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Before the grey dawn had dissipated the mists of morning, the village on the height was fought for, lost, and won; its dwellings were reduced to ashes, and those of its inhabitants who had escaped massacre were scattered like sheep among the gorges of their native hills; but Petko and Giuana Borronow were safe at least for the time with a kinsman, among the higher heights of the Balkan range.
He gave, and He has taken away oh let us try to say, Blessed be His name!" She paused for a few minutes and then continued "Yes, Petko, I must go. There is plenty of work in these days for a Christian woman to do. Surely I should go mad if I were to remain idle. You have work here, I have none, therefore I must go. Nurses are wanted in the ambulance corps of our our deliverers."
Petko had been seated beside her, talking about the war, when his friend entered with a quick stealthy motion and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Dobri!" exclaimed the youth. "Petko, there is danger at hand. Mischief is in the air. Time is precious. I may not say what it is, but you know me I am not easily alarmed. You must promise me to quit this village with your sister within one hour."
Barney took the wind all out of it by his first words. "Your excellency may wonder why it is that we have summoned you at such an early hour," he said. General Petko inclined his head in deferential acknowledgment of the truth of the inference. "It is because we have learned from our chancellor," continued the American, "that Serbia has mobilized an entire army corps upon the Luthanian frontier.
"No, Petko, no," said Marika, looking at the youth mournfully, "I cannot stay here. As long as the sister of my preserver lived it was my duty to remain, but now that the bullet has finished its work, I must go. It is impossible to rest." "But, Marika," urged Petko Borronow, taking his friend's hand, "you know it is useless to continue your search.
Am I correctly informed?" General Petko squared his shoulders and bowed in assent. At the same time he reached into his breast-pocket for the ultimatum. "Good!" exclaimed Barney, and then he leaned close to the ear of the Serbian. "How long will it take to move that army corps to Lustadt?" General Petko gasped and returned the ultimatum to his pocket.
"But, Dobri, why? what? "Petko, no questions. More than that, no remarks," interrupted the scout earnestly and firmly. "Another time I will explain. At present I ask you to trust, believe, and obey your friend. If you would save your life and that of Giuana leave this village within an hour. Go where you will, but leave it."
It is not a large army, but with the help of Serbia it should be able to drive the Austrians from the country, provided they do not leave of their own accord." General Petko smiled. So did the American and the chancellor. Each knew that Austria would not withdraw her army from Lutha.
Very well, Barney Custer, of Beatrice, would be Leopold for a few days, since the real Leopold had proven himself incompetent to meet the emergency. General Petko, the Serbian minister to Lutha, brought to the audience the memory of a series of unpleasant encounters with the king. Leopold had never exerted himself to hide his pro-Austrian sentiments.
Ragusa itself now having no harbor worthy of the name, the traveler by sea must land at Gravosa about a mile north of the old city. Gravosa is merely a suburb of warehouses, shipping, and sailor-men, as unattractive as the London Docks, and the Hotel Petko swarmed with mosquitoes and an animal which seems to thrive and flourish throughout the Balkan States the rat.
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