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He was to be shot at and killed outside the Tauris Palace, just before two o'clock, as he was entering the Duma. He would probably be walking round to the Chamber from his house with his bosom friend M. Purishkevitch. "You will surely know somebody to whom the affair can be entrusted, Ivan," said the Minister of the Interior. "If arrested, he will be allowed ample opportunity to escape.

First, we must remove Miliukoff, and next Purishkevitch who is equally our enemy." About twenty minutes later I ushered into the monk's presence a pretty, handsomely-dressed woman of about twenty-eight, who often attended our reunions, and who was one of the best-known society women in Petrograd. I was about to turn and leave when Rasputin said: "You can remain, Féodor.

Hardt had arrived hot-foot from Berlin, and brought the monk a dispatch which, when deciphered, read as follows: "MEMORANDUM FROM NO. 70. "November 8th, 1916. "The attitude of the Duma is creating much alarm for your personal safety. As you have failed to suppress Miliukoff, endeavour at once to remove his chief supporter Purishkevitch. If not, employ the girl Olga Bauer.

"The police made a domiciliary visit only to be greeted by Purishkevitch himself. Think of it!" "Then the fellow is not dead!" I gasped in amazement. "No. He is still alive. His valet Protzenko died an hour ago. That fool of a girl has blundered!" As he uttered these words the door opened and the Empress appeared, looking pale and desperate.

"I will carry out thine order," said Rasputin gravely. "I agree with thee that Kartzoff is highly dangerous. Besides, he is a friend of my worst enemy, Purishkevitch, the member of the Duma who has been agitating against the events at the front."

She posed as a domestic servant in the Princess Tchekmareff affair, and was successful. Why not utilise her again? "Inform Her Majesty that Stürmer must come back to power very shortly. But this is impossible while Miliukoff and Purishkevitch have the ear of the people. Not a second should be lost in suppressing them.

"I have been in your toils and done your dirty work, and now, because I have failed, you intend to denounce me, and so close my lips. But they will never be closed. The evidence which Purishkevitch holds is complete. I have seen it. Protzenko discovered me tampering with his master's papers, so I first assured him it was out of curiosity, and then I gave him a little of the perfume."

M. Michael Rodzianko, the President, gravely took his seat on the stroke of two, and the House was crowded. The diplomatic boxes were filled to overflowing, the British, French, Italian and United States Ambassadors, together with the Ministers of most of the neutral countries, being present. The usual prayer was offered, but neither M. Miliukoff nor M. Purishkevitch was in his place!

In the house were the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovitch, ex-Minister of the Interior Kvostov, Deputy Purishkevitch, and others. When the policeman went to ask what had happened, he received no explanation. A little later two motor-cars drove up to the door. In one of the cars a large bundle was placed. It was the body of Rasputin.

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 himself in a very perilous position.