Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-09
a LHiRIE.
OR
HALF p TRUTH
CHAPTER YIu-LADY ELrNOR-
"BY TIE DUC HESS.


ing woman, of perhaps eight-and-twenty,
wrapped from head to foot in furs, came in,
holding out both hands in a somewhat
gushing manner.
MY dear Mrs. Langley" she exclaimed.
II meant to have come earlierl Pray for
give mer'
She half paused as her eyes went straight
TO Valerie, who rose, tall and slender in
her flowing velvet gown, and Mrs. Lang
ley saw clearly the admiration In her
friends eyes
Il did not exaggerate, did II" she said,
smiling, and speaking low; then aloud,
Don't apologize, Elinor. How good of
you to come such weather.! You know who
this tsp" leading her friend toward the fire
and indicating Valerie "Dear Valerie's
child. If you had ever known my sister
you would see the likeness"
Lady Elinor shook hands with Valerie,
hoped she would like town, etc., and sat
down in luxurious fGlLte1ttl.
ring the bell, Valerie dear, for some
more tea," said Mrs. Langley. "Take off
that fur dolman, Elinor; it is too hot for
the ROOM"
"Will you leo me?" said Valerie, STEP
ping forward and offering to unfasten the
cloak.
Lady Elinor looked up quickly into the
lovely face.
''Thank you" she said, courteously, "vou
are very kindl' and the pretty fingers
quickly undid the fastenings and removed
the mantle; and Valerie returned to her
place, moving her chair back little, sc
that she was partially under the shadow OF
a tail screen.
4 suppose Mr.. Beauregard does not
much care for being in town?" observed
Mrs. Langley.
''Uh, no! he is SO fond of the country
even IN winterl So different from Max.
We heard from him yesterday. by the way"
Valeries heart gave sudden bound, but
she did not move.
''Indeedl Good news. hope"
ooh, no chance of his returning yet; but
otherwise good. A very short letter. writ
ten in his tent just before going into ac
ton" (Action, in which he might be
severely wounded-Valerie would not, even
TO herself, say "killedp'-how could this
woman speak of it so lightlyD "He is as
well as possible-always is; the climate
doesn't trouble him, you know, and he
goes through everything unscathed. He
would be immensely lionizad in the season
if he were at home | think he may very
likely get promotion.'
ST am sure I hope he will. Is Angela
coming to stay with you this winter"
Possibly; but papa doesn like her to be
long away, and of course her duty is at
home"
''Of coursel' assented Mrs. Langley, who
knew perfectly well that Angela Musgrave
was kept out of the way of handsome Max,
lest he should take it into his head to fall
in love with her; and as the Marquis of
Deepdene was a very poor peer, with a
heavily encountered estate and an extrav-
agant elder son, Lady Angela must marry
money. The fiction of her constant attend
ance on father who was a permanent in
valid served the double purpose of being
convenient, and effective, and deceived
most people; but Constance Langley was
not so easily duped.
"And Angela" continued Lady Elinor,
sis girl who loves solitude and books"
$50 should imagine" said Mrs. Lang
ley, without the faintest tinge of irony in
her voice, though there was much more
than a tinge in her mind.
The tea created diversion from the dut-
iful Lady Angela, and then the two ladies
,ent off into general talk about this per-
son and that-all people in the grand
monde, and there was not a little scandal
in the talk; to all or which Valerie listened
vaguely, and with a bewildering impress
sion that no one in London society seemed
to hesitate about pulling his or her friends
TO pieces.
Lady Elinor was worse than Mrs. Lang
ley, and this confirmed Valerie's mental
decision that Gerald Beauregard's wife was
mot nice woman" She was pretty, but
her lips were thin, and glided over the
teeth in an unpleasant way when she smil-
ed, her laugh was not genuine, and her
eyes did not look at you straight and clear
ly.
Suddenly Elinor turned to Valerie, and
asked her if the bennington ball was her
first.
Eyes, my first" the girl answered.
"And triumph. l heard of you"
'From Captain Beauregardf" suggested
Mrs Langley,
''Oh, dear no! They sailed, You remem-
Der, the next day, and he has said nothing
in letters home; but Colonel -, of the
Blues, was there, and two or three other
people know. The fame of beauty soon
spreads"
Somehow Valerie felt glad that Captain
Beauregard had not written about her,
especially to this woman, who aroused in
her a species of antagonism. Surely he
could not like her muchl
She breathed a sigh of relief when Lady
Elinor rose to depart. Was this the ICON
versation," she asked herself, that went on
at fashionable five o'clocks, If so, it was
excessively dull and stupid. Poor Valerie
had much to learn!
The last post that night brought her an.
other letter from Louis, who had apart
mentS-chambers he could not afford-in a
street on the fringe of Mayfair. Her heart
smote her as she saw the writing, for she
had not yet answered his last letter; but
she waited until she went to bed to open
the envelope.
Then, sitting by the blazing fire in her
dressing-room, she began to read.
Dearest. darling Valerie" he began
For a second her straight brows contracted;
she read a few lines more, half reproachful,
wholly rhapsodical, and then the letter
dropped on her knee, and her eyes went to
the fire with wistful, PARKWAY look.
Far away! tracing burning plains in the
glowing Goals, seeing the 4hite tents I'M
der the pltlless sun, the white helmets and
scarlet and blue uniforms of men moving
hlther anG thlther, or lounging in the tent
doors; ana one among them, yet somewhat
apart, with dark, handsome face. and
deep, brilliant eyes, full of fire and softness
eyes that were looking into hers, and
making her heart beat in the solitude.
Did he ever think, in the turmoil and ex-
element of war, of the FAIRY Queenw
The rose-tint stole into her cheeks: her