Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-17

! =
was 50 true; as he paused, and she did not
! speak. he added. with a half smile-in his
| heart he almost pitied the woman-'i sup
| pose yOu know it uow:"
| Colonel Beauregard, do you rean-?n
al mean,' lie said-and what light
flashed I'D into his dark eyes-"that Va
lerie's heart was given to me before she
went to live under your roof, though she
| did not know it then; and when she knew
| If. all her life was given to the task OF hid
Ing her secret. She hid it from you, and
she hid it from me until to-day. So, after
| all. you have your wish, though not as you
| had planned it, but because [ learned the
| truth, that Valerie loved me for myself,
would have given herself to me If had
| asked her lOve-when | was only younger
| son, with a younger sons allowance and a
| soldiers pay!'
| Poor Mrs. Langley! it was bitter pill
| to swallow, to find that she had so terribly
| Numbered; and to be told point-blank by
| Max Beauregard, although he spoke gent
! Iy, that she was q worldly-minded match
maker. But still, there was the consola-
| ton that Valerie would, after all, be the
mistress of Abbot's Leigh. It was not her
! (A1rs. Langley's) success, but it was success
triumph.
Lady EIinor could hardly be expected to
rejoice very much, but she dared net eX-
press to her brother-in-Iaw any doubt of
| Valerie's veracity; nor did she venture to
| hint her opinion that Mrs. Langley was
! improving on the truth when she said Va
| lerle's letter to Aston LawfOrd was sent
| before the girl knew of Gerald Beauregard's
illness.
"Of course" Lady Elinor said to Angela,
"there is no difficulty about falling in love
with Maxi dare say Valerie did that: the
question is, would she have married him
before he became the head Of his house,"
$50" wrote uncle VIII to his niece, you
are not coming to Wexford, after all, and
you are going to marry Colonel BeaUre-
gard. | am very glad to hear that: he is
splendid fellow, and none the worse for be-
| ing the owner Of one of the finest proper
ties in England. / am sure you will be
happy; of course I shall be delighted to see
him, and have some new kinds Of ferns
to show him-but you mustn't ask me t0
give you away. Your aunt will do it much
better, and it would distress me to take
part in grand affairs like thatr'
Il dare say he would not know what to
do" said Beauregard, laughing, when Va
lerie showed him this letter, q long one for
uncle WILL ''and those ferns! He has new
er forgotten my supposed interest in ferns,
and l know nothing about them How
ever, I shall be duly appreciative when the
time COmeS!
About writing to Louis, Valerie had at
first hesitated, but finally decided to do so
and explain everything. His answer, when
it came, brought the tears to her eyes.
Some bitterness of feeling he showed, as
was only to be expected, but he was truly
glad to find that she was not what she had
made herself out to be. Beauregard had
acted nObly throughout; no man better de-
served the happiness he had gained. In
time he Uouis) hoped he would be able to
meet Valerie again; but it must not be I'M
til he could think without pain that she
was Max Beauregard's Wife-and that
could not be yet, for years to come. But
Max smiled a little to himself when he read
this; Louis would get over his trouble SOON
er than the young man supposed now.
well" Aston Lawford said, when he
heard the announcement of Valerie's en-
gagement, "the girl has got all she played
for. wish her joy!'
sit is my opinion" observed his sister,
"that Max Beauregard loved her all along;
and very likely she was fond of him, only
was comparatively poorr'
"Just as well, then, she refused me.
don't want a wife who would flirt with an
, other fellow!"
OF course society" had various opinions
many declared that Beauregard was Gin
fatuated," to strike his colors at last to g
girl who had SO openly Tilted another man
for him; the men did not at all wonder at
this 'infatuatiOn;" others said there was
more in it than appeared, and hit the truth
or very near it; buteverybody talked about
the approaching marriage, and discussed
it with as much interest asif it vitality con-
! cerned their own happiness.
1t took place in London, in November, an6
St. Peters Eaton Square was brilliant with
glittering uniforms, on which the sun OF
"All Saints summer shone brightly; anC
2 surely lovelier bride had never stood at the
altar than the Fairy Queen" in hel
sheen of satin" ami white flowers, but
not single jewel: and the scarlet and gold
lace of the hridegrOun's splendid uniform
gave picturesque contrast to the cream
color Of the brides robes. There is Ger
tainly this advantage in q military wed
ding, that the bridegroom. especially if q
handsome man, is not put ''out of court, y
as in ordinary cases. But Max BeaUregarC
never thought Of admiring eyes as hepasseC
down the nave with his bride; nor did Va
lerie even hear the subdued murmur of ad
; miration that greeted her, though she bore
, herself calmly; she saw nothing but mist
OF color, knew nothing but that she was
with Max Beauregard, and belonged to him
? now
And when they were alone together il
the carriage, and he took her hands in his
e and drew her toward him, she trembled
and flushed and paled in a breath.
Fairy Queenr' he whispered, folding
the slight form to his heart, and kissing
the soft lips, my Fairy Queen now, my
e wOrshipped wife!'
"Oh, MaX!' the sweet voice faltered. al
most failed, ~ am afraid feel as if
could never be worthy of your lover
Heart of miner' he answered, with {
tender smile, but a touch of the quizzca
loo! she knew so well, lis not the fear too
: late? But, darling, it is a needless fear
F? Let me be as worthy Of your love as yoI
hope to be of mine and all will be well
: Have we not both the perfect love which
2 casteth out fear?''
Yes, Max; forgive metz
: 'tT viii forgive you, Fairy Queen-sol'
and once more he pressed his lips to hers
r with that kiss which seals the 'nObleS1
7 troth," which feels the first kiss, and fore
bodies the last.
THE END.