Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-26


Of the pain to him, a stranger. and forgot
the pain TO me-your promised husband"
Valerie started, and grew white, then
flushed holly. The accusation was true,
and yet it came to her, in a confused kind
of way. that this aspect Of the question
had not been before her-was not now; she
knew this without gr2sping the position,
and was too startled and daZed by the tu-
multi of feeling aroused within her to utter
word, or try to stop Louis when he rose,
and, saying something-the words con-
veyed no sense to her-turned away, and
left her.
For the first time that evening Valerie
was alone; but she scarcely realized that,
or whether the band was still playing, the
dancers still dancing Her one distinct
thought was that he must master herself
and wear mask. It was her first lesson
in the needfuI duplicity of society.
Someone was speaking-a soft, mellow
voice What was it saying?
miss Herbert abandoned? Why, how
is this?"
The girl started violently, and looked up
into Max BeaUregard's handsome face.
cit is only a few moments" she STAN
mered, hardly knowing what she said. Il
i don't mind. Mr. Charters was with
me-"
E'I saw him with you, and I saw him
leave yOu-a recreant knight" said Beau
regard, taking Louis vacated chair, and
saying to himself, s'What in heavens name
can the young idiot have said or done to so
trouble the child? And why should she
care so much?"
''Ah, you must not call him that!' said
Valerie, rallying little, and trying to
speak lightly; bat she was too youngin the
! worlds ways to be successful.
mot recreant," Beauregard answered.
Watching her covertly, "to vex you, and
then to leave you? But, pardon; heisyour
friend-and So"
$50" said Valerie, more steadily, but
| turning aside her face, while her breast
heaved, 81 must not let you be unjust to
him. am to blame, not he, and he has a
right to be yexed."
'You are generous-to a FRIEND" said
Beauregard, bending down to her, and
| speaking in a low, quick tone, a slight
stress Oh the last word.
He should not have uttered that sentence;
| he had no right to ask the question it i'm
piled; but he felt in that moment that he
must know the truth; and he was a man
used to resolve and to do in a breath, a
man to whom suspense was intolerable.
Valerie started, and colored deeply. She
might have resented the implication. Had
she been woman Of the world, instead of
a very young girl taking her first peep into
| it, she might have been fiattered by it; but
as it unexpectedly in her present state of
remorse in regard to Louis-it seemed like
disloyalty to him to withhold the fact that
nature and long habit combined could not
prevent him going white to the lips, or give
| him power for another word for full two
minutes. How great the shock would be
to him he had scarcely realized until it
came. We never can, in contemplation,
fully realize shocks like these. Boy and
| girl love this might be; on the girls side
| hardly love at all, in the sense of passion.
| But Max Beauregard was chivalrOus in all
matters of honor, and would have held it
base indeed to disregard the tie that bound
Valerie to her old playmate, the more that
he knew that he could, if he would, snap
| it like a thread.
The struggle for self-command was brief,
if terribly sharp; and Valerie, not looking
at him. misread the cause of his silence.
| 1t flashed across her that he thought she
was annoyed with him for speaking as he
mao zone, anu SHe Sdlu, uurF1euly:
"You don't think mind your showing
what you thought, Captain Beauregard?
he was more than friend to her. So,
playing nervously with her fan, and turn
| ing away yet more, she answered, almost
in a whisper:
But yes-he is not friend-at least
you know-we are engaged, Louis and l."
1t had not come out in very dignified
fashion, she felt; but little cared Max Beau
regard in what form the information came;
the thing was that it was given; her own
lips told him she was engaged to Louis
Charters. and all the strong self-control of
[ don't see why anyone shouldn't know"
II think" he said gently, chat you are
kinder to me than 1 deserve, for have no
| claim to a friends privileges"
To be continued.