Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-08
VALHiR1EJ
HALF p TRUTH.
"BY THE DUCHESS"

But such chivalry was beyond Louis
Charters; he only thought. "The man has
not loved as l have, or been treated as Va
lerie treated me-" He said: Il cannot feel
like that, Colonel Beauregard. I wish to
Heaven had never seen Valeriel l want
never to see her again.'
Beauregard crushed down the almost
scornful words that rushed to his lips.
''You call this love?-a boys infatuationl
In six months the wound will be healed:
in year the very scar will have vanished"
He walked once or twice through the
room before he could calm down the temp
est within him enough to trust his voice.
Then he paused, and said:
ut is better for You that you feel as you
speak, Charters; you will the sooner learn
to forget 2 woman who has proved herself
unworthy of any mans love-"
81 shall never forget herr' said Louis.
Beauregard made Il gesture of impa-
thence; there was a touch Of irony in his
smile.
'.You say so now; young fellows are al
ways convinced that their first disappoint-
ment will last their lifetime: butt never
it is not q year since she promised to be my
wife; and she loved me then-I believe she
loves me now, if she is capable of itr'
speaking calmly, though there was little
inward calm, 'you are talking wildly. Try
and tell me co!lectedly, if you are willing
| should know all, how this came about?"
Louis threw himself into a chair by the
table and dropped his head on his arm.
'I'll try" he said, brOkenly. Eyes, am
willing to tell you all, but am unnamed
Just now"
Max was silent. Tt was best so. Tt Is
not easy, even for a woman, to comfort a
man in grief like this; he must fight the
battle alone. And yet Beauregard, as for
Il moment his hand stole into his breast
and pressed his own labOring heart, felt
that Louis disappointment would be com
paratiyely shOrt-liyed. Time would heal
the wound that bled now SO freely. But
the young mans grief was poignant at
first; sobs shook his frame The soldier
possessed his soul in silence; and, if his
check was a little paler than usual, his lips
more sternly compressed, who would have
noticed these signs as meaning more than
that he felt deeply for young Charters,
and, man-like, repressed all outward show
of emotion?
By-and-by Louis raised his head
Il am fooln' he said, dashing his hand
across his eyes. but that's the last of it.
hope. ought to have known better than
to dream that a brilliant beauty, when
once sic knew her worth, would 5eStow q
second thought on poor fellow who can't
give her carriages and diamonds, and a
mansion in the West-endn'
"Ay," said Beauregard, in n low voice,
Faust was wise in his generation when
he tempted Marguerite with Jewels; and
yet, don't fall into the error of believing all
women Marguerites"
SOL Yet Valerie seemed as pure-heart-
ed as a child before she was thrown into
the whirlpool of societyi'
''She had had no temptation; but Heaven
forbid | should speak harshIy of a child
she is scarcely more than that now, Char
teris-''
He stopped, bit his lip, and added, a6-
ruptly
You saw her elf-alOne-to-day?"
For the first time since her return to
England. had been with my father in
the country; he was i'll. When | returned
to London L wrote to Valerie, asking to
see her. She answered me that on Tues
day and Wednesday she was engaged;
was to call to-day. She put me off for af-
ternoon calls, for the turnout of the Four
in-handl When I met her she told me that
she could not marry me- | charged her
with throwing me over for Aston Lawford
and She could not deny it; she was silent
ashamed to meet my look. Iwaited for her
to speak; hoped that she might deny the
charge; but she was speechless. I implor-
ed her to answer me; | accused her of being
mercenary and worldly, and by her shamed
silence she pleaded guilty.
Beauregard turned aside his face; for full
a minute he could not speak; and Louis
was too self-absorbed to notice that when
the soldier broke the silence, his voice vas
little husky.
Did she tell yoU," he asked, that she
was engaged TO Lawford?"
''She told me nothing in words; she al.
mitted all by silence"
81 understand, Charters; You have
learned your lesson. DON'T let it embitter
you, and make You judge all women by
one. ii is better to know the truth now
than when knowledge might come too
late"
81 have loved her 50 long" said poor
Louis, dropping his head again, "and to be
forced to despise her."
Despise her! Beauregard caught his
breath as if struck by aphysical blow. The
word, in connection with Valerie, went
like a knife to his heart.
mot that" he said, inwardly. his lips
white with pain. ooh, not that! my own
my love; so young-so tempted! Heaven
help theer'
He turned and laid his hand on Louis
shoulder
You are too young, Charteris,' he said,
gently, ito be merciful; and just now the
wound is too deep. But try to remember
~ ~ &c fDr, u,
the future far greater suffering than she
has inflicted on you. And I think also"
he said this with ring of subdued passion
in his soft voice. 'that about woman one
has once loved there is something forever
sacred-something that must make Us al
does" Then, touched by the young mans
almost haggard look, he added, with quite
womanly tenderness of manner:
1T is a heavy blow, Charters; but, for
Heavens saket bear up under it like q man.
Your life may be wrecked il you give way
now. We have our lives to live, come what
may. Forgive me-
NO, said Louis, stretching out his hand.
'You are a noble fellow for speaking out
straight anu pain. Thank you for it,
The hands of the two men who loved
Valerie, both well and truly, yet how diff
AeASh'Ay -0ue one openly, lie otIleI III St
cret-metin close clasp. Then Max Beau
regard went out, and left the young lover
alone.
Who, seeing these men together in that
hour, would have imagined that the suffer-
ing which spoke in passionate words, and
even sobs, was but as the breeze that flut-
tiers dead leaf to the tempest that changes
the face of a landscape, compared with the
suffering which gave no sign?
But Louis Charters firmly believed that