Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-15

OR,
Half q Truth.
By THE DUCHESS"

BY THE DUCHESS"
CnAf'rEH rErrEns.
The Court Circuldr-yes, here it was, q
long list of the names at Mrs. Langley's
dance on Wednesday night q society paper
speaking In glowing terms Of the extra
ordinary beauty Of Miss Valerie Herbert.
and the sensation she created. Louis sat
and read these things with a miserable
feeling that Valerie was drifting away
from him; she belonged to a world in which
he had no part or lot; he was not 'in her
set;" she had passed at one bound from the
valley to the Olympian heights, and he was
left below, looking up at her.
And yet before him lay q letter from Va
lerie asking him, in her aunt's name, to
come and dine in Upper Brook Street the
following evening. Yea he was asked
now and then; he was not to sec Valerie
often; she was to be alienated from him;
taught the creed that money and rank are
all In all. She was changed already; she
was not as she used to be down at Wei.
ford; her letters failed to satisfy him, and
she did not always answer promptly.
No wonder Louis felt chafed and heart
sore; no wonder especially as he was only
Just twenty-three) he talked and thought
q good deal of nonsense about love in q
cottage (even the cottage, by the way,
would have been problematical), Sighting
the battle Of life more bravely with the
loved one by your side, and the rest OF it.
The trifing facts that, without the loved
one, he could scarcely do more than keep
afioat, and that heads of departments take
no account of loved ones in regulating in
crease of employees s~alaries-were natur-
ally, overlooked.
But at the appointed time Louis drove
mp in a hanson TO Mrs. Langley's house,
and was ushered into the drawing-room.
and a minute later the door opened, ana
Valerie, In her moss-green velvet gown,
came In, and ran up to the young man.
my WI Valerie!' he said, taking her
In his arms, and kissing her many times,
1T Is hard to see you so seldom
Valerie drew herself gently from him.
w cannot help II, Louis, can WEI" she
said, forcing herself 70 speak brightly;
"and we must make up our minds to q still
longer separation"
valerie! what do you mean!" He
caught her hand almost roughly in his pain
and fear.
The girl turned white. Did he love her
10 much? n she-Heaven help her!-she
felt like a hypocrite.
Only" she said, hurrledly, 'that In
January we are going abroad until the
springg'
mo, no, Valerie, you will not consentt"
ooh, Louis, be careful!' exclaimed the
girl, with n quick glance toward the door;
ANY moment aunt Constance may come
In. How could l help consenting, even If I
did not wish to gogn Valerie's truthfulness
was not yet corrupted.
You do wish to go, them" said the
young man, excitedly-"to leave me-for
monthsl'
IL have told you lido" the girl answered,
shrinking back, but speaking firmly.
why should you be angry with me for
that? | have always longed to go abroad,"
she added, turning away toward the fire,
30 that her face was hidden from him.
Louis stood still a moment before he
followed her and took her hand again.
She let him take it, but did not cling to his.
II have no right, perhaps" he said, in a
changed tone, ito blame you, or--or to
doubt you, because you are willing to leave
me; but | cannot help thinking that your
aunt wants to part us. When was this
decision NADER"
"a few days before the dance, Louis"
And does she attempt TO forbid Our
writing TO each other?"
mo, no! You don't think I would sub
NIT to that?" exclaimed the girl.
Before Louis could reply, the door open
ed, and Mrs. Langley came in, to Nalerie's
relief, though scarcely to her lovers.
Mrs. Langley greeted the young man
cordially. She was too thoroughly we'll
bred n woman to ask a man to her house
and then snub him.
The three dined together; there were 10
guests besides Louis Charters; and during
the progress of the meal Mrs. Langley
mentioned that she and her niece purposed
making their first halt at Paris, where they
would remain about a fortnight, and then
go on to Italy.
"By the way" she added, to Valerie.
1.-THE Aston Lawfords are in Paris. Unjust
remember to call upon them"
"Aston Lawfords?" repeated Valerie.
Are those the people Lord Emily was talk
ing about? He said they were iron"
aston Lawford is an ironmaster," said
Mrs. Langley, quietly; "but he is also a
man of good birth, and has n large estate
In Nottinghamshire."
"Thath he bought himself?" asked Valerie,
with the instructive contempt Of land in
heritance for land-purchase.
AN "OiOo lilttii " bhob, ouItI13
observed Louis, who inclined, out of the
sheer pugnacity of youth, to what he term
cd liberal" views. "A man who earns
land may be n better man han he who
simply inherits it,"
You got those lines out Of some melo-
drama, Louis" returned Valerie, cavalier
ly. 81 can't discover what they mean; I'M
less they mean that a tradesman is better
than a gentleman"
81 don't quite agree with either of YOU"
interposed Mrs. Langley, but you surely
don't call an ironmaster a tr%adesman, Va
leriey"
81 wasn't speaking of Aston Lawford,
aunt Constance. meant that Louis idea
that man who makes money is n better
man than one who inherits it-would, in
fact, put even trade before land, wouldn't
itf"
II didn't mean it So" said Louis, vexed
at being taken up in this style by Valerie;
but you nave such invincible ~prejudices
about land, Valerie!'
"These will become modified with time
and experience" said Mrs. Langley, indul-
gently; meanwhile, / may tell you that
the Lawfords are received everywhere be-
cause, really, their connection with iron
Is occidental. The Lawfords are a good
family, and Aston Lawford's mother was
a Vernon, Of. Even the Beauregard's
pardon the IRON"
Are they so very proudi" asked Louis.
Intensely proud. l dare say Captain
Beauregard looks askance at the IRON"
added Mrs. Langley, laughing; but then
military men are especially stiff on such
points"
II think he is quite rightl' said Valerie,
stoutly.