his face cleared. " There was a time when I should have thought you ready to do even that and worse. I don't now." That beat me. " Then if I can't fool you I may as well say what I mean to do," I said. " Petrov knows the point where we met last night; and I shall send back to the priest at Poabja enough money to pay for a search party being sent out under Petrov's guidance to find the officer. I marked the spot where we left him and can describe it clearly enough." "And the men at the camp?" " I shall send money for them to be cared for." " There'll be a pretty mess of trouble when that officer once gives tongue a hue and cry will be raised for us." " It will have to be a loud one to reach us. We shall be far enough away by that time." 'He pondered this answer in his deliberate way when puzzled; and then lifted his head and looked across at me. "We?" he asked. " Didn't I say I should be out of the country? " " Yes, you did ; but " he shook his head, doubt- ingly. " Did you think I should leave you behind, Karasch?" " I couldn't know," he said ; and urging his horse 160 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE he added: "Shall we get on? There's Samac in sight." He rode ahead of me without another word until we were just at the entrance to the town, when he stopped and waited for me. His face was pale and set. He had been thinking earnestly, and was un- usually disturbed and nervous. " You're a man, Burgwan, right to the heart. I can't say how glad I am you beat me in that fight; and, I'd never been beaten before." " It's all right, Karasch ; don't say any more ; " and I stretched out my hand to him. He took it and held it as he answered almost emotionally: " You're a better man than I am every way, by the living God. I'm only a dog beside you, but I'll serve you like a dog, if you'll let me." His earnestness amounted to passion now. " Not like a dog, Karasch ; not even like our good Chris; but like a man and a friend." " I'm not fit to be your friend ; I'm only a peasant when I'm nothing worse; but I'll be your man, God send the chance to prove it. And now you lead and I follow." He let my hand drop and fell behind and nothing would induce him to ride farther at my side. I was deeply touched by his earnestness. I had had many men offer themselves to me before a man with such wealth as I possessed always will have. But this man was moved by no thought of personal advantage. It was to Burgwan, the man, he pledged himself, not to the millionaire ; and I prized the offer for that reason alone. But this act in falling behind and leaving me to TO SAMAC 161 take the lead just at that juncture was not without its embarrassment. It made the pretence of having fol- lowed his lead to Samac the more difficult to keep up; and I rode through the town in no little doubt and hesitation what to do. Inclination drew me straight to the station, and Mademoiselle ; while that pricking consciousness that was doing a cowardly thing warned me away. But love and doggedness triumphed. I had come too far to retreat ; and now that I was so near to her I lacked the pluck to keep away from her. I did what I had felt I should do. I rode straight to the station and, giving my horse into Karasch's charge, I entered it to look for her. She was there, sitting in the miserable waiting- room, dejected and sorrowful, and bending over Chris as he squatted on his haunches beside her, with his great head in her lap. He recognised my step and with a whimper of pleasure, started up and rushed to me, fawning upon me with such delight that I had to check him. But Mademoiselle turned pale as she saw me, her hands clasped quickly and tightly together, her lips parted and her brow drew together in a frown of dis- may or pain. Then I put the dog aside and went to her. CHAPTER XII. ON THE HILL AT SAMAC. As I stepped forward two persons who had been sitting apart from her rose and came quickly toward me. In my abstraction I had not noticed them ; but I saw now that one was a priest and the other a matronly woman of between thirty and forty years of age. " What do you want ? Who are you ? This lady is in my care," said the priest. " You saw that the dog knew me for a friend," I answered. " That may be, but what do you want ? " he asked again. I looked across to Mademoiselle. She hesitated a moment and then spoke to the priest. " It is all right, father. I wish to speak to him." There was just a suspicion of a pause at the last word as though she had been in doubt how to speak of me. " But Father Michel " began the priest in pro- test, when she interposed and with a single gesture silenced him. The incident gave her time to regain self-posses- sion. Outwardly she grew calm, dignified, and almost cold, but her eyes were burning and in them I read the reproach I had so dreaded during my ride. ON THE HILL AT SAM AC 163 " Why have you come? " she asked, when I could not speak; and her voice was hard to my ears and accusing. I hung my head. " I have no answer," I murmured. " I am sorry ; but I can go again." I had hoped, like the fool I was, she would have been glad to see me; and chilled and beaten by this reception, I turned on my heel to leave. Then Chris made a difficulty. He ran after me so that at the door I had to turn to send him back. " Call him," I said. If she could be hard, so could I; and