Adventure Magazine Cover, October 1911 — page 143: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Road She looked up at him and, for a moment, suiently. His eyes seemed to convey all that his words expressed, and yet with a differ- ence. They smiled, but the smile was not convincing—was, indeed, inhuman. Pleas- ure was there, but the pleasure of the hawk eying the covey in the stubble. Instinct told her that their arrival was not unex- pected—that Chance had had no hand in it. Uiko had been betrayed. She answered him with a little bow that was studiedly frigid. “I hope you can rectify the stupidity of your man, your Excellency, and release our boatman with the utmost expedition,”’ she answered. “It would be of the highest in- convenience to Signorina Gessi and myself to be unduly detained.” The wave of his hand expressed entire acquiescence. ‘“‘But, of course, esteemed signorina. My services are yours to com- mand. As yet I am entirely in the dark. I received a message that my man had put out to arrest smugglers. Surely you, of all people, have not Montenegrin tobacco con- cealed in your luncheon-basket?”’ And he continued to smile—with pleasant and artificial bewilderment. The corporal stood up, saluted, and spoke rapidly. The smile faded from Esuli’s face, was replaced by a thoughtful air, became, finally, a frown: of doubt and deliberation. He put half a dozen questions to his under- ling who replied for the most part with monosyllables. He shrugged his shoulders as he turned again to Katrine. ee “THIS is a far graver affair than I = thought, signorina,” he said. ‘The man who accompanies you—Uiko Vukic is, I understand, his name—had con- traband in the boat, contraband of war. This you must admit, I fear.” “Your man produced a packet of car- tridges from under a cushion upon which I had a few moments before been sitting. I could not have done this without being in- convenienced by it,’’ said Katrine quietly. “The obvious inference, thereforé, is that it was not there. Uiko had no possible chance of placing it there between whiles. You will not be surprised, then, when I accuse your man of having placed it there for purposes of his own—to win promotion, per- haps—or favor.” She looked at him signifi- cantly as she emphasized the two last words. 1089 He threw out his hands. ‘‘Signorina!’’ he protested. ‘‘Signorina! men—and, indirectly, myself ‘You think so?” Katrine’s voice was icy. “Yet nobody touched those cushions since our start, save the Signorina Gessi, myself, and your man.”’ He made a repudiating gesture. He turned toward Lucia. ‘‘Signorina!”’ he cried obsequiously. ‘“‘You too? Do you concur in this monstrous accusation?”’ She raised her eyes to his with a queer hint of diffidence which was entirely foreign to them. She shook her head. “‘T have no facts to guide me,” she an- swered. ‘But you can not expect me to accuse this man—or any one else,’ she added, with an odd glance at her companion. He stood looking from one to the other with dominating eyes. He shook his head. “T am ina great difficulty,”’ he confessed. “On one side duty; on the other inclination. It is impossible for me to release your man, signorina. The charge is too grave.” Uiko bent toward her. He spoke in a breathless whisper. “‘Gospodinya! For the sake of God do not desert me! By Saint Basil and All Saints I swear to you that I had no hand in this. I have smuggled—but with you, never! Witness for me, Gospodinya! Pre- vail with this accursed! Or else——’” he finished with a shrug—‘‘my race is run.” He sighed, pessimistically. The blood rushed to Katrine’s face. In every fiber of her being she knew that, for purposes of his own, the Bey was playing with her. But pity, indignation, a sense of racial pride or what you will, stirred in her to protect Uiko. She stood up. “T will sponsor this man and return with him—to-morrow,” she said. “Give him into my charge. Fix what guarantee you like. My father will pay it if it becomes necessary.” ‘“‘Signorina,’”’ he said gravely. ‘“‘For an act of war—and it is no less—no bail can be given. I doubt, I very much doubt, if my oath to my sovereign permits me to take even your own parole till this matter has been sifted. What am I to think? Muni- tions of war brought across the border to men who are always in chronic revolt? You have learned the measure of loyalty these Albanians show. Those concerned in such a deed released with no more than a repri- mand! Governors of far wider provinces 1?? 9 CO This insults my ° MICLOOKS ©