THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12608, 24 June 1904, Page 3

THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE.

1 [PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.]

BY,ARTHUR W. MAROHMONT. Author c " When I Was Czar," " By Right of Sword," ' Etc.. * Etc.-

CHAPTER XXlll.(Continued.) I decided that the half-dozen men ' who with Karaseh and myself were to take the risk of making the. pretended arrest of Gatrina should wear the uniform of soldiers and over that loose civilians' clothes which could be easily slipped off in case of need. The men would in this way be available for both parts of the work before us—as civilians to resist the" mob or as soldiers to mislead the regular troops. * ' « I based my plans on the calculation that in making any attempt on Gatrina's bouse the troops were not likely to be in any considerable force. The movement would be more in the nature of an arrest ; and if we could manage to get into the house before the soldiers sent to make the. arrest they would be likely to conclude, if they saw Gatrina in our hands, that in the confusion som» mistake had been made in doubling the parties told oft for the purpose. 7 I should be in command and should wear the uniform which Nikolitch had left behind him; and in the event of any com'plication arising I should have to trust to my wits to explain it away. My intention was to march with Gatrina straight to the house of the United States' representative, where,,of course, she would be safe. I knew him already for a man oh whom I could rely implicitly. Karasch went off to find the men and was to return at midnight to report progress ; and I was to go out into the neigh 4 bourhood of Gatrina's house to look for a place in which they could be placed. I was getting ready when my eye fell upon Nikolitch's uniform and I tried" it on. It was anything but comfortable after the freedom of civilian's, dress, and as I was much the broader man of the two it was an uncommonly bad fit. But I'd to get used to it; so I resolved on a dress rehearsal of the part, and throwing on a long overcoat I put a revolver in my pocket and set out on my quest, with Chris in close attendance at my heels. The night was fine but moonless; and as the streets of Belgrade were very badly lighted there was not much chance of my being recognised. The restaurants and supper-houses were busy enough, and the flare of. their lights streamed across the streets here and there; but they were easy to avoid, and there were none of them in the neighbourhood of Gatrina's house. A.« it was of course necessary that I should make myself as familiar with the entrances to the house as possible I had a good look at it, being careful to keep well in the shadow. , A massive stone house, it stood by itself at a corner and was almost surrounded by a high wall. The main door let cut on to a broad thoroughfare; a strong, massive door with a deep portico. In the wall at the side there was a smaller doorway—the servants' entrance, I concluded; and this, also, was very heavily and strongly fashioned. All the lower windows were heavily barred, a custom I had observed to be general in the' large houses in the city. It was altogether a house, capable of offering stout.resistance to any attack; and I saw in a moment that if I could once get inside, with a few resolute men, it would I be possible to hold it for a long time against either mob or troops ; and I concluded that, in common with many others in the city, it had been strengthened in view of the turbulent outbreaks which had been frequent enough in Belgrade. The strength of the bouse reassured me somewhat until I found a weak spot. .Some fifty yards along the smaller street were the stables; and I remembered that when I had been in the house on the previous day waiting in my vain attempt to see Gatrina, I had noticed' a newly-made door at the end of the garden, just at the point where as I could now see ib would lead to the stables; while from the; room where j had r been placed, a French window quite unprotected led down a flight of steps to the. garden path. . > That was a weak spot indeed. But if it would render the house open to attack it would also provide the means by which I could gain access if the need arose. I was weighing all this in. my mind most earnestly as I stood opposite the entrance to the stable when Chris moved and growled. I silenced him, laying my 'hand on his head, and drew back ; with him into the deep shadow of a tree which stood in. front of the portico of a house, and listened. He never warned me without cause; and soon I caught the sound of approaching footsteps. I had no wish to.be seen, so I slipped into the portico and pressed. close against the wall, while I kept watch on the newcomer. He came along at a quick pace until he reached the stable, when he paused. My first idea was that he was a servant who had overstayed his hours of leave and was puzzling how to get into the house without attracting notice. " : But I was wrong. Presently he came out into the roadway and stared at the upper windows of the "house. ' Then he went round to the front and again ■, he paused and stared up , at • the windows there; and apparently not ; seeing what he sought—-for the whole house was now in darkness—he scratched ' his head as if in perplexity, and came sauntering back toward the stables. He was very slow in his movements, and his slowness irritated , me. Presently a light showed for an instant in one of the top 1 windows at the back, and was-almost instantly extinguished. This was repeated twice, at short intervals.; and I heard the window raised very cautiously. • , ) It was evidently the signal for which' the , man in the street had been waiting, for he , whistled, just two notes softly, showed himself in the roadway and then stepped back ' in the shadow of .the stables and waited. i A vulgar assignation, I thought then, not without disgust; and I wished that he and { his sweetheart would be quick over their love-making. It was well past eleven. At :• midnight I had to be back to receive Karascb's report; and yet could not venture f to lie sesn. ' ''..'-J , But it was no sweethearting. After some 1 minutes a small door in the large stable i gate was opened and a man looked out. I ? could see all that passed , by the 1 light of , a lamp over the gates. The two whispered ( together a moment; and then the man j from the house came out, turned the key i in the lock, and put it in his pocket. ( They both crossed the road toward where t I stood, and I pressed yet closer against { the wall and kept my hand, on Chris' head ) lest by a sound he should betray our - presence. They did not enter the portico, 6 but stood in the shadow of the tree where I had first concealed myself. . " This will do," I heard one of them say ; t awl then, strain mv ears as I ''would I { could not. catteli any other "than isolated ( words. But they were enough to set met on fire. "Army," "Arrest," "Three 1 hours," " Yes, two o'clock"—this was < louder and in an impatient tone. After that there was a chink of money passing ; and 1 then silence. It ? lasted so long that, £ unable to contain myself, I peered out can- j tiously and looked at them. t The man who bad come froir the house t was counting a quantity of paper money, and trying to read the value of each bill ® by the flicker of the lamp across the road. v It was a tedious business; and his com- ® panioro whispered something to him and they both walked away along the street. r My first inclination was to follow them at once and force an explanation; but I checked the impulse. I resolved to wait for the return of the servant. He was sure to come back, if I read the thing aright. I could deal with him alone much more * satisfactorily. . I; i I took Chris across to the stable gates Jj and, making him understand that he was t on guard and must let no one pass in, I a returned to my hiding-place, « ■ The minutes were leaden as I stood wait- c ins(. The man. was so long away that I r began to fear I had blundered and to regret I had. not acted on the impulse to * follow the two. f But he came at length, hurrying from * the opposite' direction, and he glanced up j at the house windows as he passed, with i a gesture of uneasiness. When he reached d the stable gates, Chris received him with a low growl, and he started back in some c dismay at the most unexpected iutexrup- s lion*, ' ■ ■£#?'- ;. I«

