The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-04-15

cause I am civil to his face!' returned Va
lerie. Now, If l had said that you might
have detected remains of Arcadian SIM
plicity; but you ought to know better, Isn't
It the correct thing to pull all your friends
to pieces when they're not by? To flirt
with men, and laugh at them in your
sleeve all the timer Give me another cup
Of tea, Amy, and don't play Phyllis"
"You can't mean what you say" said
Amy, distressed, nevertheless, to hear her
young friend talk in such a strain. you
could not lead a man. on, to throw him
over in the end. Besides, you are still en-
gagged to Mr.. Charters, are you not2"
A swift color crossed Valerie's cheek; the
hand with which she took the cup from
her friend trenbled.
Eyes" she said, carelessly. "Whattheni"
"Only he mightn't like your giving 80
muchscountenance to the rumors going
about concerning you and Nj. Lawford."
"By going on the box-seat? But Louis
isn't In town. I haven't seen him since
before I went abroad. He is with his
father. who is ILL.,"
HE is sure to hear of 1t, Valerie, and
might be in town before the meet: it isn't
until Wednesday week"
N1AS0AA IAO AAtSA COlOk al tttACIlc q CucGAs
but this time 1t was no thought OF Louis
that called 1t up, but another thought.
He will be in London by then. He may
be therel'
She said, slowly, after a pause:
II don't want to deceive Louis, Amy. I
was TESTING just now. ! would tell him
myself ! was on Lawford's drag, or any
thing else l did. I,can't let Louis or any
one else hamper me or dictate to me-"
Amy looked steadily into the beautiful
face, but Valerie Stunned the gaze. She
was acting, il not actually speaking, false
hood; belying her noble nature to hide her
secret; willfully misleading her friend into
believing her ambitious and mercenary,
that she might not imagine love for an
other man had cast Louis from his
place in the heart of his betrothed-a place
which, in truth, he had never occupied.
II shouldn't have thought" said Amy,
drily-she was straightforward and plain
spoken, and Valerie never resented this
that it was a matter of 'hampering' and
debating"
II see. His slightest wish ought to be
law, eh?' said Beauty, laughing.
Wouldn't you feel like that for any
man you loved, Valeries"
u might, "-dubiously-as if she could
only conjecture. while her heart rose up
with q wild throb of passionate pain.
Would not a look of Max Beauregard's be
a law for her?
"You might" echoed Amy-"you might!
Oh, Valerie!"
ooh, Amy" cried the other, putting her
pretty fingers in her ears in mock dismay,
s.Nay, pray don't be moral, and high prin-
cipled, and love-in-a-cottage-and all that
sort Of thing. l haven't heard such talk
since l left the country-except from you.
Your tea is getting cold, and SO is mine"
"Your heartis getting coldr' cried Amy,
warmly; ''the world is spelling you-no
wonder! you are so beautiful, and 30 fused
about and run after. But you've got a
heart, and a strong one, and you'll ind it
out some day; perhaps when it'stoo late"
"When l marry a man for his money,
and fall in love with his most intimate
friend. That's the rule" said Valerie flip
PANTY.
you are determined not to be seriousl"
exclaimed Amy. But you'll repent it II
you marry Aston Lawford."
"Oh, my prophetic soulM sighed Valerie,
leaning back in her old attitude again.
do you KNOW she went on, .sthat in
Paris they used to call us Beauty and the
Beast!'"
Amy could not help laughing at this,
though she was panied 10 find how much a
few months Of luxurious worldly life had
changed Valerie for the worse.
"The name was apt enough" she said.
"Y0u can't like him, Valerie!"
Like him! I told you he bored me-"
"Then you oughtn't to dream Of marry.
ing him" said Amy, bluntly.
"IdGa't know that l have dreamt of it.
Why, I have hardly tapped my wings yet.
up in such q hurryw
"You want to break q dozen hearts be-
fore you NIX on one, I suppose,n remarked
Amy. half lightly, half seriously.
Aunt Constance doesn't think hearts
necessary in marriage, " said Valerie grave.
~. "She puts her faith in settlements and
%pin-money."
"Andt do you agree with her?'
Il haven't quite made up my mind. II
u very nice to have everything one wants,
isn't it?'
Eyes, cvervtttng,' said Amy; .'but you
don't get thatif you are tied to n mar you
don't care for. Perhaps you neverdid love
Mr.. Charters as much as you fancied, or
you wonld't talk as you do. But I am
quite certain you are not a girl to be happy
with q husband you couldn't love.n
WHY are you certain!' asked Valerie,
with a curious flash in her dark eyes.
Oh, from many things; and mamma
you know she is very keen in matters OF
character-said that for you to play tricks
with your heart would DO like IL child play.
ing with fire"
Valerie grew white, and set her teeth.
II half know that myself she said-did
she not wholly know it?-''but you know,
Amy. aunt Constance had me up to marry
me off"
II know she did. But wouldn't you
sooner go home again than marry merely
for money!"
go back to that dull, quiet lifel'' said
Valerie, with a shndder. mo, no, not
now. l couldn't endure It'll Don't you re.
member Hans Anderson's story Of the
mermaid, who was given legs andfeet that
she might live among mortals. only, as q
punishment, every step she took was like
treading on the edges of swordsi Still,
she bore the agony rather than return to
her old life in the caves under the sea.'
Again Amy looked steadily at her friend.
This golden-haired girl Of eighteen was an
enigma.
But, Valerie" she said, "if I remember
rightly, it was not the love of the world
that made the mermaid accept the pleas.
ure with the pain. but the love of a mortal;
she is In love with some prince"
Valerie did not color now; she felt as II
all the blood in her body rushed to her
heart. Fol- full a minute she could not
move or speak; but she had thrown her
head so far back that Amy could only see
her features imperfectly, and attributed
her silence toperplexity at the failure OF
her simile.
WAS that itsn the girl said, at length,
when she could trust her voice. "But OF
course ! only used the comparison. Knight
do as much for the world as the mermaid
did for love-
III you do, Valerie, you will find that the
pleasure is not worth the pain,''
n'Oh, c'est ldmO1Lr, EdnnO1tr, pdmoLr,
Out fat tOtrncr lc fnOnde,'o
chanted Valerie, under her breath; butshe
did 1t mockingly, and suddenly started for
ward, as someone Knocked ut the door.
Come ini' she SAID, quickly, aid Fan.h.
on entered with the evening papers.