New-York tribune., 1906-06-17


rode right in among MistItch's men, CRYING
loudly, again and again, increasingly. The
hing IS dead The King Is dead The King
Is dead
Then came the Prince He rode full at
MlSiltch. his men followed HIM and dashed
with q shock against the troopers OF Msttch's
escort As they rode they cried Long live
hing Serglusl' They had unhorsed dozen
men and wounded four or five before they
realized that they met with no resistance.
Ali@tlich men were paralyzed. The King
was tead-they were to fight against the
King The magic of the name WORKED. They
dropped the points Of their swords. The Vol
~t,-i-,,~, he=ltatng TO strike men who did not
defend themselves, puzzled and IN doubt.
turned 10 their Prince-their king-for his
orders
As the Prince came up. Mistitch hurled
Naply from him, She fell from her horse, but
ie.l on the SOFT grassy roadside, and sprang up
lnhurt save Tor cruel pam in her crushed
wrist. She turned her eyes whittier all ewes
were turned now. The general battle was
STAYED, but not the single combat. For a mo-
ment none moved save the two combatants
who were now To engage The fight OF the
Street OF the Fountain fell TO be fought again
For when Peter Aas-Ip was dartIng forward,
knife IN hand, with spring ike a mountain
goat :, his master Voice called
Mine, Peter. mine II was the old cry
when they shot Wild boar in the woods about
Dobrava. and il brought Peter Nassip TO
pointed revolver. Who should stand between
his quarry and the King, between Sophys
lover and the man who had 50 outraged her
Big Mlsutch was the Kings game, and the
Kings only, that day
Two shots rang out sharply-that was all.
The King reeled IN his saddle but maintained
his seat. Big NisIitoh threw his hands above
his head with q loud CRY and fell with a mighty
crash on the road, shot through the head
Peter NassIp ran to the King and helped
him. Ia 4 mi lI
held his horse. Sophv hurried TO where they
lard hlm bv the roadside.
" Disarm those feUows," cried Zerkovitch.
But Mistitchs escort were IN no mood TO
wait for this operation. nor TO stay and suffer
the anger OF the King With their leaders fall
the last Of heart was out of them. NrenChing
themselves free from such OF the Nolsenlans as
sought 10 arrest their flight, they turned their
The Kings men attempted no pursuit; they
clustered round the spot where he lay.
q" am HIT" he SAID TO Sophy; but not
badly, ! think.
From the castle door down the causeway
came Marie Zerkovitch weeping passionately.
close ranks TO let her through. She came to
the roadside where Sophy supported mon
selgneur 5 head upon her knees Sophy looked
up and saw her. Marie did not speak. She
stood there sobbing and wringing her hands
over Sophv and the wounded King.
That afternoon-an hour after the first Of
the struggling rout OF Mlstitch's escort came
hiking Alexis died suddenly. So the
official notice, indorsed by DR. Natchetf's high
authority
The c6terie were in up TO their necks; they
could not 9, back now; they must 60 through
with it. Countess EIlenburg took TO her knees,
Stenovics and Stafnitz held long converse
tons Every point OF tactical importance IN
the city was occupied by troops. Slavna was
silent, expectant, curious.
Markart awoke at five o'clock, heavy of
head dry in the mouth, sick and i'll. He
found himself no longer IN the Kings suite,
but IN one OF the apartments which Stafnitz
had occupied. He was all alone the door
stood open. He understood that he was no
more q prisoner, he knew that the King was
dead But who else was dead-and who alive
and who King Of Slavna,
He forced himself TO rise, and hurried
through the corridors OF the Palace. They were
deserted. there was nobody 10 hinder him, no
BODY oi whom TO ask question. He saw
| decanter OF brandy standing near the door OF
one room, and drank freely OF Il then he made
his wav INTO the garden. He saw men stream
ing over the bridge toward Slavna, and has
tened after them as quickly as he could. HIS
| head was still IN q maze, he remembered
nothing after drinking the glass OF VINE which
| 4 -. ,-.le+ had owen him. But ne Was