The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-09-05
CHAPTER Continued

#GdMlB 10 AuuuOH, AHu WIS EGEGlIEu dl
once into the best society. Her story was
strange one, and one that excited
great deal OF interest. She had been
married at fifteen to d Russian prince.
many years older than herself, and of.
dissolute character. At first he had loved
her passionately; then, as he found It
impossible to overcome her coldness and
inai Inference, he ha aSeeTaa to dislike and
treat her with harshness. He had taken
her away to Russia very young, very
3riendless, and intensely unhappy. There
he had neglected her. She had two chill
dren boys; and all her love seemed
bound up in them. Then they died; the
cold Of Russia killed them, and she al
most died OF the grief.
The physician dit st. Petersburg insist
ed that she should return at once to
Paris. 1t is the only way to save her
life" he said to her husband. SO after
three years weary absence, she return
ed to her birthplace, and there, after
time, she recovered. At the French
court she was greatly admired and sought
for. A young man Of high rank CON
ceived wild passion for her. He was
so handsome, so distinguished, no one be-
lieved she could resist the devotion he
constantly and so openly offered Der. 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
Neiikoff became jealous. One evening the
princess dropped her bouquet; Monsieur
de Ligny picked 1t up, bowed over it, and
returned it to her. Prince Zelikoff chose
to imagine the accident was prearranged,
and that De Ligny had taken the oppor-
tunity OF concealing note among the
flowers. He snatched the bouquet vio-
lently from his wife's hands. In her sur
prise she made some resistance; he grasp
ed her arm and pressed the sharp-pointed
diamond bracelet Internationally into the
flesh. A little jet Of blood spurted forth.
The enraged De Ligny beheld it, and in
a moment Prince Zelikoff lay stunned and
bleeding on the ground. A 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. Ir
Valerie de Zelikoff knew we'll enough
what the end Of such quarrel must nat
urally be. She knew her husbands fierce,
indomitable temper, and she guessed the
rage that had filled De Ligny's heart at
seeing her treated with violence and in
dignity. Her heart was torn--ln very
truth she cared more for the handsome
accomplished man who loved her so des-
perately, than for. her dissolute, gray
p,,Ah
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, a
doctor and his. assistant. The doctor
stood near De Ligny. Prince Eelikoh
was known as deadly shot. One, two,
three, two flashes, two reports, 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-
koff, 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-
Ing that she believed herself able to pre-
81 vent it., and after much hesitation he had
yielded. The wound was not a serious
one; many woman would have been
glad to purchase the reputation for hero
ism that came undesired to Valerie de
Zelikoff at SO small price of pain.
The action was thoroughly French, and
as such intensely appreciated by all
Paris. It was crown of glory to her
husband, and flattered his vanity to de-
gree that made him love her again as in
was to Zelikoff, was the defeat to DE
Ligny. His amour propre could not
recover from such terrible blow; he
had been prepared to risk his life to a
well-known deadly shot to avenge an In
suit on the woman he loved, and she had
received his bullet in her own tender
flesh to save the husband who had SC
grossly wronged her. He went away un'
ell the affair had blown over, and then re-
turned to Paris with a very young, fail
& 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 widow al
twenty-five. She passed a year in seclu
sion, then she again went into society
and, as has been said. came to Londor
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 a great deal of thu
beautiful Frenchwoman, and admired
her exceedingly. She was not like any
Frenchwoman he had met before-sht
did not talk much, or gesticulate, or seen
to desire admiration. She was pale, large
eyed, essentially spirituelle. The chic
fascination she possessed for him was thu
low, musical tone OF her voice.
II wish you would come more often t,
us, Errol," his cousin said; 1--WE see 81
little of you. am SO anxious that Ma
dame Zelikoff's visit to us should be
pleasant one. and she, always seems hap
pier, brighter, when yea are there"
.'You do me too much honor" MI
S Tgsstinys safd rnnekingly