g to me and to place at naught my customary determined poise,
and unswerving self-reliance. The abrupt mention of Alexis Saberevski,
coupled with other insinuations already brought forward in our
conversation, confirmed me in the idea already half formed, that my
apparent arrest at the hotel, my strange and mysterious journey through
the night, and the threat of Siberia, were all in the nature of what we
Americans call a "bluff"; were only intended to conceal the real
purpose of this enforced interview. During that moment of hesitation,
which was so short that it would not have been noticeable to a
disinterested party, I decided that the perfectly frank and open course
would be the best one to adopt with this giant of a man who confronted
me; a giant not only in physique and stature, and in strength of
purpose as well as in muscle, but in the wonderful power he swayed by
the mere exertion of his will.

I glanced upward into his eyes, which were bent half quizzically and
not at all unkindly upon me, and then in words that flowed easily, and
which came to me like an inspiration, I stated almost in one sentence,
and certainly in one paragraph, the concise explanation of my presence
in St. Petersburg at that moment. I said:

"I believe that I can organize and maintain a secret service bureau in
your majesty's interest, which will be more effective than all the
present police force put together. In order to do so I must have my own
way entirely, must be absolute master of the situation, as far as my
men are concerned, and can have no superior officer--not even the czar
himself. My plans have been formulated with care, and I can go into
minute details whenever I am directed to do so."

"Modesty is not one of your accomplishments, Mr. Derrington."

"Possibly not; but thorough familiarity with the work I would do is
one. Interference with my duties by any one no matter how high in
place, would render my efforts impotent, and I should decline under
such circumstances to undertake the task I have set for myself."

"What is that task?"

"The utter dismemberment and destruction of an organization of
anarchists known as nihilists against whom I have already been twice
pitted, and both times successfully."

The czar arose from his chair and crossed the room to the window where
he stood for some time peering out into the darkness, in the interim
drumming ceaselessly on the pane with the tips of his fingers. During
that time th