Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-02-15

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 me?" asked the
countess, scrutnizing 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"
Il do not know you"
THAT is not surprising. One doesn't
retain a smooth cheek at Kara. Be-
sides, l have been through q number
of hunger strikes. Then travelling
through an ice wilderness for months
would not bring the same ruddy com
plexion as being rowed by a gondolier
on the Grand canal at Venice"
The bloom in the countess face was
whitened like a rose touched by n
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 a nobleman in Russia? 10
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 or
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 we'll to stay away from them and
her young husband discovering that
her heart was as cold as the bloom il
her cheek was warm, let her so, In
deed, she did not ask him to go will
her.
THE next he heard of his little wife
was at st. Petersburg. She had more
money than she had received from heI
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 q
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
Ii she could get rid of her husband.
40 cI,nnfipcr hn IHrnC
attacked by a 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.
"His wife had made a failure. He
was to have been executed, but thu
car would not consent.
But if she might not be a granC
duchess she might at least possess
enormous wealth. Her imperial love
lavished millions upon her-million
that her husband, among others, wa
taking from the Kara mines, impelle'
to work, whether able to do so or not
by the knout For twenty years h
helped to add to these riches that wer
lavished upon his wife. Then one da
an opportunity occurred; he escape,
from the prison and started for lam
OF freedom.
''And now he is here to quit one
more his peasant life"
He ceased to speak. and the counties
stood waiting for him to continue
Since he did not she. asked:
land what are your intentions cor
corning me?'
II have no intentions cOncernin
you. But there is a transaction tina
has not appeared in the story l hav
told. and the Russian government ha
intentions which viii be made man
fest through tic king Of Italy"
The countess caught at n piece c
furniture near which she stood an
swayed like & reed shaken by th
wind.
"A generation has passed" the VII
flor continued. THE grand duke
dead, and there is a new czar of Ru
Ha."
The woman summoned voice to ash
"When win they be here"
mot soon enough to occasion undu
haste on your part, but too soon
enable you to leave Italy"
The countess walked to a cabine
opened a drawer, took out an iyor
handled revolver and, putting it to he
temple, pulled the trigger.
Half an hour later the governmer
police Of Italy entered the countess
palazzio and found her lying on tn
floor dead. There was no one els
urnsent g-s--es.s... ~ ~ .