A Princess of the Balkans/Chapter 12

Dallas and Thalia, with the assistance of a few of the frightened villagers, were doing what they could for the wounded when up rode Sir James and Connors, both covered from head to foot with blood and dust, but neither seriously hurt. Some distance behind them strode the tall, bearded man whom Thalia had recognized as the hermit, Ishmi Bey.

Sir James dismounted and came toward them, his grimy face glowing with delight.

"Thank God!" he cried huskily. "We had almost given you up. We were starting out to look for you this morning when we ran headfirst into this gang of Emilio's. I tried to prevent a row, but there was no holding Ishmi Bey and the Shkipetari."

He took Thalia's hand in both of his and carried it to his lips, then turned to Dallas with glistening eyes.

"Might have known you'd win through, old chap! I say, that was a ripping shot you made on Dimitri! It was all a put-up job of those two scoundrels, Rosenthal and Emilio."

"Rosenthal had nothing to do with the plan to murder us," said Dallas.

"Didn't he? I'm glad of that. It didn't seem to me like the old baron to play that sort of a filthy game. Too bad! If we had known that, we'd have passed him by just now."

"He's not much hurt," said Dallas.

Sir James' face expressed relief. "Glad of it," said he heartily, then glanced up to see the baron himself standing in the door of the han, his head swathed in bandages.

"Hello, baron!" called the Englishman heartily. "Glad you were not killed, old chap."

"T'anks. And I am glad you were not hurted, Sir Chames. This fight vas not of my choosing. Now I am finished. My forty t'ousand pounds can go to the devil. I am not afraid to say ven I am beat. Vonce I vas beaten in Macao by a Chinaman, and vonce in Hayti by a nigger named Fouchère. Now I am beat in the Balkans by two boys and two girls." He grinned.

Sir James looked about him and shook his head.

"Nasty work," said he, "but there was no help for it. When our crowd saw these people of Emilio's, they went crazy. We had better get to Dakabar as soon as we can, or there will be a hanged sight worse row than this. The Shkipetari have been pouring in from the mountains, and nothing will do but they must attack Emilio."

"How is Paula?" Dallas asked.

A peculiar expression of embarrassment appeared on the battle-stained face of the Englishman.

"She is very well, but awfully worried about you two."

Ishmi Bey had greeted Thalia, and the two were talking in low tones. The surviving Albanians had come straggling back, a few mounted and some on foot. There was not a man of them who did not carry some wound.

"Let's get out of this," said Sir James, "before we have a Turkish zaptié down on our backs. The whole thing is a bit irregular."

"How about the wounded?" asked Dallas.

Sir James shrugged. "The villagers will have to look after them. They will do it, I fancy, for fear of both parties." He turned to Rosenthal. "How did you leave the dear prince, baron?"

"I am finished vit' Emilio," he answered harshly. "I do not hold vit' murderers and assassins, Sir Chames. If you do not object, I vill go to Dakabar."