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About a third of the way out from Vissarion a number of our peoplemet usThey were fresh, and as they carried the litter, ererelieved were free for speedSo we soon arrived at the Castle

Here we found all hu like a hive of beesThe yacht, whichCaptain Rooke had kept fired ever since the pursuing party under theGospodar had left Vissarion, was already away, and tearing up thecoast at a fearful rateThe rifles and auns, too, were equipped, and the cases ofammunition ready to shipThe men, two hundred of them, were paradedin full kit, ready to start at a moment's noticeThe provision forthree days was all ready to put aboard, and barrels of fresh water totrundle aboard when the yacht should returnAt one end of the quay,ready to lift on board, stood also the Gospodar's aeroplane, fullyequipped, and ready, if need were, for iht

I was glad to see that the Voivodin seemed none the worse for herterrible experienceShe still wore her shroud; but no one seeeThe whisper had evidently gone roundof what had beenBut discretion ruled the dayShe and theGospodar met as tho had served and suffered in colad to notice that both kept themselves under such control that noneof those not already in the secret even suspected that there was anylove between thee

We all waited hat patience we could till as signalledfrom the Castle tower that the yacht had appeared over the northernhorizon, and was co inshore as she came

When she arrived, we heard to our joy that all concerned had donetheir ellThe Archbishop was aboard, and of the NationalCouncil not one was reat hall of the Castle, which had in the ot readyI, too, ith him, but the Voivodin remained without

When all were seated, he rose and said:

"My Lord Archbishop, Vladika, and Lords of the Council all, I havedared to summon you in this way because time presses, and the life ofone you all love--the Voivode Vissarion--is at stakeThis audaciousatteression under a new for step than ever to try to capture your chief andhis daughter, the Voivodin, whom you loveHappily, the latter partof the schest usBut the Voivode is held prisoner--if, indeed, he be still aliveHemust be somewhere near Ilsin--but where exactly we know not as yetWe have an expedition ready

to start the moment we receive yoursanction--your commandsWe shall obey your wishes with our livesBut as the matter is instant, I would venture to ask one question,and one only: 'Shall we rescue the Voivode at any cost that maypresent itself?'I ask this, for the matter has now become aninternational one, and, if our enemies are as earnest as we are, theissue is war!"

Having so spoken, and with a dignity and force which isinexpressible, he withdrew; and the Council, having appointed ascribe--the an its work

The Archbishop spoke:

"Lords of the Council of the Blue Mountains, I venture to ask youthat the answer to the Gospodar Rupert be an instant 'Yes!' togetherwith thanks and honour to that gallant Englisher, who has made ourcause his own, and who has so valiantly rescued our beloved Voivodinfrom the ruthless hands of our enemies"Forthwith the oldest memberof the Council--Nicolos of Volok--rose, and, after throwing asearching look round the faces of all, and seeing grave nods ofassent--for not a as spoken--said to him who held the door:"Summon the Gospodar Rupert forthwith!"When Rupert entered, hespoke to him:

"Gospodar Rupert, the Council of the Blue Mountains has only oneanswer to give: Proceed!Rescue the Voivode Vissarion, whatever thecost may be!You hold henceforth in your hand the handjar of ournation, as already, for what you have done in your valiant rescue ofour beloved Voivodin, your breast holds the heart of our peopleProceed at once!We give you, I fear, little time; but we know thatsuch is your oishLater, we shall issue formal authorization,so that if war may ensue, our allies may understand that you haveacted for the nation, and also such letters credential as may berequired by you in this exceptional serviceThese shall follow youwithin an hourFor our enemies we take no accountSee, we drawthe handjar that we offer you"As one man all in the hall drewtheir handjars, which flashed as a blaze of lightning

There did not seem to be an instant's delayThe Council broke up,and itswith the people without, took active partin the preparationsNot many minutes had elapsed when the yacht,out of thecreekOn the bridge, beside Captain Rooke, stood the GospodarRupert and the still-shrouded form of the Voivodin TeutaIto certain oftheht be called on to fulfilIheld the list which the Gospodar Rupert had prepared whilst erewaiting for the yacht to arrive from Gadaar

PETROF VLASTIMIR

FROM RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_