“Eh?” said he, raising his heavy eyebrows. “For I am a revolutionist.” “What!” He sat up straight and reached for the pistol. “I have been searched, you know,” she quietly reminded him. He drew back his hand. “What is your business here?” he asked sharply. “I wish to free Borodin.” He fairly gasped. “And you tell me that! And here in Peter and Paul! You certainly are a bold one!” “We thought that you might help us.” “Help you?” “Yes. We knew you were incensed at the Government. We thought you might consider casting in your future with us, and riding into power when the revolution succeeds.” “Bah!” he cried. “It will never succeed!” “Had you seen fit to join us,” she continued quickly, “the first business we thought to entrust to you was the freeing of Borodin. We have a large sum of money to be devoted to that purpose. That sum we had decided to put into your hands to be expended as you see fit.” He did not speak. His fat lids narrowed and his small eyes stared at her with piercing intentness. She waited with stilled breath. His face suddenly grew dark. “I see!” he breathed between his closed teeth. “Well, madame, your little scheme won’t work!” Her heart went out of her. His heavy face had grown malignantly inflamed. “You, and those who sent you, are clever--very clever! And you thought you could bribe me, and get me involved in a plan to free Borodin, eh?” She could not deny it. “But I see straight through your plot against me!” She caught her breath. “Plot against _you_?” she exclaimed. “Plot against me, madame. Oh, I see through it! You are an agent of my enemies. You were to trick me into this Borodin business; when I was thoroughly involved, my enemies thought to expose me, and use the case to complete my ruin. Did you think to catch me by such an old trick?” On his desk stood a bronze alarm bell. He stretched out a hand to strike it. She caught and stayed his arm. “Stop--what are you doing?” “Ringing for a guard.” His little eyes gleamed with vindictive triumph. “Perhaps I cannot reach my enemies, but at least I shall make their agent suffer! I shall have you punished for what you pretend to be--a revolutionist.” “You are mistaken!” she cried. “I am a revolutionist!” “Bah!” sneered he. “There have been too many schemes laid against me, not to see through a simple one like this!” “But I am a revolutionist, I tell you!” He sneered again and he reached a second time to strike the belt. Again she seized his arm. “Wait, wait!” she cried desperately. “I can prove that I tell you the truth!” “Prove it?” “Yes, I can prove it! You have a description of the woman charged with the attempted shooting of Prince Berloff?” “I have.” She raised her veil. “Compare the two faces.” He scrutinized the flushed countenance thus revealed. “A--ah!” he breathed. “Did I not speak the truth?” she cried. “You did,” said he deliberately. “And you spoke it also when you said you had put your life in my hands.”