"This way," said the girl, motioning toward the stairs that led

upward.

Barney had turned toward her as she struck the match, obtaining an

excellent view of her features. They were clear-cut and regular. Her

eyes were large and very dark. Dark also was her hair, which was

piled in great heaps upon her finely shaped head. Altogether the

face was one not easily to be forgotten. Barney could scarce have

told whether the girl was beautiful or not, but that she was

striking there could be no doubt.

He preceded her up the stairway to a door at the top. At her

direction he turned the knob and entered a small room in which was a

cot, an ancient dresser and a single chair.

"You will remain here," she said, "until Stefan returns. Stefan will

know what to do with you." Then she left him, taking the light with

her, and Barney heard a key turn in the lock of the door after she

had closed it. Presently her footfalls died out as she descended to

the lower floors.

"Anyhow," thought the American, "this is better than the Austrians.

I don't know what Stefan will do with me, but I have a rather vivid

idea of what the Austrians would have done to me if they'd caught me

sneaking through the alleys of Burgova at midnight."

Throwing himself on the cot Barney was soon asleep, for though his

predicament was one that, under ordinary circumstances might have

made sleep impossible, yet he had so long been without the boon of

slumber that tired nature would no longer be denied.

When he awoke it was broad daylight. The sun was pouring in through

a skylight in the ceiling of his tiny chamber. Aside from this there

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