Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-03
" AIEiRIE-
HALF p TRUTH.
CHAPTER XIII.-LADY ELINoR.
"BY THE DUCHESS. g."

81 meant to have come earlier! Pray for
give me"'
She half paused as her eyes went straight
to Valerie, who rose, tall and slender in
her flowing velvet gown, and Mrs. Lang
ley saw clearly the admiration in her
friends eyes.
~ did not exaggerate, did II" she said,
smiling, and speaking low: then aloud,
Don't apologize, Elinor. How good OF
you to come such weather! You know who
this isi" leading her friend toward the fire
and indicating Valerie. Dear Valerie's
child. If YOU had ever known my sister
you would see the likeness"
Lady Elinor shook hands with Valerie,
hoped she would like town, etc, and sat
down in a luxurious fdutCuu.
Ring the bell, Valerie dear, for some
more tea" said Mrs. Langley. Take off
that fur dolman, Elinor; it is too hot for
the room"
"WiII you let me?" said Valerie, step
ping forward and Offering TO unfasten the
cloak.
Lady Elinor looked up quickly into the
lovely face
Thank you ]" she said, courteousIy, "vou
are very kindr' and the pretty fingers
quickly uudid the fastenings and removed
the iDblll lHs anu ' tltIlt ItiuItbl 10 HtI
place, moving her chair back little, SC
that she was partially under the shadow Of
Il tall screen.
\ suppose Mr. Beauregard does not
much care for being in town." observed
Mrs. Langley.
"Uh, not he is 50 fond of the country
even In winter SO different from Max.
We heard from him yesterday, by the way"
VaIeric's heart gave a sudden bound, but
she did not move.
"lndccdl Good news. hope2"
ooh, 40 chance Of his returning yet; but
otherwise good. A very short letter, writ
ten IN his tent just before going into nc.
tion tAction, in which he might be
severely woundcd-V Valerie would not, even
to herself, say "killcdr'-how could this
woman spcak OF It so lightlyy ole is as
well rs possibc-always is, the climate
doesn't trouble him. you know, and he
goes through everything unscathed. lie
would he immensely lionizsd in the season
If ho were Mt home think he may very
likely yet promotion"
az am sure / hope he will. Is Angela
coming to stay with you this winter"
Possibly; but papa doesn like her to be
long away, and of course her duty Is ut
home"
"Of Courscr' nsscntcd Mrs. Langley, who
knew perfectly well that Angela MusEravc
was kept out Of the way Of handsome Max,
lest he should take it into his head to fall
fin lpvo with her; and as the Marquis of
Drrpdcnc was n very poor peer, with Il
heavily encountered estate and an eXtrav-
aguut elder son, Indy Angela must marry
money The fiction Of her constant attend
hucc ON n father who was II permanent in
valid served the double purpose OF being
convenient. and effective, and deceived
most people; but Constance Langley was
not So easily dupcd.
"And Angela" continued Lady EIinor,
''is girl who loves solitude and books"
$50 should imagine, " said Mrs. Lang
ley, without the faintest tingc of irony in
her voice, though there was much more
than tinge in her mind.
Tho tea created u diversion from the dut-
iful Lady Angela and then the two ladies'
went of into general talk about this per
son. and that-all people in the grant
m0udr and there was not II little scandal
in the talk; to all OF which Valerie listened
vaguely, and with hewildcriug impress
sion that no one in London society seemed
10 hesitate about pulling his or her friends
to pieces
Lady ElinOr was worse than Mrs. Lang
,,i,t
mot nice woman" She was pretty, but
her lips were thin, aud glidcd over the
teeth in an unpleasant way when she smil-
ell, her laugh was not genuine. and her
eyes did not look at YOU straight and clear
lv.
suddenly Eliuor turned to Valerie, and
asked her IL the bennington ball was her
first
rs, my first the girl answered.
Nnd triumph. heard ct you
= rom captain b'aur'Ehfuf suggested
ME- l"l'SieS'
w. "'a' ~. lh'y SalI'"' you i'h'rnl-
per- ,he hrA' i''y' an" ne mas sal" mourning
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Wv "',' PSI ''''i' "'N"' ",""Ei' he' an
'''' ''S'' ',"'' ""'S ""o nn' "P''I
h''o'9 'AathnrrS ne couia not alora-'h Il
street on the lIlhS" oil Mayfair. Tier heaft
sh'"'o her as she S'" the Wri'lnS' Tor she
hah nor Ntt "hSWcrr" ms Ilst lttlcr' o"t
Hh' waite" ho''I sh' wont To oed To open
'h' VhN''ope-
Ihrn' sitting by the blazing fire IN her
dressing ROOM she began TO read.
Dearest, darling Valerie" he began
For second her straight brnws contracted;
She read a few lines more, half rcproachrul.
wholly rhapsudiCal and then the letter
dropped on her knee and her eyes went to
the fire With wistrul, PARKWAY look.
Far away! tracing burning plains in the
glowing Goals, seeing the white fonts nm
der the pftiIess sun. tho whit, helmets and
scarlet anl HIN, uniforms ~ ,,,,,, ,,,,,.i,,,,
hithnrand thitb,r. ar l,,,p.,;r,,in H., t,.,,,
''', ,'''',''I '"',''' S'' s''''''" ''.'
"p'F'' win "lrk, handsome lace, ana
"''i' "'t'u""' 'N -; '"'l "a u'S ana So''heSs
'n'' "''S ""NthE M" "e'S' "''
n,"","A ~ u'"'' WV III cue S"". uu''
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:, "' '"SC t'n' S'"'C INT" he' ChetAS' her
HpS PdItti III hili Sihlt'. moving heC