The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-08

SEEKING the man by the throat, Alex
which deprived him of his senses. I
had followed his majesty, and / now
stripped the valet while the king hast
lily undressed. While the king was as
Stunning the disguise thus provided or
him, carried the insensib1e man into
the bedroom, and placed him between
the royal sheets.
At this moment the white face Of
Anna Petrovitch appeared in the door
way beyond.
side in the courtyard"
."Quick, quicki" burst from tho lips
of Queen Draga, whose sef-possession
seemed almost unnatural. And she
pushed her husband towards the door
of his own dressing-room.
"This wayq" he exclaimed, his mind
unable to keep pace with hers.
Yes. You are Constantine. You
are in the plot, remember. You must
let them in to kill your master, who is
asleep"
I shuddered. Ny suspicion-for 1t
was hardly more-was going to be fatal
to the valet.
600 with him." Queen Draga added,
turning to me. "I am safe. I need
neither protection nor guidance. He
needs both. I adjure you. Andrea"
Swept away by the torrent Of her i'm
petuosity, followed Alexander to the
dressing room.
Draga herself came to the door and
closed it softly after us.
We were just In time to meet party
Of dozen soldiers, headed by Colonel
Masileff himself.
Stepping past the young king, who
was shaking like leaf, whispered In
Masileff' IS ear,
BE quiet, OF you WIN awake him
He is lying on the bed, drunk
The soldiers filed In past US, not one
faces, shrouded by the darkness.
The moment the last man had stepped
across the threshold Of the dressing
room, took Alexander by the arm and
drew, or rather dragged. him out into
the corridor and down the great stair
case Of the palace.
We passed out unquestioned. It did
not occur to one Of the men whom we
found outside that Masileff could have
missed his prey.
Ny uniform was enough to disarm
suspicion, for 1t was that Of regiment
in which every man had sworn on the
Gospel not to let Alexander escape alive.
Ny agent had served me well.
We found, him at the station. The
special train was ready, with steam up,
waiting for the signal to place Us In
safety on the soil Of Austria.
I made Alexander take his seat In
the meanest compartment, while wait
ed outside the station for the appear
ance Of the two women "
waited a long time. =r
From the town, all buried in dark
ness, there came sounds Of tumuh and
exultation, which must have shaken the
heart Of the young man in the train.
Itlwas not till had been there 70.
nearly three-quarters of an hour that /
; saw one female form creeping feebly
along the road towards the station.
I darted out to meet her, and uttered
an oath.
Anna Petrov1tch fell weeping tntt
my arms, with the doleful cry: hQuee1
Draga is deadl Queen Draga Is dead!'
Five minutes later [ had placed thu
were speeding on our way to Vienna
Il was in the train that learned thu
few particulars that Anna had to tell
But had hardly guessed the nature o.
the catastrophe.
Another party Of soldiers, headed b.
a personal enemy Of the queen g, hat
invaded the royal suite through tn
waiting maids room at the instant tina
Masileff and his men burst into tn
~ DoQrOOm Wle1e Luo VdleG WAS lying III
l. sensible. Whether Draga's life nigh
really have been spared or, not. 1t j
+. impossible to say. The heroic woman
IS resolution was instantly taken. sh
% knew that If the valet were recognized
n there would at once be hue and cry
l. and that the king would be pursued ant
probably taken; and she resolved t,
l. give her life for her husbands. Sh
t. cast herself on the inanimate form
4, lying on the bed, concealed the fac
II in her arms, and allowed herself to b.
i stabbed by dozen bayonets.
Of the savage details Of the murde
Z. I dare not trust myself to write. T
;, those who know how thin is the. venee
Of civilization on the southern slaves
& how faint is the moral difference be
le tween some Of these so-called Chris
tians and their Mohammedan neigh
10 bors, it will not come as surprise t.
learn that when the bloodhounds de
sisted from their work there was N
l. longer any possibility Of recognizing
either Of their victicms.
r Of the young king, and what has be
IL come of him since that hideous night
is intend to say no single word. OF ne
ct who persisted, let no man hencefort
say anything but good.