“From this time onwards I shot alone.  Try as I would I could get no one to come with me, and this I put down to the worthy Marko’s influence.  Thrice I saw him while out shooting, but only once within speaking distance.  I then called to him ’Marko, I know thou wilt try and kill me; but listen, I am married and have a wife and child at home.  For their sakes I ask thee to shoot at me from the front, and thus give me a chance to defend myself.’

“He smiled strangely again, saying, ‘Thou wilt remember thy insults,’ and disappeared.

“I always took cover when I saw him, but nothing happened, and the eve of my departure arrived.  The steamer left in the early morning, and just as dawn was breaking and I was still in bed Marko entered the room.  He approached my bed, and laid upon the table by my head the sum of money I had advanced him to repay his debt.  Then he spoke:—­

“’I saidst that thou wouldst remember the insults thou hast put upon me.  Here is thy money, and now listen to my story.  Thou hadst scarce set foot in Dulcigno when thy death was planned by an enemy, and I was hired to do the deed.  That was why I would take no wages, for I was already well paid; besides, it was thought that thou wouldst then certainly engage my services.  I was to accidentally shoot thee while hunting.  What more easy than to stumble and for my gun to explode?  But when I knew thee, then I could not kill thee thus.  I tried to provoke thee that night, knowing thee to be a violent-tempered man; I provoked thee into insulting me.  I hoped thou wouldst have struck me, and then it would have been easy.  Thou wast very near death at that moment, for in spite of thy gun I could have shot thee, but thou hadst grown too much into my heart.  Even in my rage I was powerless.  And now here is thy money.  I have kept my word, and am an honourable man.’

“I sprang from my bed and stopped him.  ‘Who was my enemy?’ I cried.

“’One who knew thee in Bosnia.  This man had hoped that thou wouldst visit him, and thy coffee was ready poisoned.  When I left thy service another man was hired to kill thee, but I followed thee wherever thou went.  Thus didst thou see me these three times.’

“I knew now who my enemy was.  A man exiled by the Austrians for treasonable practices whilst I was still an official in Bosnia.  Marko accompanied me to the ship, but not until I swore on my honour to otherwise throw the money into the sea would he accept it, and then only that which he had actually earned, not a kreutzer more, for I would have willingly made him a present.  Thus Marko Ivankovic went out of my life, but I shall never forget him.”