The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-08-20
CHAPTER NV.-(ContinuedJ


came to London, and was received at
once into the best society. Her story was
a strange one, and one that excited
great deal of interest. she had peen
married at fifteen to Russian prince
many years older than herself, and Oh
dissoute character. At first he had ioved
her passionatcly; then, as he found IL
impossible to overcome her coldneSs anu
Indifference. he had come to dislike ana
treat her with harshnesS. He had taken
her away to Russia very young, very
friendless. aud intensely unhappy. There
he had neglected her. She had two chli-
dren-boys; AMI all her love seemed
bound up in them. Then they died; the
most died of the grief.
The physician al st. Petersburg INSIST
ed that she should, return at once 10
Paris. 1T is the only way to save her
life" he said to her husband. 30 AFTER
three years weary absence, she return
ed to her birthplace, ana there, after
time. she recovered. At the French
court she was greatly admired and sought
for. A young man Of high rank CON
ceivei a wild passion for her. lie was
so handsome, so distinguished, no one be-
lieved she could resist the devotion he
constantly and so openly offered her. 1t
could scarcely be affirmed that she was
utterly unmoved by his passion, but all
the world said that she never gave him
any undue encouragement. Still, Prince
Xclikoff became jealous. One evening the
princess dropped her bouquet; Monsieur
de li"ny picked it up, bowed over it, and
returned it to her. Prince XelikOtf chose
to imagine the accident was prearranged,
aud that De Ligny had taken the oppor-
tunity of concealing note among the
flowers. He snatched the bouquet vlo-
lently from his wifes hands. In her sur
prise she made some resistance; he grasp
ed her arm and pressed the sharp pointed
diamond bracelet unintentionally into the
flesh. \ little jet of blood spurted forth.
The enraged De Ligny beheld it, and in
a moment Prince Xeikoff lay stunned and
bleeding on the ground crowd closed
round them at once with some difficulty
the angry men were separated. but, of
course, only blood could wipe out such
stain. A meeting was arranged; the sec
onds made the customary formal at
tempts at reconciliation without sue
cess.
Valerie de Zeikof knew well enough
what the end of such quarrel must nat
uraly be. She knew her husbands fierce,
inlomitable temper, and she guessed the
rage that had filed De Ligny's heart at
seeing her treated with violence and in
dignity. Her heart was torn-ln very
h fnr hn ho nd
accomplished man who loved her so des-
perately, than for her dissolute, gray
haired, Indifferent husban. But her re-
ligion had taught her faithfully the duty
of sacrificing everything to right.
The morning Of the duel arrived, no one
was on the ground but the seconds,
doctor and his assistant. The doctor
stood near De Ligny. Prince ZelikoH
was known as a deadly shot. One, two,
three, two flashes, two reports, a wild
shrek, and a fall. And yet neither of
the duelists was harmed or scathed. At
the moment of firing the doctors assist
ant had flung himself in front of the
prince. had turned up the hand which
held his pistol and received De Ligny's
shot through his shoulder. De Ligny,
the seconds, and the doctor rushed to-
ward him; the prince had already raised
his head, and recognized Valerie de Zeli-
k0ff. his wife. The doctor explained it.
He was an old friend of the family; she
had gone to him and besought him TO al
low her to be present at the duel, urg-
,ng that she believed herself able to pre-
vent il. and after much hesitation he had
yielded. The wound was not serious
one; many a woman woIld have been
glad to purchase the reputation For hero
ism that came undesi"el to Valerie de
Zelikotf at so small price of pain.
The action was thoroughly French. and
as such intensely appreciated by all
Paris 1t was a crown of glory TO her
husband, and 1attered his vanity to de-
gree that made him love her again as in
the olden days. Great as the triumph
was to Ielikoff, was the defeat to De
Ligny. His amour propre could not
recover from such a terrible blow; he
had been prepared to risk his life 10 d
well-kuown deadly shot to avenge an in
suit on the woman he loved, and she had
received his bullet in her own tender
flesh 10 save the husband who had so
grossly wronged her. He went away I'M
Ill the affair had blown over and then re-
turned TO Paris with very young, fair
wife, who had been taken from a convent
to marry him. She adored him; he was
cold and Indifferent TO her; nay. he al
most hated her, when, six months later,
Prince Zelikoff died of fever. and the
beautiful Valerie was left a widow at
twenty-five. She passed year in seelu-
sion. then she again went into society.
and, as has been said, came to London
few weeks before the close of the sea-
son. She was staying in the house of
Lady Dora Amnesty. Mr.. Hastings cous-
In. and her greatest friend.
Mr.. Hastings saw great deal OF the