eclared. "He told me he was a friend
of Soukhomlinoff, and that he was doing all he could to assist in
clearing him of the charges levelled against him. I believed him,
alas!--I was foolish enough to believe that he spoke the truth. And now
he has betrayed me!"

"I suppose you were infatuated by the man," laughed the monk scornfully.
"If you were so weak, then you must pay the penalty."

"And that is--what?" she asked breathlessly, and pale as death.

"Exposure," replied the charlatan who was the head of the traitorous
camarilla around the throne. "Our dear land is in serious peril to-day,
therefore those who attempt to betray her should be held up as examples
to others."

"But you will not--you'll not let anyone know of my indiscretion!" she
begged.

"That certainly is my intention," was his hard reply. "This statement was
made to me by your lover, and it is but right that it should be
investigated, so that we may know the extent of the harm that you have
done."

The frantic, despairing woman, bursting into tears, threw herself at the
feet of the "miracle worker," begging hard for mercy.

"Think!" she cried. "Think what it will mean to my husband and myself. He
will probably be placed under arrest and lose his post, while I--I would
rather die than face such exposure."

"Ah! my dear Madame," said Rasputin tauntingly. "Life is very sweet, you
know."

"But you must not do this!" she shrieked loudly. "Promise me, Father,
that you will not! Promise me--do!"

Rasputin drew his hand roughly from her, for she had seized it as she
implored him to show her mercy.

"There may be some extenuating circumstances in your case--but I doubt
it," he said.

"There are!" she declared. "I grew to love the man. I was blind, mad,
infatuated--but now I hate him! Would that I could kill the man who
wrought such disaster in our land! Would that I could kill him with my
own hand!"

Rasputin drew a long breath. The wish she expressed had suddenly aroused
within his inventive brain a means of executing a sharp and bitter
revenge.

"Perhaps one day, ere long, you may be afforded opportunity," he said in
a changed voice. "If so, I will call you here again and explain what I
mean."

"Ah! Then I may hope for your pity and indulgence, eh?" she cried
quickly, but still in deep anxiety.

Yet Rasputin would not commit himself, for he was playing a very deep and
intricate game.

When the erring woman had gone the monk filled his g