The Grit-advocate., 1905-07-21
CHAPTER I.
The Minister of Police.

Karsicheff, minister of police. was
evidently in no amiable mood as he
sat. deeply intent on mastering the
details of the mass of official docu-
ments spread before him.
II was late in the afternoon Of a
December day in 18S-. ST. Peters
burg was all athrill with the life Of a
great city. The silvery music Of
thousands Of sleigh bells played a
jingling accompaniment to the brill
liant scenes that were being enacted
on the great thoroughfare that paral.
leled the historic Neva. To the casual
observer the Russian capital at the
time presented nothing to indicate
that aught but peace and prosperity,
happiness and content. were the lot
of its people. The brilliant equip
ages Of the nobility whirled along in
Kaleidoscope variety, giving an air
OF wealth and luxury to the scene. Ap-
parently the autocrat of Russia had
nothing to fear from the most favored
OF his subjects.
The season was at its height in st.
Petersburg. The czar and his court
were at the capital, and a series Of
brilliant state ceremonials kept soci-
ETY. in whirlwind of social pleasures.
and gave an impetus to fashionable
frivolity, manifested by constant
succession of entertainments at the
great homes of the aristocracy. One
Of the most magnificent fetes of the
,;Db fDl
lowing the day on which our story
opens, and it was whispered that the
imperial master of Russia himself had
promised to honor it with his pres
ence. 1t was because of this prom
ise-because of the belief that the
czar by this action designed to show
distinguished honor to Paul, Count
Nazimoff-that Karsicheff. minister
Of police. on this afternoon sat. with
clouded brow, earnestly engaged with
the papers before him and which oc-
cupied his thoughts to the exclusion
Of all else.
Constantine Karsicheff was nearing
the supreme moment Of his life. Sue
cess now meant fortune, favor, future
greatness; failure meant ruin, dis
grace, perhaps even exile. There is
but one test applied to the minister
OF police-and there is no halfway
stopping place between extremes. AL
ready ominous signs were not want.
ing that the czar was far from satis-
fed. A week before, after a confer
ence with Gortshakoff, president of
the council of ministers. the intima-
tion had been conveyed that the czar
was growing weary of apparent mac
tion. "His imperial majesty" sug-
gested the prime minister, fails to
understand why your policy has borne
no results, and why the enemies of
the state are apparently more active
than under any Of your predecessors"
But, your excellency," Karsicheff
had urged, Il am waiting to crush the
enemy by one supreme stroke. All my
plans are being matured for action
that will stamp out Nihilism in Russia
as completely as II it had never ex-
isted."
Gortshakoff smiled grimly. The
veteran diplomat was accustomed to
take words, from whatever source
they came, with liberal discount on
their face value. Il will report your
words to his majesty" he said-and
then, as II the thought had suddenly
occurred. he added: But do some
thing"
DO something, do something" The
words of Gortshakoff kept ringing In
his brain as Karischeff, his examina-
tion of documents finished at last,
leaned back in his chair and summed
up Il 2 result.
1t was to Karsicheff's credit that he
had brought the system of espionage
to degree of perfection that had
never been surpassed. His agents
were everywhere. In the salons of
the nobility; in the faculty Of the
college; among the rank and file in
the army; mixing with the merchant