e you to the Winter
Palace?"

"That seems the best plan," I acquiesced. "It will convince the Czar
that we are on good terms."

We drove off together, sitting side by side like two sworn friends. I
do not know what thoughts passed through his mind; but I know that
all the way I kept my right hand on the stock of my revolver, and
once, when one of the horses stumbled, M. Petrovitch was within an
instant of death.

At the Palace he put me down and drove off. I was admitted to the
Czar's presence without difficulty, and found him, as usual,
surrounded by piles of state papers.

Nicholas II. looked up at my entrance with evident pleasure.

"Ah, that is right, M. V----. I hope that, since you have come so
promptly in response to the message I gave that worthy M. Petrovitch,
you and he are now good friends."

I could only bow silently. I was a Japanese, related to the sovereign
with whom he was at war, and I was acting in the service of Great
Britain. Petrovitch had just forced on the war which Nicholas had
wished to avert, and he was still acting secretly in the interests
of Germany. And the Czar was congratulating himself that we were
friends. It was useless to try to undeceive him.

"Sit down, if you please, M. V----. I have something of the greatest
importance to tell you. Stay--Perhaps you will be good enough to see
first that the doors are all secured. I dislike interruptions."

I went to the various entrances of the room, of which there were
three, and turned the keys in the doors.

"Even M. Petrovitch does not know what I am going to tell you,"
Nicholas said impressively as I returned to my seat.

"Your majesty does not trust him entirely, then?" I exclaimed, much
pleased.

"You mistake me. I do not distrust M. Petrovitch; but this is a
matter of foreign politics, with which he is not familiar. He admits
frankly that he knows nothing about diplomacy."

I gazed at the benevolent young monarch in consternation. It was the
spy of Wilhelm II., the agent of the most active diplomatist in the
world, of whom he had just spoken!

There was no more to be said.

The Emperor proceeded to put a most unexpected question.

"Are you a believer in spirits, M. V----?"

"I am a Roman Catholic, sire. Whatever my Church teaches on this
subject, I believe. I am rather neglectful of my religious duties,
however, and do not know its attitude on this subject."

"I honor your loyalty to your communion, M. V----. But as