The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-13
A PASSING CLOUD.
How the Course Of True Love was Final
ly Made to Run Very Smoothly.

stance. l would suggest tnat you take
a book and try to read, as the time
would pass much quicker II you did not
study the clock every five minutes.
There Is one on that table that could
not fail to interest you-it is the story
'pangs, the agOnies, the doubts of q
true love, that did not, like yours, run
smooth"
~ shplld probably throw 1t to the
other end Of the room after five min
utes.n
And to think" said Lady March
mont meditatively-"to think that six
months ago you did not know this hero
who Is now making such havoc In your
peace Of mind"
Valerie rose impatiently from her
seat, and walked across to the window,
a frown ruflling the serenity of her
white forehead, and vexed look In her
retty gray eyes.
Walls abrupt movement caused Lady
Marchmont to look up inquiringly, and
she OWNED the cause of her displeas-
ure. The young lady had certain pc
culiar notions of her own, and did not
like being joked about her love aud her
lover. especially before third Person.
Ere Lady Marchmont, however, could
atone for her indiscretion, another lady
present looked up from her lacework
and said quietly:
as it not wonderful how ready we
women are To trust our happiness and
our future in the hands Of men, of
whom for the most part we know lit
tleYn
The speaker was n slight, fair wom-
an, whose age il would be difficult to
guess. She was one of those persons
whom one would at first declare to be
quite unattractive, and shortly discover
that they possess a strange fascination.
Whether 1t was her peculiarly clear,
lOw-tOned voice, or certain air of quiz
ut self possession which nothing seemed
to ruflle, it was undeniable that Mrs.
Maitland had had her share of admir-
crs, md in this, her third year Of wild
owhood, was said to haye received more
than one offer to change her apparently
not inconsOlable state.
Val glanced at her with n slightly
contemptuous look in her eyes.
Your remark has no significance for
me, Mrs. Maitland. for | know Capt.
Dalrymple thoroughly" she said, with
a happy confidence in her tone. A
slight smile played for moment round
Mrs. Maitland's thin lips. and she
dropped her eyes again over her
work.
"Oh. You think you do" she an
swered In her quiet tones, which some
how or other generally had the effect of
irritating Val, which does as we'll
nay, better, for few of us would benefit
10y an intimate knowledge of the lives
of most men,
1.-The life OF every honorable man is
the same returned Val, Indignantly.
your experience Of the other sex must
have. been unfortunate, Mrs. Matt
Maitland
There was slight accession of color
In the widows usually impressive cheek
rs she replied in n somewhat sarcastic
tone: II admire. If | do not emulate,
your charming confidence, Miss Char
teris. | hope you may never have
cause to regret it, but | think when
you are few years older you will ac-
knowledge that men are all alike, and
that self is the guiding-star Of their ex-
istence.n
II refuse to believe it," said Val.
you are welcome to your opinion,
Mrs. Maitland; leave me in the enjoy
ment of mine. There are bad alike In
both sexes, but what does il matter if
there are worthless men, when the one
in whom one trusts and believes is all
he should bep' And with this Val
turned her back on her antagonist, and,
dropping into an easy-chair, gave her
self up to mental revision of the vir-
tues of her cherdlier sans pe,r ct sans re-
prOche.
Val" said Lady Marchmont, break
ing in on her reverie, as she bent over
her and spoke in low tone, where
are your thoughtsY | hear the dog-cart
going round to the front door,
In few minutes the door was flung
open and Capt. Dalrymple was an
nounced. lie was a tail, soldierly-look-
ing man, with grave, serious face and
dark, earnest eyes, which, when he
smiled, sOftened and lit up in wonder
fully attractive manner.
In the presence Of the two ladies,
ValeNe's greeting with him was neces-
sarily restrained; silent but express
i've pressure of the hands, and Capt.
Dalrymple turned TO Lady Marchmont.
II have to thank you for your great
kindness in extending to me your invi-
tatiOn to Vh.'
II am only too delighted to see you"
answered Lady Marchmont heartily;
land for the rest, you know Val would
not have consented to come if you had
not also favored us with your compa-
ny"
AS she spoke she half turned towards
Mrs, Maitland, as that lady came for
ward holding out her hand as she said,
with her most fascinating smile:
There is no need for an introduce
ton, Lady Marchmont; Capt Da'lrym-
pie and are old friends"
Il ~. - 60. L..
said Mt length.
1.-The unexpected always happens,
you know" replied Mrs. Maitland,
laughing.
What did it mean? Val asked herself.
That they should be acquainted with
each other was not wonderful, but why
had Mrs. Maitland been silent on the
point toward her, and above all, why
should her presence apparently discon-
cert Vernon in some way?
She had not time to ponder further
on the subject, for the next moment
Capt, Dalrymple turned to her with his
attractive smile, under the influence OF
which Nals disquietude melted instant.
ly. How absurd to worry about such q
thing, when, of course. at the first Op-
pOrtunity Vernon would explain il all
Meet me in the drawing-roOm before
any one is down, she whispered to him
as they separated to dress for din,
ner
IAN right, darling" he replied as he
smiled down on herwth those eloquent
dark eyes that had won her hearts al
legiance.
Capt. nalrymple performed his toilet
in a very short space of time, and re
paired at once to the drawing-rOOm
there to await Val. He wandered int
the conservatory and paced about rest
lessly. One of the glass doors OPENING
close by him caused him to turn duickl,
with smile of welcome on his lips
when, to his utter surprise he founC
himself confronted by Mrs, Maitland.