San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-02

he had only known how every fibre Of her
frame yibrated to his touchl T-Iwanted
TO 90 OMIT was n glorious rider
GAY" he said, under his breath; and his
dark eyes flashed; for a second his clasp
closed over the little hand on which his
had rested; but rs quickly relaxed, and he
paused, setting his teeth close; while Va
lerie, who had started, and changed color
turned to look behind her, though her eyes
were blinded, and she could see nothing
Beauregard turned, too.
"The others are close behind now" he
said, "shall we wait for them"
He spoke almost coldly: Valerie simp
" wheeled her horse, and rode back toward
the advancing party, and Beauregard fol
lowed suit.
well, your two horses have got wingsm
cried Mrs. Dudley, addressing both, and
Max said, smiling:
"They are both Of them ready for anoth.
or gallop, and double the distance. Zoe Is
a splendid slayer, and next to Prince, the
fieetest horse in the stable; and then Va
lerie weighs about as much as thistle
down"
brain and ALL" asked Valerie, wicked.
ly. They were all riding on now at walk
ing pace, Beauregard on the girls right
hand
NAY" he answered, gravely; II only
spoke Of physical weight"
She laughed.
did your But it would be equally apt
the other way, wouldn't itf"
THAT comparison is yours-not miner
said Beauregard, drily.
Thanks" was the retort, "for a neat
application of the old prOverb about the
cap and the fitl''
And she turned, laughingly, to speak TO
Lord Westbrook on her other side. She
knew she had forced a meaning never in.
tended. Max Beauregard was far too
chivalrous for such gibe; she knew she
had vexed and even wounded him; but he
should not think she was trying to win
him; yielding sometimes as she had yield
ed little while ago, unconsciously, in
evitably, to his power over her, she recoiled
afterward, and in terror of being misin.
terpreted, rebuffed him in some such man.
ner as this, stung to recklessness by they
yer bitterness of her own suffering.
She had been startled, too, by the look
that met hers when Max Beauregard first
rode up to her; his close clasp OF her hand
later, and sudden release Of it, rs II, sur.
rendering himself for one second to q
warmer feeling for her. he had condemned
the instinct the next. Was it a blending
of past and present; the old tenderness liv-
ing still: the glamour Of her beauty infiu-
encing him against his better judgment,
as all men are influenced by exceeding
beauty
1t stung her to madness, that IL she had
power to stir this mans heart at all II
should be to no deeper homage than this.
She would have spurned him il he knelt to
sue for her love, and gave her only passion;
for passion can despise its object-love
cannot. So Valerie wrOnged herself more
and more-strOve more and more to make
herself wholly and hOpelessly misunder-
stood by the man she wOrshiped.
They came presently-Valerie doing her
hest, it seemed, to turn Lord WestbroOk's
head-to a narrow path where only two
horses could go abreast Beauregard rein
ed back at once to Mrs. DIdley's side, and
left Valerie TO the young peer; and Valerie
urged Zoe forward, so that she and her
companion got some little way ahead OF
the rest of the party.
another victim said Mrs. Dudley,
laughing, and pointing with her whip TO
Lord WestbrOOk.
"A willing one, | suppose returned
Beauregard, Struggling his shoulders.
Whatever he might think of Valerie he
could not endure for anyone to speak
slightingly of her; in his own heart he tried
not to condemn her, tried to make every
allowance for her, and reproached himself
that he was forced to think her scheming
and worldly; nor did he ever think her
h,1 ha or laI ttritl ha lar
nature; she hated the task she had set her
self, and hence she was wayward and in
consistent. MEMS hearts," he added
"are not breakable articles; and women
-D
"Have none! Is that it,"
81 almost think So"
For shame | won't speak to you the
rest of the ride"
"You muslin this lane at any rate.
Whom else am l to flirt With"
SIS flirting necessity"
Beauregard burst out laughing
How like woman! You have broken
your resolve almost in the breath with
which you uttered itn'
you are too badr' cried she, lifting her
whip. you deserve"
"Your sweetest smile of forgiveness"
said he The whip fell, and the smile was
given.
But you don't deserve it, though" she
said
Never mind deserts-the thing is that
have obtained it. Open ground again.
Stay! don't give rein; there is wide, deep
gully right across our PATH any Of the
horses can take it-and you among the rid
ers-I know; but not all"
Dallas and Travers knew the place; so
did Angela, and could leapit. Beauregard
suddenly spurred forward after Valerie
and WestbroOk, who, hearing the rapid
hoof-strokes, turned round, within hun
bred PAGES Of the gully, which the latter
knew Of
Lets go for the leapN' exclaimed Va
lerie, in an unaccountable spirit of mis-
chief; but as the words passed her lips, as
she grasped the reins more firmly for the
rush. Beauregard was at her side, and his
grip on the rein.
mo- he said, quickly, almost sterniy,
mot thatr'
Valerie flashed up at him defantly.
Colonel Beauregard," she exclaimed,
81 can do that leapr'
"Why, Beaup' cried Lord WestbroOk. in
a vexed tone, "Miss Herbert could leap
that! Zoe
Zoe" said Beauregard, interrupting
him, but his hand still on the Arabs bride,
"csn leap that, and land five feet on the
other side, but don't want her to send
Valerie over her headp'
"But she wouldn'tr' said the girl, still
defiant Look Angela has gone over,
and Mrs. Dudley, splendidlyv'