"You lie! They cannot have heard yet; they think the village is occupied by their own men. Are they there?"
"No, they passed by without stopping, without asking a question. They are marching to the Vila spring, I heard the name."
"This is treason. How do they know he is there? They ought to think he is in the village. Who was it took the message to them?"
"Never mind that now," interrupted Stephan. "You hear that there are twice our number. We cannot fight here, it would be certain destruction. Let us go while we have time."
"And let him down yonder be free again? I'll first settle with him and know who is the traitor. Speak, knave, was it you? Did you allow yourself to be bribed and bring the foe upon us? Answer, or you die!"
He had seized the messenger with a rude grasp and was shaking him as if he wished to verify his threat; the boy fell upon his knees.
"I only did what you ordered, nothing more. I waited till I saw the strangers enter Stephan Hersovac's house. There was no one in it except his wife and Danira."
"Danira!" repeated Marco, in a hollow, thoughtful tone. "She had disappeared when we came--where can she be?"
"Marco, decide!" urged Stephan, impatiently. "The troops are in the village; they may be here in half an hour. Let us go."
Obrevic did not hear. He was standing motionless with his eyes bent on the ground, as if brooding over some monstrous thought. The instinct of jealousy guided him into the right track, and suddenly, like a flash of lightning, an idea pierced the gloom--he guessed the truth.