a large quantity is already in Stockholm
ready to be utilised, should be introduced into a consignment of meat
extract and tinned beef which has come from South America, and which is
being held back by a certain firm in Stockholm friendly to ourselves."

"How do you propose to infect it?" asked the monk, the devilish plot
appealing at once to his cunning and unscrupulous mind.

"By puncturing the tins and introducing the culture by means of a
hypodermic syringe, and closing up the hole with a spot of solder. The
bottles will be treated by puncturing the corks with the needle and
closing the hole with melted resin."

"I might say," added the baron, "that the cargo has been purchased by our
friends, Messrs. Juel and Ehrensvard, who are awaiting instructions
before re-shipping it. When the meat is prepared it will be your work,
Father, to see that it is distributed in the two cities in which we want
to experiment, namely, Nijni-Novgorod and Vologda."

"They are doomed cities, eh?" I remarked.

"We intend them to be so," the professor said. "When once the disease is
released it will spread everywhere, and no precautions can be taken
because, up to the present, it is known to only half-a-dozen of us in
Berlin, and we have no knowledge how to treat it successfully."

Rasputin was silent.

"It will certainly be far more dangerous than cholera or
plague--dangerous to ourselves, I mean," he remarked.

"Of course the epidemic must not be allowed to break out in Petrograd or
in any of the army centres--at least, not at present. We must first watch
the effect in Vologda and Nijni."

"Well," said the monk, "what do you wish me to do?"

"You are returning by way of Stockholm," replied the baron. "His Majesty
wishes the professor to accompany you, and in the warehouse of the firm I
have named you will see the canned goods and bottles. The professor will
show you that the tins have been repainted and are labelled with the mark
of a well-known firm, so that there can be no suspicion of them. Only the
paint is a much brighter blue than that usually employed. The reason of
this is that they can easily be identified by any in the secret, and
prevented from being opened in any area save those two towns I have
named."

"When do you leave?" asked the deep-voiced demon in human form.

"On Friday next. I have still a number of persons to see."

"Then I shall be ready to travel with you, Father," declared the
professor; and then,