man
darted from his side, buried himself amid the crowd and made hastily
towards the nearest door, concealing in his garments the dagger with
which he had inflicted the blow.

He found the door guarded by three stalwart men, who seized him at
once and forbade egress. They were members of Beilski's police.

At the same instant the General himself tore off his mask, and cried
out in stentorian tones, "Unmask, everybody. The doors are guarded.
None can pass through till we are satisfied of their innocence. We
know the names of all the traitors. At yonder door my men have got the
assassin."

Slowly they all unmasked, Zouroff amongst the rest. He knew now that
he had been foiled by somebody, that his ambitions were quenched for
ever. Siberia and the mines for him, as the lightest penalty.

To do him justice, he took his fate stoically. He folded his arms
across his breast and cast a disdainful glance in the direction of the
panic-stricken crowd.

Beilski, who had been standing close to that tall, commanding figure,
went and touched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Get up, Sergius," he whispered. "The first act of the tragedy is
over."

The apparently inanimate man rose slowly to his feet, threw off his
mask and domino, disclosing a suit of chain mail beneath, which the
dagger of the assassin had been unable to penetrate.

And then a great shout of loyalty burst forth from the assembly, as
they recognised the situation. The Emperor had never been at the
reception at all. This faithful left-handed relative of his, who so
closely resembled his Imperial Master, had taken his place.

And then a side door opened and the Czar, in ordinary attire, came
through and made his way to the top of the room. He was escorted by a
strong bodyguard. It was just on the cards that one of these desperate
men might make a second attempt, out of pure revenge.

But there was no fear of this. Beilski's men had got all of the eight
leading conspirators and several accomplices safely in their clutches.

It must be said for the Emperor that, on occasions like these, he
could always assume the grand manner.

In a few well-chosen sentences he dismissed the assembly, with many
regrets that their pleasure had been so abruptly terminated. There
were matters of great import to be attended to, matters which would
not brook delay.

Nada broke away from the Countess and rushed over to her brother. In
spite of his cruel treatment of her, her heart