The Cairo bulletin., 1911-06-07
AN ACCOUNT
CLOSED
By JOSEPHINE SHELTON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, iail.

her palaz2io. Not that She lived NJ
vonice; she lived nowhere very long
al one time but she was rich enough
TO hire 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
fond man waiting for her There
was nothing In his apparel 70 inc iaatc
that lie had called upon the countess
as Il visitor He was ten years d"
senior, but looked twenty years oldel
than she His hair was perfectly
white. His face was furrowed end clS
traces Of having endured suffering
His eye gave evidence OF the same
strain
~You wish to see me2" asked the
countess, scrutini2ing the man rs one
who fears every stranger lest he come
on an errand of revenge or justice.
II 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 Cor years. Surely minutes, even
an hour or two. could not make much
difference
II do not know you"
'8That Is not surprising. One doesn't
retain a smooth cheek at Kara. BE
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 gondolieT
on the Grand canal at Venice
The bloom in the countess face was
whitened like rose touched by 4
frost, She knew now who the man
was and stood listening to him with
out reply.
"You remember a little maid, the
daughter of a peasant living on the
estate of nobleman in Russia? No
flower in his conservatory possessed
the exuberant beauty Of this child just
about to bud into womanhood. And
she had q mind to use 1t, 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.
"Rut, his people not relishing their
blood being mixed with the peasantry
and being convinced that her motives
were not OF the purcst, 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 a
bold game She willed that her impe-
rial lover should marry her. But, hav-
ing d husband already, this was i'm
possible 1t might not be impossible
IL she could get rid Of her husband,
"0ne day when out shooting he was
attacked by party Of men. Having
captured him, they took him to the SUI
perlntendent Of police. and he joined
the next caravan setting out for Sibe
ria.
Ellis wife had made failure. He
was to have been executed, but the
ear would not consent,
But IL she might not be grand
duchess she might ut 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 meY'
II have no intentions concerning
you But there is a transaction that
has rot 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 a piece Of
furniture near which she stood and
swayed like a reed shaken by the
wind
"a generation has passed." the Wis
itor continued. "The grand duke is
dead, and there is new czar of Rus
STA"
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
rtr ~