erfume of
Death."

That the woman did not fail to carry out her promise was certain, for
within a fortnight we heard in a secret dispatch that Hardt brought us
from Berlin that the agent Lachkarioff had died suddenly from heart
disease after dining with a Russian lady friend at the Grand Hotel in
Stockholm.

Truly, the grip in which Germany held Russia and its Government was an
iron one, and death most assuredly came to those whom Berlin feared, or
who were in any way obnoxious to the German war party.

Ten days later a small packet was left at the house, addressed to the
monk. When I opened it I found the little Parisian perfume bottle.

One morning, a week later, I went with Rasputin to the Ministry of the
Interior, where we were ushered into the small, elegant private room of
"Satan-in-a-silk-hat" Protopopoff, who greeted us cordially. But as soon
as the door was closed, and he had invited us to be seated, he rose,
turned the key, and, facing us, gravely said:

"Gregory, I fear something serious is about to happen. Late last night I
received an urgent visit from the Under-director of Secret Police of
Moscow, who had come post-haste to tell me that there has been a secret
meeting between Miliukoff and the Grand Dukes Serge and Dmitri in that
city, and it has been decided that at the reopening of the Duma Miliukoff
will rise and publicly expose us."

"What?" shrieked the monk, starting. "Is that what is intended?" he asked
breathlessly.

"Yes. He apparently knows the authors of the outrage at Obukhov and our
association with them. It is believed that he actually holds documentary
evidence of the money which we passed through the Volga-Kama Bank, in
Tula."

"But this must be prevented at all hazards," declared Rasputin. "We
cannot allow him to denounce us. Not that anybody will believe him. But
it is not policy at this moment. Public opinion is highly inflamed."

"I agree. Of course, nobody will believe him. Yet he is dangerous, and if
he denounces us in the Duma it will come as a bombshell. I called upon
Anna Vyrubova early this morning, and she has gone to the palace," said
Protopopoff.

Rasputin remained silent, his hand stroking his ragged beard, a habit of
his when working out some scheme more devilish than others.

"Miliukoff will be supported by Purishkevitch, without a doubt," His
Excellency the Minister went on. "Both are equally dangerous."

The "saint" grunted and knit his brows, for he saw him