onal
staff and ministers advised him to take no notice of it, it struck
terror to his heart.

Every member of his household was taken in hand by the police and
questioned, and each one made to give a sample of his handwriting, but
nothing could be found out.

Extra precautions were taken, however, and the Czar never ventured forth
without a double guard, and even the streets were guarded by the police
to insure his safety.

But another warning came, as if to show him that even those who guarded
him needed guards for themselves, when one day the prefect of police was
killed on the steps of his official residence, and no clew of the
assassin could be found, although lying near his body was found a paper
with the simple name of Batavsky written upon it in Russian.

Then the Czar began to question who this Batavsky was, and it was
finally ascertained that an influential man by that name had been
transported to Siberia by the Emperor Nicholas for engaging in a
revolution--in fact, that he was one of the first Nihilists of Russia,
and was supposed to be enormously rich.

But those riches were never found, and the old revolutionist had died in
Siberia, and so nothing came of the inquiry save a deeper mystery.

Two or three attempts upon the Czar's life were made and failed. Those
who were caught or suspected were put to death, but so soon as one was
taken from the work two more were ready to fill his place.

And while in this terror, the Czar and his official household instead of
doing anything towards relieving the burdens under which the people
groaned, and which drove them to these bitter acts of revenge and
reprisal, took all means possible to bind their chains closer yet, and
to stamp out Nihilism with an iron heel.

"Laura, you know I told you of poor old Batavsky in Siberia?" he asked
of Miss Clark one day.

"Yes, Will, I remember," she replied.

"Well, I dreamed of him last night, and have a presentiment that his
presence will soon be felt on earth."

"Oh, Will, you are such a dreamer, you are. Let us talk of something
else:."

"As you please. I merely mentioned it; so let's wait and see have
arranged everything."

"Oh, that will be so nice! You are so good!"

"As I should be, to one who has waited for me so faithfully and so long.
But the dark clouds are rolling by, Laura, and after a little I shall be
my own master again."

"And are you not so now?" she asked.

"Not wholly. I have had a sacred d