"
They let him up, scowling ferociously. He had promised to explain,
but now that he was confronted by the immediate necessity of an
explanation that would prove at all satisfactory as to how he
happened to be wandering around the rooftops of Burgova, he
discovered that his powers of invention were entirely inadequate.
The need for explaining, however, was suddenly removed. A shadow
fell upon them from above, and as they glanced up Barney saw the
figure of an officer surrounded by several soldiers looking down
upon him.
"Ah, you have him!" cried the newcomer in evident satisfaction.
"It is well. Hold him until we descend."
A moment later he and his escort had dropped through the broken
skylight to the floor beside them.
"Who is the mad man?" cried the captain who had broken Barney's
fall. "The assassin! He tried to murder me."
"I cannot doubt it," replied the officer who had just descended,
"for the fellow is no other than Stefan Drontoff, the famous Serbian
spy!"
"Himmel!" ejaculated the officers in chorus. "You have done a good
days' work, lieutenant."
"The firing squad will do a better work in a few minutes," replied
the lieutenant, with a grim pointedness that took Barney's breath
away.
III
BEFORE THE FIRING SQUAD
They marched Barney before the staff where he urged his American
nationality, pointing to his credentials and passes in support of
his contention.
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