Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-26
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE DUCHESS PAcHELLI.

from her window into which the warm
sun shone. she could look down the
quay lined with tropical plants.
Twenty years" she unused. since
came here. and what Il change In my
condition. What dangers / have passed
TO gain my present position, One 10y
one have got rid Of all who could pos
sibly drag me down. There was Nicho-
las Vassaliovitch. who knew more than
he should know Of my antecedents. but
he has gone 10 Siberia. That was a
neat job OF mine. proving an innocent
mans guilt. Then there was Constan-
tin. whom / also led by the nose like
my poodle till IL suited me TO try my
ring on him. after which he died SO
suddenly that :he police half suspect
ed. Had lac turned against me il would
be l under the sod. not he" A troubled
look fitted across her face. "Andreas
may yet live. though II Is ten years
since l have heard from him. 1t was
bad failure. my putting the police on
his track TO arrest him. and the worst
of II 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. l
hope Andreas has either died naturally
or been executed under an assumed
name. He was vindictive man and
Good morning. your grace"
\ man with shocky red hair and
freckles. dressed in the garb of peas
ant. had stepped into her boudoir. The
countess looked ut 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 till have refreshed your mem
DRY. Twenty years ago little peasant
girl was "a sculIion in the villa of a
family I'm this place. She was endowed
with great beauty and. though she was
but fourteen years odd. had her lovers.
Her brain was very quick. and she had
Il keen sense of the Importance of get
ting OH in the world. y young carpen-
ter-Andreas. we Will ca1l him for the
want of better name-fell in love
with her. and she. wishing TO get out
OF the kitchen. married him. Ii was lie
who gave the little scullion her start.
She studied hard and in two years
knew enough 10 pass for II lady.
This AndNas. her husband. adored
his young wife. not yet eighteen, and
rs she wished TO dress I'm 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 10 turn counterfeiter. She was
shrewd enough not To Ice mixed up in
his ruin when IL came. Indeed, il was
she who Informed OH him. But he was
too quick for her and the police and
fled To- America.
But Andreas' love. turned TO hate.
grew through tho years. and as each
year lie sank lower he wished To return
and take his revenge. But he never
dared remain anywhere long enough 10
sufficient funds To make Il
journey which. after all, might lead to
his arrest and Imprisonment. AT last
and worked at his trade till he saved
enough 10 go in search Of his beautiful
wife. He found that after lie had left
her she had ensnarcd duke. that he
had died and left her his fortune. that
society had opened its exclusive doors
10 her but love for adventure and viii
lainy had lei her TO take service as a
spy for crowned heads-a Delilah To en-
trap the rulers enemies-and that
many secret murder was laid up
against her.
And where. my good man." asked
the duchess. deadly white, did you
learn all this;"
Il met in New York n 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 fled TO America"
The duchess started. His name?"
she asked under her breath.
Nicholas Nassaliovitch.'
The DUCHESS staggered as though
struck by blow and caught at the
back OF chair.
lit was fortunate" the man contin-
,iel. the meeting of these men. An
dreas and Nicholas. for they both
wished for revenge. But neither would
he safe i'm this old country, and so il
looked as If the scullion duchess would
end her days ia peace Il pet of socie-
~, Il favorite Of the car of Russia.
rich and still beautiful. But both had |
been Kind 10 tie little scullion. and |
their love had turned 10 wrath. One |
possessed written proofs OF one OF the |
duchess crimes. That proof is now |
in the hands OF the ear OF Russia |
and requisition has been lodged with |
the government AZ Paris"
Suddenly the duchess stepped to n |
cabinet. opened a drawer. turned with /
a dagger I'm her hand and was about |
TO spring upon the man when she saw
that he had covered her with revoIv-
Pr. Turning the weapon upon herself.
she sank down on the floor
'-Gendarmesr called the intruder.
Two policemen. headed by a man in