Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-05-04

more, her voice sank lower, but she spoke
passionately. 1T was you who taught me
what love was, Max; it was you who show
ed me clearly what l 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 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, for
though she knew this man loved her now,
she had not known it then.
She 50 loved him even then, so treasured
his gift 50 wore it on her heart-always!
Beauregard had almost Obayed the impulse
to 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. | thought of You
always; You like to imagine that wished
for your preseaC'; ! iougeI to see you
again. rs woman can only long to see the
man she loves. l treasured every line that
was published about you, il only your
name was mentioned. did not know ut
first that loved you; | dill not think all
this was disl DyaIiy to Louis. 1t was one
night, In pLris-that-" she stopped.
"No-ncver mind" she added, hurricdly.
GO oa" sail Btaurrgard, husEily, s;tu
mastering himself. go on-tell me al
alp
Valerie sank into a chair, dropped her
clasped hands on table near; bat after
moments silence she went on, falteringly,
with chan gin color, not once raising her
eyes:
sit was one night, when | saw in the
evening papers that You hal been made
Colonel, and wrs so happy-so proud. /
| had Il picture of you, one | had bOu Lht.
and use to look ut it often; and that
night | went to my desk for it, and there
was a letter of Louis that had forgotten
to answer, and it seemed to startle me, for
| had no thought for him, only for you, and
| knew then That | loved you Oh! the
shame Of it. for | was giving my love I'M
SOICht That was why | was 50 cold to
you when you came back; ii was my pride:
| SO feared yOu would read my secret! II
| had been older, wiser / could haye trust
al ,,,,.lf I,+t,.' I,,,+ ,J,,,,J ,,,,+ ~, ,,i+T,
Won 0,rtLo.,,,ip ,,o,.o ,-o,, +b,+ ,;,,;,+
ir,I-o mn. hmm, Gu, Ir,,,-,,I - go
,I,,,.,, ,,.;+I I,it+ar,I, ..r+,,n,, f,,,, 49,,
hnc,,,so Won, wan, Toor,,, So sarano: ~
her feet again, pressing her hands to her
temples. NO? | would have knelt at
your feet and blessed you for one word of
NV "T.I,', i'''f iiiS oie''' u!
- ,.t,'l,,' r.,., ,,,'' - -. 80 =,
~ ---.''>'' ''' '''A'
CHAPTER NLNIu.
One step, and Baauregard was ut Va
lcrirs side grasping her hands in his.
In my arms" he said, "you shall tell
me the rest, Valerie" as she stroye TO free
herself. "yOu must come to metz
Not vet, - she said. under her breath
MAX, let me po,-not vetr,
BaalIre rard rel ,ased her and drew back
You think" he said. bitterly. "that |
loubt Won stilly | have deserved this2
AM fool. and blind that | was TO bpIieve
Won 81 falspp,
"No-nor' cried the Girl. claspinr her
hauJs ..how cauII Won believe me othnr.
yisry | set myself ia drceive vou let
even I,oui, believe that 7 broke my word
TO him for \ StDn ,1W ford = 81 tps | fppT-
Ell fine arcusatinn thot I Iovpd vor, And
il WAS, ia kerD my ,rcrpt that led vor, Ia
believe VA, viiIiup To marry T,,,vford for
his moneys sake. For YOUR sake refused
Aston IMwlcrd;av, but not as YOU thought.
AIax-lieayeu be my WitnrssI When [
sent back to him the answer that refused
him, telling him did not love him-that |
could never he ms wife-l did not know
even that Gerald, your brother, was i'll.
wrote that answer soon after LaWfOrd'S
letter came. kept it to show aunt Con-
stance first, but when she did not return |
sent it. 1t had left the house half an hour
when she came home, and told me Geralt
WAS dangerously Ill; she was asking me
what answer had sent l" l-a"lord' LOT
thcy had toiu hef Oh MS let'ef |" me, Nheh
your tele|T'til c'inp. Scelht" 10 20" D"Se
lnieeu' why Sn"''l" you h". uGie't even
ms AcalhihE SHaihe III me; why It''U IT
i''r'i'e' cot'h'ei'''lCe "I'e'i c'''l'e mere. l
h'''" "l'''' "''I' o''!N''Il'c Ni>i'cu' "'i''
He' came WIS aiI"lt 10 "c'S her i'll
M'''S' 1t was '"e "rt ""ri|i "l otiHS
''"' -" "l't '''e ,'".',' ''h' sue l''S'O
nave Sl"N'n /" YOU An any 'iiNS any
!h'HE "I'' tha' All" ,I'eh-'he''- am Keep
ihN p"C> hol"Ih-' MIN am lay IhI my
n'"'' r'"G |" 9"" mere WAS happiness
through an the cr'ei PAM III oeihG win
N""' oHI on. your own hearI VIII speak LOT
me 'ha' h1l II" part OF lot IN the Wretch-
ed srheme that brought me mere! In tins
III least can prove my lruth' Aston Law
fora wrote to me lew days ago, asking
me aSbh to he ms Wlle. tore ms letter
lhto fragments ana hung them on the iloor
that was my answer to him. Then aunt
Constance spoke to me plainly. | could
win you II chose, she said; would not do
that, aud woul not marry Lawford. No
matter in what words; she bade me choose
between you and laWlord, or she would
wash her hands of me. told her | would
give her my decision to-day and that day
wrote To uncle Will, and said was COM
ihN uaCA /" Hihl. toId aunt constance
'"-'ay mat had made my choice To
morrow return To Wexford. Maxi her
voice taltered and broke now, i lave been
wrong ana i""l.Sh' hut l was young ana
ignorant ana 'htre WIS no one 10 Euiue
IN" '""'IN'' me n"l II was my loVe lor
YOU h"I rove 81 'he "oFIu' lha' maze me
seem 'alNe ana lheicel'lrS' lNFohSed YOU
p'' II WIS III "rUn%il-S my sell liiNI' Cah
you oSticN' me, MAN:
FOR answer, Beauregard threw himself
at her feet.
- "lcrie. Valerie! Oh, llcavcn!" he
cried, with an agony that shook him like
reed, ROW can atone to YOU | might
nave Known might have known. But,
oh, my darling, even when | believed You
unworthy yourself, | could not judge you
har~hlV, | loved YOU too well. All! how nv