proceeded at once to his apartments, after the captain
of the guard had assured me that his majesty was still sleeping, not
having retired until nearly daylight. When I rapped upon the door of
the room occupied by the prince, as a sleeping apartment, there was no
response, and I repeated the summons, more loudly than before. Still I
waited in vain, and at last, feeling some misgivings, and being assured
by the guard in the corridor that the prince had not left the room
since he had gone to it the preceding evening, I turned the handle and
entered.

I found him there. He was seated in a chair near one of the great
windows through which the lately risen sun was shining full upon him;
and the moment my eyes discovered him I started with horror, for I saw
that he was dead. Instantly I stepped back through the door, and told
the guard to call his captain, pointing out the lifeless form of the
prince, and ordering him to tell nobody but his superior officer of the
fact. Then I reentered the room and approached the body of my former
friend. There was a pistol beside him on the floor where it had fallen
from his nerveless grasp after the fatal deed was performed, but he
reclined as easily in the chair as though he had dropped asleep
naturally, for a short nap instead of forever.

"Poor Michael!" I murmured. "Did I drive you to this? Would that I had
not spoken."

I turned to glance around the room, professional instinct getting the
best of me even in that moment of sorrow, and I quickly espied a letter
upon the table. It was addressed to his majesty, the emperor, and was
tightly sealed, so I placed it in my pocket and started to leave the
room. At the door I met the captain of the guard with two of his men,
and them I instructed to keep watch, but on no account to touch
anything without his majesty's permission. Then I sought the czar.

"Well, Derrington?" he asked, as soon as I was admitted to his
presence. "What of the night? Is the conspiracy crushed, and have you
been successful?"

"Entirely so. Nihilism is effectually crushed for many years to come.
My work in St. Petersburg is really done, I think. At least I can
assure you that you will have no cause to fear the hand of an assassin
for a long time; until this weed starts up anew."

"We are safe, then. Thank God for that."

"You are perfectly safe. The prisons are full to overflowing. I have
sent many of the less guilty ones over the border with instructions not