The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-14
A PASSING CLOUD.


on YOU, she SAID. but there was some
thing wish particularly to ask you u
"Indeed!" returned Capt. Dalrymple.
"n0n't look at me like that, Vernon,
MS though my presence were so utterly
dstasteful 20 YOU" she went on with
some agitation, whether real or feigned
he could not determine. ~ shall not
/ dctain you long. What | want TO ask
[ of you is that you will not mention TO
Miss Charters what took place between
us year ago.
DO you think it likely, Mrs. Matt
land, should mention the subjectY
mot Intentionally, perhaps, but
lese things come ont sometimes una
wares, aud | could not bear TO be sub
jected TO Miss Clarteris' ridiche and
scorn."
"You need, assure you. have no
fear | shall be silent on that score"
"You will give me your sacred prom
Use TO that effect, will you not?" she
said eagerly.
lie looked ut her in surprise. 81 fail
to understand you. Mrs. Maitland; but
since my simple assurance does not sat
isfy you, am quite willing to pledge
YOU my word
Ks he spoke the drawing-room door
opened softly, and Val appeared on the
threshold. The room was n very long
one, and Dalrympe, standing IN The
conservatory with his back turned that
way, did not see or hear her. Not so
Mrs. Maitland. True, she did not
glance in the direction, but she knew
perfectly well who had entered.
II canuot thank you sufficiently" she
said, looking mt him most eloquently;
you do not know what weight you
have lifted from my mind"
A. a1,n ut,n1r.. ul.n tAAtr hpth hia handle
in hers. and, giving them atender pres
sure. turned, and disappeared through
the door by which she had entered,
leaving Capt. Dalrymple gazing after
her with a very perpleXed counte-
nance.
"What is the meaning of thisp' he
rendered. II never could fathom that
woman. How unfortunate she should
be here now
Ere he turned to re-entcr the draw
ing-room. Val, who had stood at the
open door motionlcss during these few
minutes, slowly drew it to after her,
and crept upstairs again with a strange
chill at her heart.
Mrs. Maitland likewise FASTENED to
regain her room.
"lIow well | calculated" she muir
INJURED to herself. n triumphant light
NlllllliE III ll'l Nblls bANt Nl'os blhb
was a good move of mine. | knew she
would want some explanation with her
lover relative to our meeting. She will
be still more anxious for it now, and he
will refuse to give IL. for he has prom
ised. and Vernon Dalrymple never goes
back from his word. How | hate that
girl. with her confidence and pride in
his lovel Who knows but what | may
win him yet.
Meanwhile Vernon, as yet in happy
ignorance of the trouble Fate was pre-
pairing for him, had given up all hope
of his tete-a-tete with Val, rs one after
another the guests assembled in the
drawing-room, she only making her APP
pearanco few minutes before dinner
was announced. lie glanced at her
earnestly but her face was averted.
"What made you forget your appoint
tones, as they seated themselves at Ia
BILE
II did not forget" answered Val,
scorning to make an excuse.
MOP in some surprise. 81 suppose
something detained you then. | will
forgive you this time, but | don't know
that shall be SO lenient again. and
he smiled tenderly down on her. To
his dismay 1t won no response.
Val had not yet recovered from the
unpleasant shock her feelings had re-
ceived. but she was too angry. too puz-
| 2led to clearly define her thoughts; she
was chiefly conscious of an intense hat
red and jealousy of Mrs. Maitland. 1t
was scarcely wonderful that she should
he silent and distracted during dinner,
! but the party was too large and too an
mated for this to be noticed save by
two Of its memhers.
"Dalrymple,n said Sir Harry March,
mont, claiming that gentleman's atten-
| ton, II was introduced to-day to a
brother Of yours. Did you know he was
! IN these partsYN
my brother Hubert, | suppose? |
remember now his telling me lie was
| going TO stay with some friends of his,
the Sinclairs, but did not know their
| place was near here"
"Ony half an hours drive returned
| Sir Harry. lies a confoundedly
handsome fcllow-I should say n great
fayOritc with the fair sex. asked him
over TO breakfast tomorrow and to
spend the day. lie told Inc he had not
yet made the acquaintance of his future
sister-n-law.n
mo, to be sure. Hubert is the only
one Of us you don't know said Yer
llNll, tNlulllp W III. lllllh YOU Will
like him. Hes an awfully good-Ra-
tured fellow, Il little spoilt, perhaps, but
according to Sir Harry, that is hardly
to be wondered att
When the gentlemen returned to the
drawing-room, Dalrymple made his
way at once to Val, who was sitting
somewhat apart, and, bending over her,
said in n low tone:
What is amiss with you, dear? You
do not seem yourself TINS evening"
Come out on the terrace she said,
rising impetuously. II want to speak
to YOU
lie followed her obediently, and.
when they were beyond sight or hear
ing OF any one, said gently:
We'll, what is troubling you, dear?"
What is there between you and Mrs.
MaitlandY' asked Val, fixing her clear
glance on him, as she abruptly plunged
IN nledids res.
what is there between Mrs. Matt
land and meYn he repeated slowly.
My, dear Val, | don't understand
YOU"
And don't understand YOU" hotly
responded the young lady. you can
not deny, Vernon that when you met
Mrs. Maitland you looked very-very
taken aback.n
II have no wish to deny anything,
Val" he answered. at is true / was
land.n
But why should you be more sur
prlsed to see her than any other ac-