Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-27
CHAPTER xLvIA-vALERIE,s CHOICE.

~ WIS At very htcu SLiICC MIN DtduEe-
gard gave Valerie, and his hand closed
over hers with unconscious force as he babe
her Good-morning. Thought" he added,
gently, whether willfully Ornot, still keep
ing her hand in his, ''you don't look as if
you had slept well, Fairy Queenr
NO, l did notr' she answered, trying to
speak carclessly, and falling, wishing, too,
| that he would drop her hand, and yet glad
that he held it; "but bad night now and
then does no harm"
Perhaps not-now and thenn' said Beau
regard, grayely. Then seeing the change
in her face, he added, quickly, Forgive
me, Fairy; | suppose | ought not to have
said anything beyond the usual greeting
Ny r"Ic of surgeon is over, your foot seems
quite welir'
He released her hand as he spoke, and
turned away. Valerie answered him:
Yes, feel as il could walk miles now:
and it was Kind in you to say the other"
Kind i'll me: Why" He drew her to d
low chair, and sat down by her
Rather, why not"
kind to take any interest in you, is Chat
it?'
The girl shrugged her shoulders, and
like sudden flash that reckless look came
into her face. She laughed, and rose to
her feet
"Ohl only spoke conyentionaIly," she
said.
Rrauregard rose, too, turning deadly
white. A moment he paused: then he Put
his hand on the girls shoulder, and turned
her with gentle force round to him.
'FaItric,' he said, in IL low voice. YOU
did not mean what you said last. Comet
your hand again, we must not be other
than good friends now, when you are so
soon going; you know must always have
an interest in you, Fairy Queen, for the
sake oI old timesr"
His voice broke Il little; he turned away
abruptly, and stepped out onto the terrace;
but Valerie moved slowly across the room,
and sat down. She felt dizzy-suffocating
but she would be better presently. The
old times!-the old happy times! if one
could only forget-only forget! Oh! the
curse OF memory, when To remember is but
to be stretched on the rack.
Valerie, Lady Elinor thought at break
last, meant to put good face on the fail
ure with Max, for she was brilliantly CAV.
and ratified nonsense, as if she had never
had a care in her life. Had she made up
her mind, after all, her hostess wondered,
to put up with 1.-THE iron MANI"
Mrs. Langley was not down to breakfast:
but when the young people had drifted out
onto the lawn, and someone suggested
tennis, Valerie being asked, said she could
not join
Il shall be busy this morningr' she said.
Amy, do you know if aunt Constance is
ups'
Yes! Writing letters in her dressing
room"
Thanks! Then" said Valerie to her
self, Il will go to her now" She paused.
and her face softened. Poor aunt Con
stancen' she added, with heavy sigh.
''she meant well by me, but she has made
shipwreck of my life"
She went on to her aunt's dressing-room.
and knocked ut the door
Come inr' cried Mrs Langley, seated
at her davenport; she turned round, and
the sight of Nalerie's face puzzled her.
Was the girl come to throw down the gage
of battle, or to make logged submission?
Valerie closed the door behind her. and
came forward.
Are you busy, aunts' She asked.
mo, my dear Do you want me?'
why, yes, to give you my answer"
She paused, leaning against cabinet a
couple of yards from where her aunt sat.
Mrs. Langley looked at the girl as she
stood, her hands behind her, her head a
little thrown back. The attitude was
gracefully uonchalant, the face set like a
Tint; there was quiet consciousness OF
power, which might be called calmness:
bat Mrs. Langley saw and felt that the
girl was not inward!y calm. The woman
OF the world, however, betrayed no appre-
heusion, rs she said. gently:
Il hope, dear Valerie. you have thought
the matter over, and will answer me care
fully
Thought the matter overn repeated Va
ler!e; II did not need threa days for that.
not three hours, nor three minutes. Ionly
deferred answering you because l thought
it best to wait until we should be leaving
this place. My mind was made up before
You had done speaking the other dayr'
"Nalerien'
Stay! aunt Constance" the girl stood
erect now, Il don't want to speak migrate
fully, or with any lack of respect; but let
me explain myself. 1ou have meant kind
ly by me from the beginning. but your kind
ness was mistaken-at least for me; some
girls would appreciate it better l am not
fitted to be success, as you understand
success. am failure and discredit to
you, and so matters have come to 4 crisisy'
To he