writing was to be
done. The monk's first words were of the escape of Yakowleff.

"The traitor has gone back to his English pay-masters!" said the Starets.
"I have written here the order for his arrest and the confiscation of his
property."

And he placed before the Emperor the document I had written. To
Rasputin's dismay, however, His Majesty seemed disinclined to append his
signature. To me, Nicholas, who was wearing an old grey tweed suit,
seemed very doubtful regarding the whole transaction.

"Who is this person Alexander Klouieff?" he demanded. "I must know
something more of him."

"He is a man of considerable wealth--upright, honourable, and devoted to
thee," Rasputin assured him. "Canst thou not place thy trust in those I
recommend? If not, I say no more."

"Of course, Father; but the concession was granted--while this order
makes it appear that it was only applied for."

"Surely it is not wise that thou shouldst be known to have granted favour
unto a traitor?" was the monk's clever reply.

Still Nicholas hesitated, at which Rasputin grew furious, declaring that
he had no time to waste in idle discussion.

Dropping the familiar form of speech he was in the habit of using to the
Emperor, he stood erect and said:

"You know the message which your dead father gave you at the seance last
night! If you refuse to sign this decree, then I will abandon Russia
to-day and leave you, the Empress and the lad to your fate. Remember, I
am God's messenger and your divine guide!"

The Tsar stood terror-stricken and in fear lest the real ruler of Russia
should once again depart from Petrograd and refuse to return. Further
refusal to sign was useless; therefore he bit his lip in chagrin and
appended his signature to the document, which not only deprived the
unfortunate Yakowleff of his concession, but also denounced him as a
traitor and a swindler.

The result was that not only did Rasputin obtain possession of the
concession for Otchakov, but he sold it a month later for a huge sum to a
syndicate of bankers in Vienna, who still hold it. The monk, after paying
a dole to the ex-agent of police, divided up the spoils with Protopopoff,
Stuermer and Soukhomlinoff, and, in addition, he bought a very valuable
diamond necklace for Anna Vyrubova.

As for poor Yakowleff, he was, as Rasputin had plotted, prosecuted in
London for fraud, and sentenced at the Old Bailey to a term of
imprisonment.

As the months went on, in the