I „ % He was trying to pacify the dog with a little coaxing when I crossed to him, and, assuming a tone of authority, , asked at a venture: "You have seen the sergeant? Why -have you been so long?" * *.. He was obviously in much perplexity and some fear, and glanced from Chris to me, The; good dog looked formidable enough to have frightened a braver man. ""'■'.- "Who are you?" he asked. I threw back my.', long coat and showed my uniform. ■;;.;■> :.■";'•>■'',:•• . ■ -; : , " The plan is changed. You are to come with me. We can't trust you out of sight again." ; He glanced round as if meditating flight. "The dog will pull you down if you move,'" I said, sternly. ,; "I must get in," be murmured. "I shall keep my word." * "Did you hear what I ordered you?" I rapped back with an oath. " Come," and I linked my arm in his to drag him away. He resisted at first; but at a word from me Chris showed his fangs and snarled so angrily that no resistance was left in him. I let go his arm then. " A false step or a'single word, and the dog's fangs will close on your throat," I muttered fiercely. 'lit came then, keeping pace anxiously with my quick stride and glancing ever arid again over his shoulder at Chris, who stalked behind him like a black shadow. ; I got him to m> house without trouble; for the streets were now all but deserted, j and I chose, a way which avoided the main roads.-.'-':"" '," ! .; ; .;:' - , ; : I led him into my study, taking Chris with me, and then turned "a lamp full on his face. Then I drew my revolver and held it in bis,full view as I considered how best to question him, so as to get the truth out of , him. '. »■ It was, a vital matter, and they were anxious moments; for upon his answers Gatrina's life might depend. "He found them anxious; tool I could see.that by his pallor, the nervous twitching* of hands and features, the sweat that stood on his swarthy forehead, and the wild look in his fear-filled eyes. -■ - (To be continued dally.) ' ; . ■'''?-' '. '■ ■'• ■' ,; '-'''' ' ■' ,",-'-':^"' !