Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-15

last night"
'Gl0ridtr'
''Won't Lawford cut up rougk?" said
Dallas, in an uudertone to Amy; and Amy
nodded little vaguely, and glanced IN
easily at Valerie. Was the girl growing
perfectly reckless coquette? Why this IN
mistakable snub to man to whom she
was almost engaged?
Whom are you going with, Mr.. Dallas"
she asked.
with Beau and Lady Elinor, and three
or four Others | wish you were of the
party" added Hal, lowering his tone.
Amy colored, and changed the subject.
Shortly after luncheon Valerie's guests
departed, all having other engagements,
and the girl was alone.
With sinking at heart she took her way
to the 5oudoir, and, sitting down in low
! fd4ttcuil, drew out Lawford's letter.
asking to see me?" she said to herself,
trembling II cannot see him! and vet
how could refuse? Have l been unfair
to him? If I had only one true friend!
Mrs. Fanshawe would have been; but ]
dare not be my natural self even to her.
She writes to hin-ahe might suggest TO
him that 7 cared for him. No, No!'' she
have made all my friends enemies"
Forcing back her tears resolutely, she
slowly opened her letter.
The very first words startled her. She
flushed to her brow; then she read on stead
lily to the end, turned the page, and went
back, and read through again. After that
she sat for several moments perfectly still,
the burning color in her face fading grad
haT, "
but there was q dangerous culver about
| the delicate nostril, dangerous light in
the dark eyes.
| And yet there was more feeling in the
| letter than she had given Aston Lawford
credit for, and her heart smOte her heavi-
| ~ He asked her to be his wife; he told
her he loved her deeply and sincerely, and
would in everything study her happiness.
| That sounded conventional, but there was
true ring in it, too. Then he reminded
| her that she had treated him with some
| caprice; but he was sure she had not in
| tended to wound him, He weighed some
what on her aunt's approval of his suit, and
intimated delcately. but clearly, that he
desired sincere and decided answer, for
which he trusted she would not keep him
waiting long.
But from beginning to end there was a
tone of security which stung the girls
pride; it was like making merely formal
| offer of that which was certain of accepta-
ton; no doubts, no fears, but cOmplaceut
snrsA nf the honor he, Aston LaWford, was
doing her, Valerie Herbert, in offering her
| his hand and heart, and millions.
Suddenly Valerie rose up, letting the
| letter fall to the floor, and clasping her
| hands above her head.
Have l." she said, through her teeth,
| half aloud, 'Egiven him the right to speak
to me like this? He seems more to be
claiming his property-as if were so many
tons of iron"-With a short laugh-"than
asking me for the greatest gift q man can
| asll!''
She sank down again, hiding her face in
the cushion of the chair.
"Ah! how differently he would write"
was whispered in her heart, but not by her
! lips; ''but, then he would come to me
would entreat, as he would never entreat
! for life. Ahr' starting up, and pressing
her hands on her temples, flushing with
bitter shame, even in her solitude, at the
| thoughts that thrOnged into her brain, and
made her heart beat to suffocation, II am
mad to dream so! This letter." she stopped
and picked it up. Eyes" she added, slow
| ly, 81 have been wrong; [ have not Eeen
wholly lust to him. To hide my own Sc
cret I have gone too far; and aunt Con
stance viii have right to be angry. All
the world viii call me jilt. Lett! let aunt
! Constance send me back to Wexford. !
would not marry Aston Lawford to save
myself from the most horrible death that
cruelty could inventn'
! She went to her davenport and threw up
| the lid
Eyes" she said ''he shall have his an
swer soon; I will not keep him waiting"
! Then once more she paused. No, I must
not write hastily. Unjust try not to wound
| him. Oh! ducS he love me-if only little!
l have been wrOng-wrong!"
She dropped her face on her clasped hands
on the desk, sobbi9g bitterly.
But by-and-by she ra;sei herself, and,
| when she had grown calmer, drew paper
| toward her, and began to write. She, tee
cast aside not few letters before she could
write one that she could send, and she was
far from satisfied with this. Thus it ran:
''DEAR Mr. LAwFORD:
Your letter was given to me this after
| noon, and am complying as quic Y as
/ can with your request for speed, nswer;
| for indeed, there is no necessity for delay.
| / might, if | took more time for cOnsidera-
| ton, say better what [ have to say; but if
| | delayed replying for month my answer
! would be still the same. / know that you
| do me a great honor in asking me TO be
| your wife-an honor that, for some reasons,
do not deserve-but forgive me when |
| say that L cannot accept your offer. l viii
not deny that l may Though not intention
! ally have led you to expect a different an
| Swer; but | entreat you to believe that
never supposed you did more than admire
me, as others have done. For my fault in
| this / ask your pardon, making no excuse,
| though | might plead some; still [ was
| wrong. You urge that aunt Constance
| faYOrs your suit; but though would please
/ her in all things possible. I cannot in this
L know you would do your utmost to make
| me happy; bat do not love you, and with
| out love all that the world could give me
would not make me happy. You warn me,
! cOurteOuSly but firmly, not to trifie with
! you further, and reject your offer to prove
| my power, while, in truth, | have no inteD-
! ton Of final rejection. Let me say, then
| believe me or not, as yOu Will-that | am
| writing this to you from my heart-thatnO
| earthly power could make me, no tempta-
ton could induce me, to become your wife
| | refuse your offer now and forever: and !
| am certainly not vain enough to believe
| that after this you will ever wish to renew
| 1t. Ever yours faithfully,
HVALERIE MAUDE HERBERT."
1 It was characteristic of Valerie that her
first thought was to despatch the letter
| without even showing it to her aunt; but
| this, on second thought seemed uncourte
Gus, even undutiful. She would wait at
| least until the latest hour she could send
that night. She would not keep Lawford
| in suspense until tomorrow.
Evening passed into night, and Mrs.
| Langley did not return home. At last,