Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-29
ne how this hannenedr

me how this happened?
He made u feeblf movement as though
to rise. 1 bent Overt Him with my ear close
to hts lips.
The cripple-the papers, he gasped.
and ceased.
no more. Corpses make no confessions
The ambassador allowed decent interval
to pass, as if to pHoclaim his respect for
the memory Of the murdered statesman
Poor Starovitch had hardly drawn his
last breath when the Tehief of police rushed
In at the head of I'll STAFF Of officers. He
frowned when his glance encountered me
there by the side of the dead man, but in
stanily Softening his expression he adj
vanced respectfully and said to me:
perceive that have arrived too late.
Perhaps, M. lie Baron. your friend was able
to give you some hint as to the author of
this abominable CrIne?
Il looked him steadily In the face and
replied With the most perfect GOODNESS:
No, unfortunately. NJ Starovitch ex
pred. on the contrary, just as he was on
the point of commencing declaration
The truth of this assertion was con-
firined by the doctor and the other persons
who had been present during the scene
In that case, said the chief preserving
his composure, L must proceed to make
my investigation from the clues which are
already Ia my possession
Il bowed in silence and took nv denar-
ture. returning home with Montalembert.
to whom said nothing about the anxieties
which We're tOrturing me.
The moment l had reached my OWN
house, however l sat down and wrote an
order TO u certain manufacturer in Vienna
with whom I had formerly had dealings to
forward me without delay one of those
shir's composed or steel links which are
sometimes worn by officers engaged in war
fare among savage tribes
GU have no doubt already perceived
me conclusion at which l had been forced
10 arrive: HIS exceilency turned an in
curing look at me as he uttered these
words. but continued without giving me
time to reply.
PART III.
THE two words uttered by Starovitcn
before he expired" continued the am
bassador. had been sufficient to reveal
to me the frightful plot to which I had
narrowly escaped falling victim. There
&C uld no longer be question that the
white thread which l had twice come
across on this night, first on my own
clothes, and then on those Of the unfor-
'unate minister was a signal of the most
terrible kind. 1t was not for nothing that
mad found my Path so obstinately block
ed by that cripple. till his confederate had
time to catch me up from behind But
Tor the accident of the eluerrys having
drawn my attention to 1t, the assassin I
could not doubt. would have found on nv
back the token which he sought, and I
should have shared the fate Of the man
whom had just seen breathe his last.
TO the motives of the assassins Stare
Witch had also given me a clew 1t was
evident that he had connected his muir
der with tn" mysterious packet which he
had coniided to me during the banquet 1t
was impossible to resist the idea that this
packet contained something which rem
dered it fatal to its possessor, and in my
excitement i even went so far as to ac-
cuSe Baron Dourer ski in my own mind of
having foreseen this danger and purposciy
escaped it by diplomatic retreat
IN the meantime 1 saw myself confront
ed by an unseen peril. at whose nature |
could only vaguely guess. You will have
recognized of col1se, my motives for say
ing nothing to the police officials. Where
political considerations are involved the
police are not 10 he depended on If the
crime which had just been committed Were
the work of private Individuals. on the
other hand, had no doubt that the police
would prove equal TO the task of bringing
them to j. stice.''
You did not find it necessary to open
the prime minister's envelope?" l ventured
to intersose. as his eXcellency allowed a
few moments to pass without speaking.
by no means, my friend Eecollect If
you please, that this envelope was sealed
and that its safety had excited the interest
OF the Princess Catherine All this time
had not forgotten the remarkable warning
watch she had given me, and this element
il the affair alone would have restrained
me from placing any imprudent confidence
in the officials.
"All / did was to dispatch a telegram to
Dourenski, in the cipher which he had re-
quested to employ. informing him of
what had occurred, and urging him to re-
turn Immediately.
"The news of the tragedy must in any
case have reached him within a few hours
The most profound impression was created
all over Europe by this assassination of a