The herald., 1913-08-28
An Episode Of
the Balkans
By ALBEI,T KENYON

powers should intervene anu IhhICt |
their ancient enemies upon them the |
two powers most able to help or harm
them were Germany and Russia
At this time Prince Ferdinand OF
Bulgaria sent a young man in his serV-
ice to the emperor Of Germany to Of
fer certain inducements for him 10 re-
strain Austria. This person was Boris
Meloff, a very determined young man.
who, so far as strength and bravery
were concerned. was well adapted TO
get the message through TO Berlin.
Austrian spies were on the watch to
checkmate any move Prince Ferdinand
might make. and Melonf was liable to
be attacked and his dispatch taken
from him.
On the day Of his departure he went
TO his home and told his wife that he
was to go on ii journey and the object
of it, directing her to get out his PTS
tolls and a couple OF short knives.
which he intended TO take with him
for defensive purposes.
Fighting is but half the defense
you will have TO make said Kristina.
his wife You will he in greater dan
ger of losing the dispatch by strata
gem. Where will you carry your dis.
patch?"
Where would you suggest?" asked
Boris
Il will think it over and let you
| know later"
Boris gave her the dispatch that she
| might know its size. and before he left
| her she opened his valise. which she
| had packed for him, and showed him
! the dispatch. addressed to his imperial
majesty the kaiser, on top Of his other
! clothes. where every one could see 1t
! Boris was astoniShed at this and was
| about to take the package to put else
where when his wife stopped him.
Boris" she said. "leave it where it
is. No one will look for 1t in your
valiSe. 1t will be sought for on your
| person. Keep your weapons on your
person and the dispatch in your va
! lise."
The young husband concluded to
| humor his wife He kissed her and the
children goodby and sailed forth.
There is a railway running north
westward from Sofia. and Boris went
by train. his route lying through Ser
via and Austria There were traitors
and spies everywhere. and he had not
been long on the train before he knew
that there were Austrians aboard who
had been informed of his errand. He
dare not go apart from the others lest
he be attacked. SO he kept his seat in
the train He had letter in his pock-
ct from his wife. which he was tempt
ed to read to while away the time, but
he dare not Besides. she had distinct.
ly charged him not to do so unless he
should lose the dispatch. In that
case he would find in II a suggestion.
On reaching Belgrade a man stepped
up TO him and whispered to him that
his wife. Kristina. had sent him to say
that after Boris had left her she had
learned that an attempt would be
made to relieve him Of the dispatch in
changing trains at that point. The
man handed Boris q note from his
wife. written in her well known hand.
advising him to give the messenger
the dispatch to take from the train, to
be returned on the train leaving Bel
grade for Budapest Boris hesitated
but having every confidence in his
wife, he concluded to do so. Going
with the man to n room in the station
where they would not be observed
he opened his valise and gave the man
the package.
That was the last Boris saw of the
man or the package. After leaving
Belgrade he looked for him through
the train and. not finding him. was IL
agony at having been duped His grea
wonder was how the fellow could have
duped his wife Remembering the let
: ter he was to read from her containing
suggestion in case he lost the dis
; patch, he opened and read it.
Kristina said in the letter that sh'
had no hope of his getting the dispatch
through unless by stratagem. She haC
commissioned a friend to reveal to al
Austrian that Boris was going to Der
! lin with an important dispatch, and thu
friend offered to get letter from Boris
wife that would secure it for a none.
consideration. Kristina's object wa
: to throw others who were after tn
: plumber of the track. The Austrian
7 paid the price for the note and boarde'
the same train as Boris.
But" continued Kristina's letter, 81
you give him the package in you
valise you will not give him the dis
patch. | opened the envelope, took GU
the princes letter to the car and re
placed it with waste paper. The dis
patch you will find sewed in the linin
: Of your coat II my stratagem is sue
: cessful you will proceed from Belgrad
unmolested, for he who thinks he ha
the dispatch will doubtless send 1t III
opened to Vienna"
, Never was man more delighted at re
) ceiving a letter from his wife tina
Boris Melof But he dare not Civ
vent to his feelings lest he be watche
, by some of those who had followe
> him from Sofia. On second thought.
, however. he remembered that he wa
? no longer Swallowed. since his enemie
! believed that they had captured tn
, dispatch. At any rate. he saw no ful
g Their evidences of intended interference
: and on reaching Berlin took the di.