Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-08

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not pledge myself TO more"
You really think she doess" asked Law
| ford, eagerly Il don't profess to under
stand vomen-stiu less giris-but some
! times feel that I am making no way Will
! her"
eff you viii take my advice" said Mrs
Langley, try and be patient. Valerie i
| dtffciIC-I don't deny it-and consider how
| she is flattered and fused oyerr'
'.Sle takes her fill Of the world" saiC
Lawford, somewhat grimIy. Pardon mt
for saving that few men would care to SCI
a girl they love firt so much with othersr
'.Aht' said Mrs. Langley, amiabIy, 'syoU
have 0l;i-worla ideas, Mr. Lawford. dom
say they RE wrong, but we can't make E
spoilt beauty see with our eyesl 7 repeat
l am convinced that at heart Valerie like:
your
4 charming fiction. which Aston Law.
lord was, however, content to accept aG lCs
apparent and not its real value.
Mrs. Langley did not repeat this brief
conversation to Valerie. There was nc
saying what-in her present mood-that
young lady might do. 1.-THE world and all
that belongs to it, including the iron
man" and his millions, might be thrown
over in gust Of sentiment by the decided
ly incomprehensibley young person.
LaWfOrd had hardly left the house when
there came q note from Lady EIinor Beau
regard.
eff you and Valerie are free this even
ing, will you come and dine with US? Pray
forgive such short notice, but Gerald, who
had decided TO leave town early next week,
has suddenly decided to go tomorrow, as
he doesn't feel we'll"
The servant was waiting for an answer,
and Mrs. Langley accepted the invitation,
and then sent for Valerie, and told her.
VERY WELL" was all the girl said but
her heart beat fast. She had not seen
Colonel Beauregard since the ball. She
dreaded meeting him again.
But she had not much more than time to
dress, and then the carriage was announced
and few minutes later the two ladies were
ascending the broad stairs OF the Beaure-
gard mansion in Whitehall Gardens
One swift glance as they entered the
drawinc-roonl assured Valerie that Colonel
Beauregard was not there. Perhaps he
was out for the evening. The girl felt half
relieved at the thought; and yet her heart
sank, too.
Lady Elinor came forward with effusioD
to receive her guests:
Glow good of you to come!' she eXclaim-
ed. Glow lucky you were disengaged--only
Ourselves"
And very dull host, [ am afraid, " said
Gerald Beauregard, as he shook hands. Il
don't feel well at all"
''You don't look it," said Mrs. Langley.
ST am afraid London doesn't suit you"
1T doesn't, indeed! So I am going to
IN nj -I,n
run down and see me sometimes"
''NIaX is going down with him to-mor-
row." added Lady Elinor.
yes? Shall we not have the pleasure of
seeing him this EVENING"" asked Mrs Lang
ley.
"Oh, yes! Here he is, | believed"
The door opened, and Colonel Beaure-
gard came in. He shook hands with Mrs
Langley, and then turned to Valerie, who
sat on a low chair near.
But she was quite self-possessed now,
and gave him her hand without tremor
He sat down near her, and began talking
about ordinary topics, without anything
in his manner to indicate that she had Of
Tended or wounded him the other evening.
Only there was the same change she had
noticed then; the old, half-tender, bright
ness had gone-they might have been ac-
quaintances of this season only and
though Valerie would have found it hard
to say that he deliberately avoided any
illusions to q former friendship, he GER
tainly never made one; and she, poor child,
dared not.
How often, during these few minutes,
she thought of the mermaid and the naked
swords; and yet it was strange happiness
only to have him near her, to hear his
voice, though he must despise and con
denim her in his heart.
More than once Mrs. Langley glanced
coYcrtly and anXiously toward the two
She was always good bit afraid of Max
Beauregard, e was so dangerOusly-attr
tive Il man; aid it would never do for Va
lerie 10 throw over one poar man only to
fall in love with another
But there was nothing in the soldiers
manner now to alright the wise matron,
no suspicious lowering Of the voice on eth
er his part or Nalerie's no dropping of her
eyes or change of color; and when the but
Ter announced dinner, and Lady EGnof
said: Max, will you take Valerie down?"
he rose and gave his companion his arm
with some careless remark about a play
they had been talking Of
At dinner he sat next her; but all the
time, while conversing with her on general
topics. Colonel Beauregard was covertIy
watching the girls beautiful face saying
again and again TO himself:
''She is sacrificing herself for money. but
she is not happy. Had she grown to love
Charters? She cannot love Aston Law
fordn'
After dinner, when they were all in the
DRAWN groom, and Valerie was talking to
Gerald Beauregard, Aston Lawford was
announced. Max, under the shelter of his
long Iashes, glanced keen1y at Valerie, and
saw in her face flash that was surely not
pleasure; yet when Lawford came forward
she greeted him with bright smile, and
made room for him on the couch beside
her; and presently Mr.. Beauregard crossed
the room TO speak to Mrs. Langley, and
Valerie was left TO Lawford'S companion
ship. Gerald's place remained vacant
Max might have taken it; but he stood by
Mrs. LaRgley's chair; and seemed either to
think he vsls not wanted elsewhere, or did
not care to seek Nalerie's society. Why
should he? the girl asked herself, bitterly;
and yet her whole soul rose up in resent
ment against the tacit consignment of her
to Aston Lawford. She would SnUb him,
she said to herself; and then came a reac-
ton No, Max Beauregard might think it
was done to draw him on.
In her terror of Scylla the girl plunged
into Charybdis, and put on her brightest
manner for Aston Lawford, raising him to
the seventh heaven, and filling Max Beau
regard with a keen desire to run the iron
man" through the body.
Presently, however, Lady Elinor said
something to her brother-in-law, and he
crossed over to Valerie.
MY sister wished me to speak to you,
Miss Herbert. = he said, eff you would make