o any peace
negotiations whatever."

Truly, public opinion was becoming more than ever inflamed.

Yet "Satan in a silk hat," seated in the Ministry of the Interior, was
working his evil machinations upon the nation to create the greatest
possible suffering and unrest, as his taskmaster in Berlin had ordered.
And in this he had an able assistant in the unwashed "saint," who a few
days before, in collusion with his friend the ex-conjurer, had in a low
quarter of Petrograd performed a trick which all believed to be a
"miracle."

One of Protopopoff's schemes, which he successfully carried out, was that
of sowing discontent among the masses by spreading mysterious leaflets
calling for rebellion on the issue of peace. By this he attempted to
disrupt the organic life of the country and of the army. With Rasputin he
was plotting to create a clamour which would justify the Government in
opening separate peace negotiations and throwing the Allies overboard.

Unfortunately for him, however, the unions of zemstvos and of towns
remained patriotic. So he prohibited their meetings in order to cause
demonstrations and riots.

To all pleas and the warnings of those who saw the handwriting on the
wall the Emperor remained deaf.

One afternoon, while I was with Rasputin in his apartments at the palace,
the Empress entered, flushed and excited.

"Father! I have had such a blow. What do you think has happened?" she
gasped. "Nicholas [the Grand Duke] has just had the audacity to read
before Nikki and myself a statement which was outrageous. I snatched it
from his hand and tore it up! Oh! it is infamous that I should be thus
treated!"

"What has happened?" asked the monk, in his slow, deliberate way. "Do not
distress thyself, my sister." And he made the sign of the cross.

"He has declared that you, our dear Father, have become the ruler of
Russia; that Protopopoff was appointed through you, and that about you
is centred a clique of enemy spies and charlatans, and he actually urged
Nikki to protect Olga and myself from you! When he had finished his
statement, fearing that he had gone too far, Nicholas said, 'Now call
your Cossacks and have me killed and buried in your garden.' Nikki merely
smiled."

"He would hear nothing against thee, I hope," said Rasputin anxiously.

"Nothing. Nikki assured him that I had nothing to do with politics, and
dismissed the allegations by declaring that he entirely disbelieved
them."

"Excel