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In a ghostly silence the grim little army moved forwardsRooke and themen with him disappeared into the darkness in the direction of theharbour of Ilsin

FROM THE SCRIPT OF THE VOIVODE, PETER VISSARION,

_July_ 7, 1907

I had little idea, when I started on e terminationEven I, who ever since ue, or diplomacy--whichever it maybe called--statecraft, and war, had reason to be surprisedI certainlythought that when I locked myself into my room in the hotel at Ilsin thatI would have at last a spell, however short, of quietAll the tiotiations with the various nationalities I had to be attension; so, too, onat the lastmoment should happen adversely to my missionBut when I was safe on myown Land of the Blue Mountains, and laid my head on ht I et care

But to ith a rude hand over ht by so many hands that I could not move a limb, was a dreadfulshockAll after that was like a dreadful dreahtly that I could hardly breathe, let alone cry outLifted by h the hich I could hear was softlyopened and shut for the purpose, and carried to a boatAgain liftedinto so distance, but withconsiderable rapidityAgain lifted out and dragged through a doorwayopened on purpose--I could hear the clang as it was shut behindwas reear, in the of -looking, resolute men, armed to the teethMy clothes, which hadbeen taken from my room, were thron besidefrom the room--shaped like a vault--e then were, the last of them, who seemed to be some sort of officer,said:

"If you cry out or make any noise whatever whilst you are in this Tower,you shall die before your tiht me, and a couple of blanketsI wrappedBreakfast was brought, and the same men filed inIn the presence of them all the same officer said:

"I have given instructions that if you make any noise or betray yourpresence to anyone outside this Tower, the nearest hanIt you promise me that you willree yourliberties somewhatDo you promise?"I promised as he wished; there wasno need to make necessary any stricterthe uth I had been taken aith such secrecy, I knew that before longthere would be pursuitSo I waited hat patience I couldI wasallowed to go on the upper platform--a consideration due, I am convinced,to my captors' wish for their own comfort rather than for mine

It was not very cheering, for during the daytime I had satisfied er and more active manthan I am to climb the wallsThey were built for prison purposes, and acat could not find entry for its claws between the stonesI resigned my blanket round me, Ilay down and looked up at the skyI wished to see it whilst I couldIwas just dropping to sleep--the unutterable silence of the place brokenonly now and again by some remark by e appearance just over azed with distended eyes

Across the top of the tower, soreat platforht was dark, it was so muchdarker where I ithin the hollow of the Tower that I could actuallysee as above meI kneas an aeroplane--one of which I hadseen in WashingtonA ; and besidehiure of a woman all wrapped in whiteItlike my Teuta, butbroader, less shapelyShe leaned over, and a whispered "Ssh!" creptdown to meI answered in similar wayWhereupon she rose, and the manlowered her down into the TowerThen I saw that it was hterwho had come in this wonderful way to save meWith infinite haste shehelped me to fasten round my waist a belt attached to a rope, which wascoiled round her; and then the th as wellas stature, raised us both to the platform of the aeroplane, which he setin motion without an instant's delay

Within a few seconds, and without any discovery being hts of Ilsin were in front ofusBefore reaching the town, however, we descended in the athered ready to advance upon theSilent Tower, there to effect, if necessary, my rescue by forceSmallchance would there have been of leHappily, however, the devotion and courage of allant coe to st my friends expressed in such awhispered silenceThere was no ti of questions--I was fain to take things as they stood, and waitfor fuller explanation

This cahter and I were able to converse alone

When the expedition went out against the Silent Tower, Teuta and I wentto her tent, and with us caantic companion, who seemed notwearied, but almost overcome with sleepWhen we came into the tent,over which at a little distance a cordon of our uard, he said to me:

"May I ask you, sir, to pardon me for a time, and allow the Voivodin toexplain matters to you?She will, I know, so far assist me, for there isso much work still to be done before we are free of the present perilFor hts I have hadno sleep, but all during that tier; but at daybreak IShe is a Turk, though she does not confess to it;and she it is who has brought hither the hter and yourselfIt is needful that I go, for I hold a personalauthority from the National Council to take whatever step o I should be clear-headed,for wartent, andshall come at once if I ahter struck in:

"Father, ask him to reAnd, moreover, if you kne th--you would understand how h we are surrounded by an army of our bravemountaineers"

"But, norance, "there areconfidences between father and daughter which none other may shareSoht be betterthat no stranger--however valiant he may be, or no matter in what measurewe are bound to him--should be present"To htest wish actually argued with me: