Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-03-02
" a LEiR1E,
HALF p TRUTH.
.BY THE DUCHESS.

ways speak OF her ana mink oI her sehuef~
w."
Even" said Louis, bitterly. when she
has befooled you and wrecked your hfe5"
Even when she has wrecked your life,
said Max, quietly, and he dropped his hand,
and turned away again.
But such chivalry was beyond Louis
Charters; he only thought. "The man has
not loved as ! have, or been treated as Va
lerie treated me-" He said: Il cannot feel
like that, Colonel Beauregard. | wish to
Heaven had never seen Valerie! | want
never to see her again"'
Beauregard crushed down the almost
scornful words that rushed to his lips.
you call this love?-a boys infatuationl
In six months the wound will be healed;
in year the very scar will have vanished"
He walked once or twice through the
room before he could calm down the temp
est within him enough to trust his voice.
Then he paused, and said:
ut is better for you that you feel rs you
speak, Charters; you will the sooner learn
TO forget a woman who has proved herself
unworthy of any mans love"
II shall never forget her!'' said Louis.
Beauregard made gesture Of impa-
thence; there was touch of irony in his
smile.
You say so now: young fellows are al
ways convinced that their first disappolnt-
ment will last their lifetime; butt never
il is not a year since she promised to be my
wife and she loved me them believe she
loves me now, if she is capable Of itp'
Stay. Charteris," said the other. still
speaking calmly though there was little
inward calm, you are talking wildly. Try
and tell me collcctedly, If you are willing
~. u al MA
Louis threw himself into a chair by the
table aud dropped his head on his arm.
I'm try" lie 5aid, brOkenly ''Yes, ! am
willing to tell you all, but am unnamed
Just now"
Max was silent. 1t was best so. 1t Is
not easy, even for woman, to comfort a
man IN grief like this; he must fight the
battle alone. And yet Beauregard, rs for
moment his hand stole into his breast
and pressed his own labOring heart, felt
that Louis disappointment would be com
paratively short-lved. Time would heal
the w0und that bled now SO freely. But.
the young mans grief was poignant at
first; sObs shook his frame. The soldier
possessed his soul in silence; and il his
check was Il little paler than usual, his lips
more SteTnly compressed, who would have
noticed these signs as meaning more than
that he felt deeply for young Charters,
and non-like ranrassed MI outward show
of rnotioug
By.nnd- by Louts raised his head
II am n foole, he said dashing his hand
across his eyes. But that's the last of it,
hone, ought TO have known better than
TO dream that "A brilliant beauty. when
oucr sE.. know her worth pouId hestoy q
second Thought on n moor fellow who can't
rive her rarriogpa and diamonds and u
r,nusfon In thr \yasfcnd,,
"Av, sotl Itnourn,,,rd In - low, voicn
aFoust was wise in his generation when
he tempted Marguerite with Jewels: and
vet. don't fall into the error of helievingall
women Marrueritrs
.'Nol Yet Valerie seemed AS pure-hcart-
ed asnchild before she was thrown into
tho wbirIponI Of 4orietvrr
"s;hr had had no temototion. lint Heaven
forbid / should sneak har4hly of a child
She is scarcely more than that now. Char
trris-"
II, .t,,,,,,J I,it Iia IL, ,,,d ,1,l,l Oh
fulhIy:
gu -" her aerSe'I -''i"l'e -'o-,'ly
- ,''' 'iH' ',''io 9l",T "'t i',t"" ~
'''.',', I'''' oeen VIZ my i',ie' II,
'", ''''''S "o vas ~ ne" '"eu
- ''''i,'"', = "io'e W N"lei'e' 'S"in ~, "
seq "ei. que answered NE 'haC on tes-
''S anu Wtdn'S''ay sue was ehSaSee' l