that night, and I myself was so spent with my experiences of the last thirty hours that I was glad to throw myself on a bed. Excited though I was, I slept soundly for some hours, and did not awake until the sun had long been streaming into my room.
I hurried, of course, to the British Consul for tidings of Christina. He told me she was staying in his house, and, at my request, sent at once to tell her I had arrived.
"There is great news this morning, Mr. Winthrop," he said; "news that will interest you as much as it has me. The Russian plot has failed. Thanks largely to my colleague, the English Consul at Philippopoli, General Mountkoroff has declared for the Prince, and he is even at this minute marching on Sofia with the flower of the Bulgarian army against the traitors who sold themselves to this Kolfort and Russia."
"Will the Prince return then?"
"Assuredly he will. The Powers will stand behind Mountkoroff, and Russia will not venture to resist."
"Then my friend Lieutenant Spernow will be safe," I said, describing briefly the plight in which I had left him.
"You need not have a moment's uneasiness. Russian influence for the moment will decline to zero, and the Prince's friends will be paramount."
"Will you telegraph at once for news of him?"
"Willingly;" and he went at once to give his instructions. The result was all I could have wished, and later in the day telegrams arrived from Spernow himself, saying that both he and Mademoiselle Broumoff were safe.
"The Princess Christina is ready to receive you," he
