betrayer of women!" she said. "I have been in your toils and done your
dirty work, and now, because I have failed, you intend to denounce me,
and so close my lips. But they will never be closed. The evidence which
Purishkevitch holds is complete. I have seen it. Protzenko discovered me
tampering with his master's papers, so I first assured him it was out of
curiosity, and then I gave him a little of the perfume."

We both stood aghast at learning the truth.

"It surprises you!" she shrieked, still in my grip. "But you may be more
surprised when you know that I have become a friend and partisan of the
Deputy, and that with Ivan I have united to hasten the downfall of
you--the Black Monk of Petrograd!"

"Silence, woman!" thundered Rasputin, casting an evil glance at her.
"Hold her, Feodor. I will lock the door!"

Then, picking up the revolver, he strode to the door, which he locked and
took the key. Passing to the telephone, he was soon speaking with
Protopopoff, whom he ordered to send police officers to conduct the girl
Bauer to the fortress of Peter and Paul.

"And I also order you to arrest the girl's lover, Ivan Ivanovitch, as a
dangerous political. You know his address," he said to the Minister.

"Now you can release her!" he added, turning to me. "And write at my
dictation."

The girl stood staggered at hearing Rasputin's orders to the Minister of
the Interior.

"No, no!" she shrieked. "Forgive me! forgive me, Father! I--I was
mad--_mad!_ Ivan urged me to do this--to kill you!"

"Write as I tell you, Feodor," Rasputin ordered.

Then, as I sat at the table, he dictated the following lines:

"It is by our order that the woman Olga Alexandrovna Bauer,
native of Orel, shall be deported without trial to Yakutsk, in
Eastern Siberia, and there sent to penal servitude for life. And
further, that Ivan Ivanovitch shall be confined for life in the
Fortress of Schluesselburg. Given at our Palace of Tsarskoe-Selo,
December 1st, 1916."

"The Emperor will sign that to-morrow," he added.

The unfortunate girl, shrieking loudly, threw herself at the feet of the
monk, imploring forgiveness.

"No, my pretty one!" he replied. "You would open your lips if I gave you
the chance. But you will not have it. You are my enemy, and the enemies
of Gregory Rasputin never prevail for long, for he takes good care of
that!"

She had a fit of hysterics, but quickly came to consciousness again, only
t