first step, and that Bosnia and the Herzegovina
would soon be theirs. Ristitch, Serb Minister at Bucarest, states on
November 13, 1912: "The Ministers of France and Russia advise, as
friends of Serbia, that we should not 'go the limit' as regards the
question of an outlet on the Adriatic. ... It would be better that
Serbia . . . should strengthen herself and await with as great a
degree of preparation as possible the important events which must
soon make their appearance among the Great Powers."

December 27, 1912.--The Serb Minister in Petersburg telegraphs: "The
Minister for Foreign Affairs replied that in view of our successes
he had confidence in our strength, and believed we could give a
shock to Austria. For that reason we should feel satisfied with what
we were to receive and consider it as a temporary haltingplace.
. . . The future remained to us. . . . Bulgaria, meantime, would
bring her ethnic mission to a close." Small wonder that in May 1913
the Montenegrins boasted to me: "We, the Serb nation, are a danger
to Europe. We have all the Russian army with us, and shall take what
we choose." Small wonder, too, that Austria, realizing she must soon
fight for her very existence against a very strong combine,
approached Italy in September 1913 and asked what would be her
attitude in case of an Austrian war with Serbia. Italy, who was
already dabbling with the Entente, though nominally a member of the
Triple Alliance, replied: "Such a war would be a most dangerous
adventure." Austria knew then that Italy could not be reckoned on.

We now slide into 1914, and Yougourieff's date, for "our great war"
approaches. Russian preparations went on apace, and France, under
Russian pressure, extended her term of military service to three
years.

CHAPTER TWENTY.
1914

DURING the winter of 1913-14 I gathered funds for Albania, and the
American missionaries worked hard at feeding the refugees of
Gostivar and Dibra. General Phillips, in command at Scutari, did all
his funds would allow for the refugees there, but reported that the
Serbs' victims were dying of hunger in the Gashi mountains at the
rate of twenty a day. But the Mansion House refused to start a fund.
Mr. Willard Howard took cinema photographs of the starving people in
their burnt ruins, hoping to rouse public feeling against the Serbs
and stop their further war plans.

At the Foreign Office I begged protection for the Balkan Moslems,
who were being barbarou