Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-10
" AIEiRIA
Half a Truth.

eve shall be delightedy' replied Mrs
Langley.
Lawforl glanced at Valerie. but Valerie
was looking out of the window, and did
not seem TO hear question or answer. She
heard both, however.
The carriage stopped, adicux were said,
and Mr.. Lawford and his sister departed,
Valerie bidding a rather Indifferent good.
night TO the former.
rs Mr.. Lawford going to Rome" she
asked, when she and her aunt were seated
at supper
81 don't know, my dear. But why do
You ask in that tone--as if you didn't wish
it,"
~ don't, much'
"Why not, Valerie? Thought you liked
him" a pretty shrug
He is plain and prOsaic,' she said.
Nonsense, child. Do you want every.
body to be like n hero Of romance?'
Valerie thought Of Max Beauregard, and
suddenly laughed ont.
MIR. Lawford 10 far enough from that, -"
she said.
''Ahl well, 20 to bed now, and wake up
wiser" said her aunt, lightly, and Valerie,
nothing loath, obeycd:not because she was
tired, but because she wanted to read her
precious newspaper.
Give me a dressinggown, Fanchon,'
she said, when the maid had removed heI
eycning-dress, "and then you need not
wait. am not going to bed NIst yet"
Fanchon brought a dainty pink dressing
gown bcd"cked with lace; and thus attired,
and with her pretty feet in embroidered
slippers, Valerie seated herself on the
lounge by the open stove and began to read
the papers.
Suddenly she claspcd her hands together
with almost n cry Of joy. while the blood
rushed over check and brow
Captain Max Beaurcgard had been ap
pointed TO the colonclcy Of tho til, vacant
by the death Of Colonel -, passing over
the intermediate stage on account of his
distinguished services.
All. how glad Valerie vast How her
scHrt swelcd within her! She read over
and over through proud tears the words
that seemed printed In gold! Then she
hid the paper down. and sat gazing into
the fire, slowly locking and unlocking her
hands; then she turned to the other papers
tshc had been looking at the .St0Hddfd),
and round the news repeated In the Gl0bc
Yes, there was no doubt about its truth
Why should there be- 1t was only Max
Bcauc%arIS due. How happy he would
be To- hive won this distinction! How hap
~ would be all those who loved him!
Presently the girl rose and went to her
desk, and, opening il, unlocked an inner
drawer, and drew out something wrapped
carefully in tissue paper. AS she did so,
her fingers trembling, her check flushed,
her bosom hrayinI, her eye fell on herOWn
name and present address on n foreign en-
velopc lying in ter desk. She paused alb
ruptly; her whole face changing blauch.
ug--a sudden horror in her eyes That
letter received only yesterday from Louis
WIS lfTtc Il silent witness, starting up be-
fore her to HcCusP her. She had fought
down her conscience, and in flash she
was bruu dit face To face with il. Words
IN that lcttcr-words Of faith and cndcar.
mrnt--rushcd coufuscdly across her. They
had not made her heart beat as it beat just
nov; they had not filed her with gladncss.
~ those printed words in newspaper had
done. What was it thrilled through every
nerve only 10 see or to hear Max BeaUre-
gard'S name that no word traced BY Louis
hand, nay his very presence, could pro
ducr! Sac looked from the letter to the
treasure she had come for; not Louis pic
turc. but his Max Bcaurrgard's; she re.
''l lllt tpNti INK Hlitl Caught lti bF'sll
rs the cyesC the portrait seemed to meet
hers. Then, still keeping the photograph
in her hand, she shut the desk quickly,
and almost staggered hack To the lounge,
and sank down, covering her face in agony.
She might have known it; she might have
known il suuner She had never loved
Louis How pale and cold seemed her
tranquil affection for him--thc same that
-. /. o d
had been all her childhood-to this pas
storat" absorption in anothors identity;
tins rcstaCy, those long, sweet rcvcras, this
chcrshing of aIl connected with him.
Ter laad stole to the flowers on her breastl
louis huwrrs were dead ana forgotten;
she shrnnk from his clnsp and kiss. fan
other hand should clasp hers, other lips
seek hers she shrank and covered in
maiden shame She loved Max Beaure-
gard ny, sllc loved him with al her strength
and he, maybe, scarce gave her now II
thouGhtl OH the shame, the burning
Shame of III And I,ouisl she was plightcd,
pledged 20 him; he loved her and trusted
hort
II cannot marry himw she whsprrc |.
pressing her hands on her burning ten
pies. Il cuunot, l CdHnot-tt would Kill
Ur; it woald be sin--trcasoul never
loved himl was mad to promise him! but
how should know | know what love is
nov too latc--Ioo late! Oh. Heavens! he
might have loved me ii had been frcel'
she fell Oh her face, weeping conyulsive-
Is. INor throhbIng, bleeding heart
struggling alone in its mercy what yet
greater suffering had been spared her, if
She had known one wise and loving friend
to 20 to with her burden.
But there was none To counsel her, none
to help hes Young, inexperienced, she
must ii LII the battle uuaidod; she must
learn tho terrible Womaa lesson of wearing
smiling lin with n breaking heart; but To-
sJtHp the haudS that bound her how could
she do il? How could she 81 wrong Louise
And Vet it would be greater wrong to- he
come his wife when she did not love him
still more when her every thought was
another mans.