Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-20
CHAPTER XLIV.-TOO LATE,


Valerie" saId Mrs. Langley, II am
forced to put matters clearly before you,
| and it is better for both of us that | should
do SO. When you broke off your quasi en-
| gagement to young Charters, you did so
partly because you did not love him; but
also you saw the folly of n marriage be-
tween you and him. Then you gave Aston
LawfOrl Cncouragement-and | certainly
hoped t" see you become his wife Cir
CumStal c,s Changed, and | made it no
secret from You that your rejection, when
| it came, of LawfOrd was not uuwclcome to
me. But my hopes have not been realized.
Let Colonel BeaureGard think what he
will of you, it was in your power to bring
him to your feet; the more that | believe
he IS far from Indifferent to YOU. What
your feelings for him are | will not ask,
but certainly he is man for whom many
women would be willing to face even pow
erty; nay, Mrs Dudley is not the only
| woman who loved him enough to count it
happiness to have become his wife when
he had nothing but his pay and younger
brothers portion. Yet, so far as can see,
there is no nearer prospect of my hopes
and plans for you being crowned than
when we first came here! and it is your
fault that this is SO! | am bitterly disap-
pointed in you, Falerie-more than disap-
pointed! have done everything for Won.
and you have repaid me by Capriccs; YOU
nave earned the name of tilt; and for
what' When YOU leave here it will he said
Of You that You threw over Aston I.awford
for Max Beauregard. and that Max Beau
regards pride was proof against even your
charms. VIII You care to face society with
such a repute us that2 You, who carried
all before you, Il failure after all. And
here pointing to the torn fragments of
the letter on the floor, where there is tri-
umph-a lover scorned kneeling again at
your feet-you trample on it-spurn him a
second time. You are making shipwreck
Of your life, Valerie; warn you before it
Is too late to retrieve the past Think also
of mel have right to ask this-a right
to ask why should be so disappointed in
one for whom have tried to do my best
of whom was justified in hoping SO much. 4"
After the first words of this singular
manifesto if so it might be called, Valerie
had turned her eyes from her aunt's face.
and sat gazing steadily into space: but her
face never altered once-not even when
Mrs. Langley spoke of Max Beauregard
personally; no color even for second
changed the livid pallor that spread even
TO her lips; her teeth were set, her brow,
every feature, might have been hewn in
marble, she. never moved, only her. bosom
rose and fell with the slow, 1abored pulsa-
ton of her breathing, and her eyes glowed
with adeep inward fire-the fire that burns
like living agony in heart and soul
Sc she sat for full minute after her
aunt had ceased speaking: and Mrs Lang
Z fNv- ,,fg,.-E, 4
girls aspect, yet knew not what to say or
Go. How could her nature compass Va
lerie's'
Then, without turning round or moving
so much as her hand, Valerie said, slowly.
quietly:
Il understand you clearly-Quite clear
ly. will answer you on Friday morn
ing"
"Valerier' exclaimed Mrs. Langley, sft
have"
Valerie lifted her hand
II said l would answer YOU on Friday
! morning, aunt Constance. Leave me alone
now, please
Mrs. Langley turned mechanically to-
ward the door. Had her threat-it amount
ed to mistaken effects Was Valerie
about to reconsider her position9 What.
that word more now might be danger
GUS She simply bowed her head in ac-
quieScence and left the room.
Then, with still that set, rigid look on
her face, Valerie rose, went to her daven-
port, and sitting down, wrote. with I'M
shaking hand, letter, Its last words
were, please do not write to aunt Con-
stance. l ask you this as a special favor
The envelope was addressed to William
Herbert, Esq, The Cottage, Wexford,
-shiren