Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-10

but would he doubt her? She had moved
a step toward her lover, but at this unhap
py thought she shrank back, sinking intc
the chair from which she had risen. Hel
trembling hand stole into her bosom, where
her talisman rested; if she showed him this
would he not believe?
Beauregard dropped his hands, and, ris
ing, approached Valerie Her head drooD
ed, the burning color suffused her face
He laid his hand on the back of the chair
and bent down TO her, speaking low and
brokenly:
Il asked you just now" he said, ''to for
give me. have no right to ask that
have done you great wrong, it was mad
ness to seek you; / should have better
known my own weakness; and yet-Oh,
Valerier' he said, passionately, eff you
could love me for myself aIone-if even
nOw-but no! the test is wanting. If ]
could strip myself of all that dazzled your
eyes-if | could be once more what was,
when you Ulconsciously won my heart
from me-then l might know, but now it
is too late! You love me; ay, L knew it
when l held you this minute in my arms
| and my lips chung to yours; but not as !
love you. Oh! my darling-my life, +" lower
the bright head dropped, the girls face
was hidden in her clasped hands, eff YOU
had been true to yourself, true to the no
bier nature you have never wholly crushed;
if you had known how loved you, Valerie,
almost from the first, almost from the day
L carried you through the rain in my arms!
| Your image was always with me on the
battlefield, in the camp, by day, by night;
waking, dreaming, you were with me still.
[ heard your voice; l felt the touch of
your hand; your dear eyes looked into
mine, and l grew to hope that those dreams
might yet be reality. Your love for Louis
Charters was but a girls love for boy.
| dared even to dream sometimes that |
had perhaps sowed in your heart the seeds
of deep and lasting love. 1t was happi-
ness to imagine that you sometimes thought
Of me, sometimes wished for my presence:
and when at last came nome, oh! the bit
ter-bitter awakeningl You met me-oh!
no, l cannot speak of it!' He turned aside
pressing his hand over his eyes ''It is my
| punishment that love you with all my
strength, ay, though know that you would
have sold yourself to Aston Lawford, and
cost him aside for my sake in the very hour
| that made me owner of the broad lands of
Abbot's Leigh"
Now Valerie sprang to her feet and faced
him: her eyes met his with clear, fearless
gaze; but her lips quivered, her whole form
trembled with the passion of emotion that
| possessed her.
| mol" she said 'you wrong me; you have
wronged me from the beginningr'
'tVaIerier'
| 1T was my woman's pride that forced
me to seem all that was not" she went
! on, not needing him. 'FBut l may speak
now; may tell you the truth, for 1 know
| that you love me; your own lips have told
me! Stay! hear me out, and then" her
| head dropped, the crimson rose to her brow,
| her voice faltered; eff you can take me to
your heart again" she broke oft alb
| ruptly, her hand stole into her breast once
| more, her voice sank lower but she spoke
| passionately. ut was you who taught me
| what love was, Max; it was you who show
| ed me clearly what had only felt vaguely,
| that it was only sisters love | gave to
| Louis Charters. When l rejected his
| flowers for yours, it was not only because
you had been kind to mel did not know
| it then-but-but l knew afterWard, and
| kept those flowers; have kept them ever
| since, and few of them kept apart--here
-always-day and night, on my hearth
| The flush of shame was on her cheek: the
| last words were scarcely whispered, fer
| though she knew this man loved her now,
she had not known it then.
She so loved him even then, so treasured
! his gift, SO wore it on her heart-always!
Beauregard had almost obeyed the impulse
70 clasp her once more in his arms, but he
mastered it, setting his teeth She might
! have loved him, and yet given heed to am.
bition.
Valerie went on, not raising her eyes,
/ her hands pressed on her bosom now.
"When you were away in Egypt, my
heart was with you; you hoped that some
| times thought of you. l thought of you
always; you liked to imagine that wished
for your presence; [ longed to see you
again, as woman can only long to see the
man she loves. | treasured every line that
was published about you, if only your
name was mentioned. / did not know at
| first that loved you; I did not think all
this was disloyalty to Louis. 1t was one
| night, in Paris-that-" she stopped.
'No-never mind" she added, hurriedly
go onr' said Beauregard, huskily still
| mastering himself. go on-tell me ALL
| ALP
| Valerie sank into a chair, dropped her
clasped hands on table near; bat after
1dlUSTiD0IN,
with changing color, not once raising her
eyes:
cit was one night, when I saw in the
evening papers that you had been made
] Colonel, and was SO happy-so proudi I
[ had picture of you, one I had bought.
| and use to look at it often; and that
night went to my desk for it, and there
was a letter of Louis that I had forgotten
| to answer, and it seemed to startle me, for
l had no thought for him, only for you, and
l knew then that 1 loved you. Obi the
shame of it, for was giving my love I'M
sought. That was why L was so cold to
you when you came back; it was my pride;
l SO feared you would read my secretl If
L had been older. wiser, could haye trust
| ed myself better; but I dared not be with
you. Oh! the pain gave you that night
| broke my heartp' She bowed her face
down with bitter sob. 81 turn from you
because you were poor!' She sprang to
| her feet again, pressing her hands to her
| temples. mo? l would have knelt at
your feet and blessed you for one word of
love. would have begged my bread by
your side, Max would not have accept
ed kingdom from any hands but yours"
CHAPTER XVIII
| One step, and Beauregard was at Va
| lerie's side, grasping her hands in his.
Gin my arms" he said, ''you shall tell
me the rest, Valerie" as she strove to free
| herself, you must come to mer'
Not yet," she said, under her breath.
:sMax, let me go,-not yetr'
| Beauregard released her, and drew back.
you think" he said, bitterly, ''that I
doubt you still? I have deserved this?
| All! fool. and blind that / was to believe