spicion of our
enemy, and he may trace the crime to his valet's female acquaintance.
What then?"

"I had never thought of that!" replied the monk, halting erect before
her. "She might, in that case, betray us! Truly thou hast spoken words of
wisdom!"

"Yes. In the girl I discern a possible enemy--and in this crisis we
should take no risks."

"I agree. I will take steps. If she has betrayed us, then she shall be
tried for the murder of Princess Tchekmareff. Whatever allegations she
makes against me will not be allowed to transpire at the trial."

"Or get Nikki to sign an order for her banishment to Siberia as an
exile," suggested the scheming Empress.

"Ah! my daughter, thou art always wise. An excellent plan! I will first
make inquiries, and then ask for the Emperor's signature."

Though matters had assumed the most serious aspect in those last days of
November, Rasputin, bent upon revenge and full of chagrin at being unable
to obtain possession of those incriminating letters of the high priestess
of his disgraceful cult, Madame Vyrubova, was busy making inquiries, and
among those he questioned was Ivan Ivanovitch, a bookbinder in Petrograd,
who was Olga's lover, and who regarded the monk with considerable
disfavour, a fact of which Rasputin was unaware.

The young man, in consequence of the nature of the questions put to him
by the monk, guessed what was in his mind, and that same day told Olga
that Rasputin disbelieved her story how the valet had drunk the glass of
kuemmel that had been poured out for his master, and that, full of
chagrin, he was plotting a revenge.

Of this we knew nothing till afterwards. But on the same night as Ivan
Ivanovitch revealed the truth to her Olga called upon Rasputin, and I
admitted her.

"I wish to see the Father," she said, in a deep, earnest voice.

"I will go and see if he will receive you," I answered, and I left her in
the ante-room.

Rasputin ordered her to be shown in, whereupon, as soon as she crossed
the threshold, she drew a revolver, and, dashing toward him, fired. The
bullet missed, and she fired again, also without effect, before I could
rush up and seize her. She struggled with me with a strength born of
madness.

"What does this mean, woman?" asked the monk, standing with his arms
folded, while I held her wrists, the weapon having fallen upon the
polished floor during our wild struggle.

"It means that I intend to rid the world of a base blackguard and