The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-15
A HAZARDOUS WORK
IOriginal.1

nols At that time assassination was
the common method of getting rid OF
an enemy, and the duke had his own es-
necial assassinator, who removed With
noison any one obnoxious to his mas
ter. At state banquets this man stoou
behind the dukes chair and now anu
again would be dispatched to one Oh
the guests to pledge him by proxy loi
the sovereign. The royal rule was
that the two should exchange glasses
It being the greater honor TO urlilA
from the dukes glass. The dlstlhc-
ton came to be considered one winch
might better be declined, for 1t was
quite likely to be followed by the
death of one of the persons honoreo'
There was at the capital woman
the Countess of Vincenza, OF extraor-
d,nary character and virtue, some
thing not usual in that prohigate age
She was much respected by the duke
and stood high in his confidence, even
TO being consulted by him In aHalrs
of state. She had endeavored 10 III
still into him higher code OF morals,
Int had failed. She at last determined
TO nut a stop to his murders, even II
II was necessary to sacrifice her own
life. One day while she was driving
she met a man, evidently a stranger
whose likeness to the duke was aston
fishing, She sent a servant to him,
bidding him call at her villa that even
ing
"Who are your" she asked when he
appeared.
"Ricardo Mardi, the youngest son OF
a nobleman of southern Italy"
what do you here|
~ am In quest of some adventure TO
better my condition. l am starving.
would you like to be grand duke
The man, thunderstruck, stammered
that he would, whereupon the countess
told him that 1t was possible, though to
effect the object he must risk his life'
Ricardo was much impressed with the
striking individuality of the countess,
falling every moment more under her
influence.
81 shall ask for an invitation Tor
you," she said, ito the next state ban
ouet. We will attend it together, SIT
ting side by side. AS soon as the duke
sees one so closely resembling him he
will send to you a person who will ask
YOU to drink with his master, eXchang-
ing glasses. The glass you receive Will
be poisoned. l will put into practice
one of several plans l have in mind
using the one which at the time seems
most practicable"
Ricardo impulsively resolved to place
his life in the countess keeping ana
consented to do her bidding. She at
once wrote TO the duke, asking for the
| invitation, and when the banquet came
off she was there with Ricardo Mardl.
His likeness to the duke caused SEN
sation. Indeed, he was several times
mistaken for the ruler. The moment
| the host set eyes on Ricardo it was
plain to the countess that he was much
incensed But he controlled himself
and later in the evening sent his proxy
to honor the stranger in the usual way
Ricardo rose and was about to take the
glass offered him when the countess
seized it and, holding it aloft, turned to
the duke.
II claim the honor of first pledgin&
your highness," she said. Ricardo, who
had been instructed by her, protested
the two contending for the glass. The
duke, who saw his intention liable Il
be turned awry, sat anxiously watch
ing the scene. Presently he saw the
countess drink. She had no sooner
done so than, appearing to be i'll, she
retired to an anteroom. From there
she sent word to the duke that she wal
dying and asked him to come to he
alone since she would communicate t.
him state secret of vital Importance
The duke hurried to the chamber.
The countess in her efforts to get tht
glass from Ricardo had succeeded IL
drinking from her own glass, making
it appear that it was the one Offered
by the pOisoner When the duke en-
tered the anteroom, Ricardo closed thu
door, and while the former hurried t.
the countess Ricardo stabbed him IL
the back. Then, exchanging clothes
with him, he hid the body under {
divan and, returning to the banque
room. took the hosts seat.
As soon as Ricardo had left the ante
room the countess called for one o.
her servants, who had been instructed
and, wrapping the dukes body in he
mantle, he carried 1t out to her car
riage and drove away with 1t. TheI
the countess slipped out unseen.
Ricardo Mardl remained but q few
moments at the table, feigning to b,
grieved at the illness of the countess
and withdrawing apparently much af
fected. In fact, it was plain to tn
guests, some Of whom recognized {
difference in his appearance from tn
real duke, that something extraordi
nary had happened. When he drove III
to his palace, he at once went into Sc
clusion, and the next day it was an
nounced that he was very i'll. He wa
accessible to no one for some weeks
except the countess, whose unexpected
recovery was received by every on
with delight. When the duke emerge,
from his retirement, he was much al
tered in appearance, but this was at
tributed either to remorse or Illness
That there was great change in hin
was indicated by his ordering his poi
soner to be thrown into prison, wher
he was secretly executed.
The countess, who was a wife an,
the mother Of several children, KEEP
the secret Of how she had saved futur
ducal guests from drinking the fats
draft. The grand duke afterward ask
ed the hand of her daughter in ma,
rage, but the countess would not con