Evening journal., 1905-04-22
Obe DUCHESS
PACHELLI
ToriginaLl


sun shone, she could look down the
quay lined with tropical plants.
Twenty years." she unused. "since
came here, and what a change in my
condition. What dangers have passed
TO gain my present positionl One by
one have got rid of all who could pos
sibly drag me down. There was Nicho-
las Nassaliovitch. who knew more than
he should know Of my antecedents, but
he has gone TO Siberia. That was a
neat Job Of mine, proving an innocent
mans guilt Then there was Constan-
tin, whom l also led by the nose like
my poodle TN it suited me to try my
ring on him, after which he died so
suddenly that the police half suspect
ed. Had he turned against me Il would
be under The sod. not he" A troubled
look fitted across her face. "Andreas
may yet live, though 1t IS ten years
since 1 have heard from him. It was
bad failure, my putting the police on
his track TO arrest him, and the worst
Of It was that he knew was the insti-
gator But l was inexperienced then.
and, after ALL we. soldiers Of fortune
must make some mistakes, and / am
conscious Of having made but one. /
hope Andreas has either died naturally
or been executed under an assumed
name. He was vindictive man and
Good morning. your grace"
A man with shocky red hair and
freckles, dressed in the garb Of a peas
ant, had 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 win leave by
the door you entered"
"Not till have refreshed your men,
ory. Twenty years ago a little peasant
girl was a scullion 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 a 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
as 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
to satisfy her demands she persuaded
him to turn counterfeiter. She was
shreWd enough not to be mixed up In
his ruin when it 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
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 go in search of his beautiful
wife. He found that after he had left
her she had ensnared a duke, that he
had died and left her his fortune, that
society had opened its exclusive doors
10 her, but a 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 a secret murder was laid mp
against her.
And where, my good man." asked
the duchess, deadly white, did you
learn all thisg"
Il met in New York a Russian who
under the charge Of being a Nihilist
had been sent to Siberia. from whence
after twelve terrible years Of exile,
he escaped and fed to America"
The duchess started. "His nameT
she asked under her breath.
Nicholas Vassaliovitch."
The duchess staggered as though
struck by a blow and caught at the
back of a chair
1T was fortunate" the man contin-
ued, "the meeting OF these men, An
dreas and Nicholns FOR they both
wished for revenge. But neither would
be safe in this old country. and so il
looked as IL the scullion duchess would
end her days in peace, pet OF socie-
ty, favorite OF the car OF Russia.
rich aud stil beautiful. But both had
been kind to the little scullion. and
their love had turned 20 wrath. One
possessed written proofs OF one Of the
duchess crimes. That proof is now
In the hands Of the car OF Russia
and a requisition has been lodged with
the government at Paris"
Suddenly the duchess stepped 10
cabinet. opened a drawer. turned with
4 a dagger in her hand and was about
I to spring upon the man when she saw
/ that he had covered her with revolv-
er. Turning the weapon upon herself,
she sank down on the floor
"Gendarmesr' called the intruder.
Two policemen, headed by man IN
citizens dress. sprang up the stairs
aud into the room.
"Well ended" said the citizen. This
saves my imperial master much an
noyance." Then. turning TO the man