my face was as cold and stern as she could have wished her own to be. But at my look she winced and bent her head. Her interlocked ringers were strained tightly. It was as though she understood the pain she caused me and her own tender heart was wrung at the sight. Chris stood looking up wistfully into my face. " Go back, Chris. Good-bye, old dog." He whim- pered in protest; for all the world as though he knew we were to part. " Go, Chris, good dog," I said again; and then he went slowly to her and licked the hands which were straining in such emotion. She did not look at me and I turned again and went out. " Burgwan ! " It was barely more than a whisper, but I heard it clearly as I stepped out of the door. I did not heed it, however. I had done wrong in coming there at all, and I was sufficiently master of myself now to hold to my resolve to leave her. I walked toward the spot where I had left Karasch with the horses; but I had not taken a dozen steps before a great scurry 164 THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE of feet came after me, and Chris was yelping with glee and thrusting his nose into my hand and fond- ling me. " You shouldn't have come, Chris. You're only making it all the harder, old dog. You must go back. You belong to her now ;" and turning to send him back, I saw her coming toward us. " I called to you, Burgwan." " I thought it best not to hear you, Mademoiselle." " I could not let you go like that," she murmured ; and then a pause fell between us and we stood for a minute or more, neither knowing what to say. " Karasch is here, too ? " she said at length, see- ing him with the horses. " Yes. He was anxious to know you were really safe." "And you?" There was a quick gleam of hope in her eyes that I too had acted with the same motive. " That was not my reason. I knew you were safe. I have seen Father Michel. I came because I am a coward. But I am going." " No." Sharp, clear, decisive and almost per- emptory her tone was. And again we were silent in mutual embarrassment. To relieve it somewhat I began to move, and we walked away from the little station along a path leading up a small grass-covered hill and reached the top of it before we spoke again. " When does your train leave? " " At eight." ' There is an hour yet," I said, glancing at my watch. " Yes, there is just an hour," she repeated, mo- ON THE HILL AT SAM AC 165 notoriously, as if glad of something commonplace to say. And again we came to a stop. " When do you reach Belgrade? " It was a fatuous question ; but as I could not speak of what filled my heart, I had to speak at haphazard. " I don't know. We travel all night, I suppose ;" and there was an end of that subject. " Shall we sit down ? The view is lovely," I said next. " Oh, don't, for God's sake, don't." It was a cry right from her heart. " Can't you see what you are making me suffer, and you talk to me of trains and views?" " We must talk of something," I replied, a little doggedly. " Why do you come here ? " she asked, turning upon me fiercely. " If you had been the man I deemed you, you would have done as I asked after what I told Father Michel to tell you." " I did not give him time to tell me anything. When Petrov brought me your second letter bidding me wait for you, he told me that you had already left for this place. I came after you at once." " But you said you had seen the priest. Did he not come to you ? He promised." " I didn't wait for him when I learnt you had left. I rode to him to his house. He said I should cause you pain if I followed you and appealed to my chivalry and said he had messages for me from you, and urged me to stay and listen. But I had pain of my own and with an angry laugh I rode away after you." 166 THE QUEEN'S 'ADVOCATE " That was your view of chivalry? " " Yes ; that was my view of chivalry. I told you I came because I was a coward. I am. I see it now. And you may as well know me for what I am". I spoke bitterly, stung by her scornful words, and found a curious pleasure in avowing my unworthi- ness. " I have forced myself upon you, you see ; forced myself like a brute and a " " Oh, don't," she interposed, putting up a hand in protest, and turning away, walked to a fallen tree and sat down upon it. I followed and threw myself on the ground near and waited for her to speak. She sat thinking awhile and then said slowly : " Things must be made plain between us, Burg- wan. I planned to leave you in Poabja." " Father Michel told me as much." " It was for the best, so. I knew that when once I was in Poabja he would be able to help me." " And my help would be no longer needed." " I am glad you are angry. It helps me," she an- swered, quietly ; and so silenced me. " You remem- ber I told you I had nothing to fear there; and I would have told you why, but that I was afraid I could not see him first and so warn him what not to tell you about me. That was why I rode on into the town, meaning to find him out by myself. He is from Belgrade, and, of course, knows me. I meant him to help me slip away while detaining you on some pretext." " Others did that for him," I put in drily. ' You were not hurt, were you? " " No, but you might have been." ON THE HILL AT SAM AC 167 " I was not. By a happy chance Father Michel met me while I was in the hands of the people and had asked them to taj