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HE British embassy at Vienna has been asked
afTf I by Hector Darwin, a British subject, to save
I I the life of a beautiful Bosnian girl, who has
JL I been ootid imned to die simply because two
men love her, and neither will give her up.
Hat hoi thai break their friendship these two
men, who took the oath of perpetual brother
hood before a priest In thr wooden church of
Urod, have resolved to kill the girl. They would have exe
cuted their sentence upon her ere this bad K not been for
tha Interference of Hector Darwin.
i This statement of facts reads strangely enough in the
light of twentieth century civilization, but In many out of
the way corners of Europe tradition rutes with a firmer hand
than law.
Bosnia is one of these queer corners; and In Bosnia, when
two men, Jomed by the oath of friendship, love the same girl
they kill her rather than quarrel over her.
Chain of Circumstances Starts Complications.
It Hector Darwin had pot missed the oriental express
one day last summer and thus been compelled to remain in
Belgrade for thirty-six hours, he would not have met John
Lapham, a brother Englishman, and also a globe trotter; and
If Darwin had not met Lapham he would not have changed
his plans and traveled overland through Bosnia and Herze
govina to the Adriatic; and If he had not vhflted Bosnia he
would not have met wUh the strange adventure In the
mountains that led him to seek in marriage a girl in order
to save her life.
It was thla chain of circumstance that led to the
strangest diplomatic complication that lias happened In
Europe for a score of years.
One afternoon in August Darwin and Lapham "(found
themselves ln a wayside Inn In an old mountain village in
Bosnia, waiting while clumsy artisan worked tediously to
repair the old wooden hooded coach In which they were travel
ing, and which had Jolted well nigh to pieces over the rough
roads. A diurnal rain was falling steadily and the travelers
were compelled to remain inside the dirty. 111 smelling Hving
room of the Jnn. There were only two rooms. One part
was occupied by the women In the other part the men re
mained, and around their fee swarmed a collection of ducks
chickens, and children. A couple of goats and a pig or two
shared the room and fought over such saraps of food aa they
could find In tha dirt of tha floor.
Suitors Typical Bosnian Brigands.
'By the window sat two Bosnians in earnest, muttered con
versation. They won wide flawing trousers of deep red,
with gaiter of while, and a brown vest braided with black.
One had on a leather girdle and the other a silken ash,
which held a sheath knife, a tobacco pouch, and, a long
stemmed cherry wood pipe.
Apart from them, but regarding them seriously, sat
priest, in a black robe,nls long, buahy. curly hair sur
mounted by the queer box shaped cap of the orthodox clergy.
A brown curly beard covered his broad chest.
The priest could speak enough Russian to enable Darwin,
who had traveled in every land and knew a smattering of
every tongue, to converse with him. The priest revealed to
' Darwin a. story that reads like a chapter from the history of
the middle ages.
The two Bosnians In the picturesque garb, said she priest,
were Teeanj Tousla and Bihac Ulems, Both were of good
families, in spite of the strain of gipsy blood In their veins. .
and they had grown up from boyhood together. When 22
years of age they went bnf.ire the priest of the Orthodox
Greek church and took the oath of friendship. For four
years that oath srai kept without difficulty.
Duplicity in Love Revealed.
Then there came a girl a Pruato-8ervian. 8 be was un
deniably beautiful, aa Croato-Servian girls go. 8he was tall
and fair, soft eyed and soft spoken Just the girl to fire
the heart of a man who was half gipsy. But Ilk many a
girl in other lands, she could not resist the temptation to
flirt Just a little,
Teanj' Touzla and Bihac Ulema both fell in love with
Do I ml a Banjalouka each without the knowledge of the
other. Dolnla accepted the attentions of each end kept
them in Ignorance.
One day Teaand and Bihac returned to their home after a
hunting expedition Into the mountains. At their door stood
a swarthy srlpsy messenger holding a bright colored hand
kerchief knotted In a peculiar fashion and inclosing a golden
chain. Tha gipsy looked at the two friends, hesitated, and .
then said:
" It's from Dolnla Banjalouka."
" It's for me," said TesanJ. holding out his band for tb
handkerchief token.
" No: it's, for me," interposed Bihac.
The two friends regarded each other long and suspicious
ly. Finally, TesanJ spoke:
"Very well; tako It, then."
"No, TesanJ; you take the token." replied his friend.
Jealousy Clouds Their Friendship.
TesanJ took the token and departed In search of Dolnla
Banjalouka.. For three days the trlwids did not speak. It
was the first time their friendship had ever been clouded.
When at the end of three days TesanJ suggested another
hunting trip to the mountain Bihac refused to go.
One evening a week later TesanJ announced that he was
going to Mob tar and would not return for a month.
