eavy guard and taken to Russia.

Meanwhile the conspirators, among whom was the metropolitan of the
Bulgarian Church, Clement, issued a proclamation establishing
themselves as the provisional government, and assuring the people
that it would have the hearty support of the "Little White Father"
in St. Petersburg.

This proclamation had hardly been launched when Stambuloff, the
Speaker of the National Assembly, issued another proclamation, in
his official capacity, in which he declared the metropolitan,
Clement, and the other known conspirators outlaws, and appealed to
the Bulgarian people to defend the independence of their Government.
And the people did rise to his support, all over the country, so
decidedly and with so much enthusiasm that the members of the
provisional government fled. Thereupon Stambuloff and two other
officials of the National Assembly assumed control of the Government
until the prince could be found. Telegrams were sent all over
Europe, and finally the Russian authorities were obliged to set the
prince free, whereupon he reappeared in Lemberg, whence he returned
to Bulgaria.

But the experience had apparently thoroughly frightened the prince.
On landing at Rustchuk on the Danube, he sent a telegram to the
czar, saying: "Russia gave me my crown; I am ready to return it to
her sovereign." So on September 7, in spite of the protests of
Stambuloff and the other members of the Government, he abdicated in
earnest and next day he left Bulgaria forever.

CHAPTER XV

WORK OF STAMBULOFF

A delegation was then sent wandering around Europe for another
sovereign, and after much difficulty the final choice fell on Prince
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, whose mother, Princess Clementine,
was the granddaughter of King Louis Philippe, his father being an
Austrian nobleman of large means. On August 14, 1887, he took the
oath and was installed on the throne which he still occupies, though
now as king. He immediately did what made him ever afterward
bitterly hated by the Russian Government, namely, requested
Stambuloff, he who had uncovered Russia's latest intrigue and
conspiracy, to become prime minister, a post which he occupied for
the next seven years, constantly fighting Russian influence.

Stephen Stambuloff, the son of an innkeeper, born in 1854, and one
of the early revolutionary agitators among his own people, has often
been referred to as the "Bismarck of the Balkans." He was,
undoubtedly,