The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-20
Nine. Petrof
By BARBARA PHIPPS


party Of ladies and gentlemen were
skating on the Neva A lady was
standing somewhat apart from the 9th
ers looking at the skaters Noticing
two gentlemen go by her in company,
she turned to lady standing near and
asked who they were She was in
formed that one of them was a grand
duke. the other Count Demidoff. At
the mention of the latter name the in
quirer started. Her informant noticed
1t and asked the cause, whereupon the
other said something which interested
the nearer greatly.
81 am Nine. Garotsky," the latter
said. Il know the count very WELL
If you will permit | will arrange a
meeting between you and him.
The next day Count Demidoff re
ceived an invitation to dinner with
Nine. GarotSky to meet a friend of
hers from one of the provinces. He
accepted the invitation, and the mo
ment he laid eyes on a guest to whom
he was introduced as Nine. Petroff he
was struck with her beauty. Not only
that; he was delighted with her intelli-
gence. After the dinner Nine. GarotSky
pleaded an indiSpoSition and, retiring
to her room. left her two guests to-
gethcr
The count passed delightful even
ing Before taking his departure he
had confessed that he was Il married
man, but was not living with his wife.
Indeed, he had been married by proxy
and had never seen his wife. He be-
longed to a very old family, his title
dating back many centuries, and would
have had the entrce to the court circle
had he the means to associate With
persons Who spent money like water
| He had advertised for some rich com
moner who would marry him and turn
over to him portion Of her estate in
lieu Of being permitted to assume his
rank. 1t was to be a mere CONNER
cial transaction, the two separating as
soon as the marriage ceremony had
been performed. His advertisement
met the eye of young widow VINO
had inherited large fortune from
her husband, a very rich manlllac-
turer much older than herself, who had
| died soon after their marriage. she
offered n large slice of her estate for
the privilege of being countess, amt
since neither expressed a wish to see
the other and the widow lived in re-
mote province. they We're married by
proxy.
Nine. Pctroff listened to this story
and the count fancied that he saw 4
sigh. which he attributed to the tact
that he was married man. Indeed
he had been captivatcd by the lady and
was saddcncd mt the thought that 4
marriage between him and her was
impossible. However. when they part
ed he took her address in the city ano
the very next day called upon her.
Nine. Petroff remained in letrograt
some time and gave the count every
encouragement to be with her. They
drove together, skatcd together, ant
Demidoff secured invitations for her
One day he told her that he loved he
anu NOuit III oll'N wv S'''a W '''''' =
her were it not for the insurmountabl'
objection that kept them apart.
Notwithstanding the fact of that oh
lection. when Nine. Petrof returned t'
her home she invited Count Demidof
, 70 visit her there He scarcely under
stood this. for she had given him evi
dence of being n good woman, and !
she could he anything more than !
, friend to him it could only be wife
and to be his wife was Impossible. IL
was loath to go, feeling that since
he could not possess her he was onl,
sinking deeper in misery. lie ha'
sounded her on the matter of posi-
BILE return of the fortune he had re
ceived from his wife and divorce
But she had declared that on no &C
count would she marry divorced man
When the count entered the phc
wherein Nine Petroff lived he was aS
tonished ut its magnifcance. On en-
tering the house he found every lux
urv. His hostess introduced him t
her mother. who lived with her, thu
making his visit perfectly proper.
Count Demidoff's stay in the hOm
of Nine. Pctroff was like visit Z
fairyland. Every day the hostess con
trived new methods of passing tn
{ time agrccahly One thing surprises
the count there were no other guest
: eycnpt himself. Moreover, all the serN
5 ants seemed to be acting as II the
had been trained to part. When the
said Eyes. madame" sometimes the
got il YES. Nine. Petroff," and at a
t times they appeared to be saying VIVA
the simple creatures were not used I
t saving. one evening a lackey VII
/. was sent to summon the count for dill
/. ner said:
THE countess awaits your exec
: lency."
e "The couutcssw exclaimed Demidof
81 mean Nine. Petroff." said the poe
e fellow. covered with confusion.
"There is something concealed here
: said the count half aloud TO himse
and went down to his hostess.
$ countess he said. may take 20
IN to dinner
what exclaimed the hostess. "Yc
4 bova oot M, Secret?"