" How strange," said Bihac, " for I was Just going to tell
you that 'business calls me to Sarajevo, and I cannot return
for five weeks."
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" Oood-by, then In five weeks." said TesanJ.
That evening TesanJ. who was supposed to be on his way
to Mostar, met Bihac, whom he thought wns on the road to
Sarajevo, at the home of Dolnal Banjalouka. Both showed
their surprise, but each kept his own counsel, and they de
parted together. On the lonely road homeward the friends
faced each other.
" Tou told me you were going to Mostar," said Bihac,
with Indignation, "and I told you I was going to Sarajevo.
Well?" '
" Well, It seems that we both have lied," said TesanJ,
gloomily.
"TesanJ, my friend; she's not worth It Remember our
oath. See, here is the knife you gave me after we had sworn
before the priest."
Sentenced to Death by Suitors.
" There is only one thing to do," said TesanJ, after awhile.
M Tou know what our fathers and their fathers before them
would have doneT" ,
Bihac nodded.
" So be It," said TesanJ. " By your hand or mine?"
" By both together," said Bihac.
It was the sentence of death that the two young men
staled by an embrace and a clasp of the hand there on the
mountain road.
" I have done what I could." said the priest, as he finished
the story, to Hector Darwin. " The girl, Dolnal Banjalouka,
U here, and so are TesanJ and Bihac. I have pleaded with
them, any they reply only, with silence. They do not say
anything, but I am afraid they will carry out their oath." '
Hector Darwin walked to the door of the other room.
Dolnal Banjalouka sat by the little window, and' Dsrwln
that she was really a beautiful girl. He went within awl
spoke to her, the priest acting aa his Interpreter.
" It's a beastly shame, don't you know," said Darwin to
John Lapham. " The girl's In a deuced bad scrape."
" We might try a rescue," suggested Lapham,
" Yes," retorted Darwin. " we might, but we couldn't go
half a mile In these mountains, and those brigands, who know
every foot of the country, would have our throats cut in an
hour after we tried It"
Englishman Offers Marriage to Save Girl.
Finally Darwin talked to the priest again. He offered
to marry the girl then and there and take her out of the
country, so that her pretty face could no longer come be
tween TesanJ Touzla and Bihac Ulema.
The priest thought it might be done. He talked It over
with TesanJ and Bihac. and after an hour or two of expostu
lation and pleading gained their consent. The priest offered
to act as the intermediary between Darwin and the girl's
parents.
There are three forms of marriage In Bosnia. The only
one available to Darwin under the circumstances was by
direct purchase of the bride. Under this form of marriage
all details are arranged by a priest acting as an Intermediary
between the suitor and the girl's parents. He agrees to pay
a.; much money. If the parents accept they hand over the
girl to the suitor. But until the money Is paid the suitor Is
ret permitted to look upon the girl's face. This rule Is In
exorable and has never been broken In Bosnia.
Anxiety for Her Spoils Plan.
Darwin's own zeal In his anxiety to save the life of the
girl thwarted the only plan he could devise. He had seen
her and talked to her. The priest had to tell the girl's parents
of this fact. The old man, with Spartan firmness, refused the
price offered for the girl, declaring he would rather see her in
her grave and that bad luck would attend him and his all his
days If he violated the customs that had prevailed In Bosnia
for 400 years.
The only thing Darwin and the priest could do was to
Induce TesanJ Touzla and Bihac Tlema to grant the girl a
respite of six weeks. In that time Darwin was to go to
Vienna and Induce the British ambassador to enlist the sym
pathies of the Austrian government.
To Vienna Darwin and Lapham went with all speed.
Their names and Influence at home gave them the willing
assistance of the British embassy, end the matter was laid
bafore the Austrian minister of finance, who is at the head
of the bureau charged with the administration of the affairs
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ,
Diplomats Refuse to Jeopardize Nation's Peace.
Then an unexpected difficulty arose. Austria governs
Bosnia only as a guardian, under the treaty of Berlin She ex
ercises a strong military control, keeps order, protects life
and property, collects the taxes, and distributes them with
the strictest honesty. The Bosnians are Independent and
jealous of their liberty They recognize Austria's rule, but
cot Austria's sovereignty. Austria Is scrupulous to an ex
treme degree In recognizing all of the Bosnian laws, rights,
privileges, and traditions.
The minister of foreign affairs pointed out to the British
ambassador that any attempt to interfere with the marriage
customs and the brotherhood of friendship In Bosnia might
be followed by a popular uprising that would cause endless
bloodshed and overturn all the work accomplished for the
peace and good government of the provinces under the treaty
of Berlin.
So the matter rests. The ambassador and the minister
of foreign affairs are holding many consultations and writing
many diplomatic notes; but the fate of Dolnal Banjalouks!
I still In doubt