The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-09

Cbe DUCHESS
PACHELLI
torigInsiI


The Duchess Pachelli sat In her bou
doir reading the morning paper. IT was
wknter, but the duchess was spending
the season ut her villa at Nice, and
from her window, into which the warm
sun shone, she could look down the
quay lined with tropical plants.
Twenty yenrs." she mussd. "since
came here, and what q change In my
condition. What dangers have passed
TO gain my present position! One by
one have got rid Of all who could pos.
sibly drug me down. There was Nicho'
las VassallovIich, who knew more than
he should know Of my antecedents, but
he has gone TO Siberia. That was O
neat job Of mine, proving mn innocent
mans guilt Then there was Constan.
tin whom I also led by the nose like
my poodle til II suited me 10 try my
ring on him. after which he died 80
suddenly That the police half suspect.
ed. Had he turned against me II would
be under the sod, not he" A troubled
look fitted across her face. "Andreas
may yet live, though II IL ten years
since have heard from him. II was O
bad failure, my putting the police on
his track 10 arrest him. and the worst
OF II was that be knew | was the Insti.
gator. But was inexperienced then,
and. after all, we soldiers Of fortune
must make some mistakes. and I am
conscious Of having made but one. !
hope Andreas has either died naturally
or been executed under an assumed
nams. lie was vlndIctive man and
Good morning. your grace"
A man with shocky red hair and
frecklcs, dressed In the garb OF a peas
ant, Ind stepped into her boudoir. The
countess looked at him with all the
hauteur she could summon.
"Your grace does not remember me-"
he said.
Il do not. ! beg you will leave by
the door you entered"
Not til | have refreshed your mem
DRY. Twenty years ago little peasant
girl was a scuilion IN the villa OF a
family In this place. She was endowed
with great beauty and though she was
but fourteen years old. had her lovers
Her brain was very quick, and she had
a keen sense Of the Importance Of get
ting on In the world. A young carpen-
ter-Andreas, we will call him for the
want OF better name-fell In love
with her. and she, wishing to get out
Of the kitchen. married him. It was he
who gave the little scullion her start
She studied hard and In two years
knew enough to pass for a lady.
This Andreas, her husband, adored
his young wife. not yet eighteen, and
an she wished to dress In keeping with
her knowledge and her beauty he spent
all he could make at his trade upon her.
Then when he could not make enough
10 satisfy her demcnds she persuaded
him to turn counterfeiter., she was
shrewd enough not TO be mixed up I'm
his ruin when II came. Indeed, 1t was
she who informed ON him. But he was
too quick for her and the police and
fed TO America. .......
But Andreas' love, turned to hate,
grew through the years, and as each
year he sank lower he wished to return
and take his revenge. But he never
dared remain anywhere long enough TO
accumulate sufficient funds TO make a
Journey which, after all, might lead to
his arrest and imprisonment. At last
he went 10 new town In the far west
and worked at his trade till he saved
enough to so in search OF his beautiful
wife. He found that after he had lett
her she had ensnared duke. that he
had died and left her his fortune, tina;
society had opened It's exclusive doors
to her, but love for adventure and vii
lainy had led her to take service as a
spy for crowned heads-a Delilah to en-
trap the rulers enemies-and that
many u secret murder was laid up
against her.
"And where, my good man. asked
the duchess, deadly white, did you
learn all thisg"
II met In New York Russian who,
under the charge Of being Nihilist,
had been sent to Siberia, from whence,
after twelve terrible years Of exile,
he escaped and fled to America"
The duchess started His name"