The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-03-31
AN ACCOUNT
CLOSED
By JOSEPHINE SHELTON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

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, scrutinizing the man as one
who fears every stranger lest he come
on an errand of revenge or justice
~ have waited an hour for you. But,
the afternoon being fine and your lady
ship doubtless having enjoyed your
trip on the Grand canal, l would not
have hurried you for the world. /
have been looking forward to this
meeting Tor years. Surely minutes, even
an hour or two, could not make much
difference"
~ do not know you"
"That is not surprising. One doesn't
retain 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 a gondolier
on the Grand canal at Venice"
The bloom in the countess face was
whitened like rose touched by a
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 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.
"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
|
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
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.
ellis wife had made failure. He
. was to have been executed, but thu
czar would not consent.
! "But if she might not be grant
, duchess she might at least possess
, enormous wealth. Her imperial love-
lavished millions upon her-million'
that her husband, among others, wal
!, taking from the Kara mines, impellet
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 escapes
u from the prison and started for liant
y Of freedom.
4 "And now he is here to quit one
1 more his peasant life"
He ceased to speak, and the counties
stood waiting for him to continue
, Since he did not she asked:
"And what are your intentions cor
] corning me?"
| ~ have no intentions concernln
g you. But there is transaction tha
: has not appeared in the story l hav
b told, and the Russian government he
| intentions which will be made man
( fest through the king Of Italy"
!, The countess. caught at a piece
1 furniture near which she stood an
( swayed like a reed shaken by IL
s wind.
. "a generation has passed." the vi
itor continued. "rhe grand duke
- dead, and there is new czar of Ru
n sia."
Z The woman summoned voice to as
Z "When will they be hereT
Z "Not soon enough to occasion undI
: haste on your part, but too soon
2 enable you to leave Italy"
Z The countess walked to cabine
2 opened a drawer, took out an ivol
: handled revolver and, putting it to h
z temple, pulled the trigger.
9 Half an hour later the governmel
2 police of Italy entered the counties
: palazzio and found her lying on Il
2 floor dead. There was no one ell
7 present.