The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-24
AN ACCOUNT
CLOSED
\ BY JOSEPHINE SHELTON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

ped from her gondola and went into
her palazzio. Not that she lived at
Venice; she lived nowhere very long
at one time, but she was rich enough
to hire a palace now at Rome, now at
Florence and when she was in Paris,
Berlin or Vienna, there being no pal
aces for rent in those capitals, she
would usually take some notable dwell
ing. The countess had no more fixed
position in society than in the matter
of residence.
Entering her drawing room, she
found man waiting for her. There
was nothing in his apparel to indicate
that he had called upon the countess
as a visitor. He was ten years her
senior, but looked twenty years older
than she. His hair was perfectly
white. His face was furrowed and bore
traces of having endured suffering.
His eye gave evidence Of the same
strain.
"You wish to see meW asked the
countess, scrutinizing the man as one
who fears every stranger lest he come
on an errand Of revenge or justice.
81 have waited an hour for you. But,
the afternoon being fine and your lady
ship doubtless having enjoyed your
trip on the Grand canal, would not
have hurried you for the world.
have been looking forward to this
meeting for years. Surely minutes, even
an hour or two, could not make much
difference
II do not know you"
"That is not surprising. One doesn't
sides, have been through a number
of hunger strikes. Then travelling
through an ice wilderness for months
would not bring the same ruddy COM
plexion as being rowed by gondolier
on the Grand canal at Venice"
The bloom in the countess face was
whitened like a rose touched by
frost. She knew now who the man
was and stood listening to him with
out reply.
"You remember a little maid, the
daughter of peasant living on the
estate of q nobleman in Russia? No
flower in his conservatory possessed
the exuberant beauty Of this child just
about to bud into womanhood. And
she had a mind to use it, too, to what
she considered the best advantage.
During her early teens she captured
with it the son of the nobleman on
whose estate she lived. She married
him.
But, his people not relishing their
blood being mixed with the peasantry
and being convinced that her motives
were not of the purest, would have
nothing to do with her. But they paid
her well to stay away from them and,
her young husband discovering that
her heart was as cold as the bloom in
her cheek was warm, let her go. In
deed, she did not ask him to go with
her
1.-THE next he heard of his little wife
was at st. Petersburg. She had more
money than she had received from her
husbands family, but it was not
known from whence it came. A GER
tain grand duke was attentive to her,
so much so that, since grand dukes
marry only with royalty, her reputa-
ton suffered. But she was playing
bold game. She willed that her impe-
rial lover should marry her. But, hav-
ing a husband already, this was i'm
possible. 1t might not be impossible
if she could get rid of her husband.
zone day when out shooting he was
attacked by party of men. Having
captured him, they took him to the su-
perintendent Of police, and he Joined
the next caravan setting out for Sibe-
ria.
Ills wife had made failure. He
was to have been executed, but the
car would not consent.
"But if she might not be a grand
duchess she might at least possess
enormous wealth. Her imperial lover
lavished millions upon her-millions
that her husband, among others, was
taking from the Kara mines, impelled
to work, whether able to do so or not,
by the knout. For twenty years he
helped to add to these riches that were
lavished upon his wife. Then one day
an opportunity occurred; he escaped
from the prison and started for land
Of freedom.
"And now he is here to quit once
more his peasant life"
He ceased to speak, and the countess
stood waiting for him to continue.
Since he did not she asked:
"And what are your intentions con-
corning me?"
~ have no intentions concerning
you. But there is a transaction that
has not appeared in the story have
told, and the Russian government has
intentions which will be made mani
fest through the king of Italy"
The countess caught at piece OF
furniture near which she stood and
swayed like reed shaken by the
wind.
"a generation has passed." the Wis
itor continued. 1.-THE grand duke is
dead, and there is a new car Of Rus
sia."
The woman summoned voice to ask
when will they be here"
mot soon enough to occasion undue
haste on your part, but too soon to
enable you to leave Italy"
The countess walked to a cabinet
opened a drawer, took out an ivory
handled revolver and, putting it to hel
temple, pulled the trigger,
Half an hour later the government
police of Italy entered the countess
I palazzio and found her lying on the
floor dead. There was no one else
present