The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-08-26

(ueen!'
YES, Maxi"
They heard the party ride up to the ter
race-steps, talking and laughing. Bcaure
gard rose, and held the girl to his heart, a.
II he could not let her go.
cit is so harl," he said, ito release you
but must; once more, my own!" kissing
her lips tcnderly; "but l shall see vol
akain soon!"
He released her with an effort, and Va
lerie fled up to hcrown dressing room, Man
B~eauregard returning to his study.
CHAPTER XLIX.-'MY FAIRY OUEEN.n
When the party met at luncheon there
was no outward change In anyone; ever
Mrs. Langley preserved an atfable aspect,
but Max Beaurcgard and Valerie could sec
the thunder-clouls behind tile sunshine,
and the former smiled to himself us he
thought how radiant my lady would feel
if she only knew the truth.
After luncheon Valerie could not escape
from Lord WcsLbrook and the others, who
spread about the lawn and the gardens;
she would rather.have been alone, but she
was SO happy now that there WI no need
to assume n brightness not felt.
Colonel Beanregard sought Mrs. Lang
ley, who had retired to her boudoir, and
when he Knocked ut the door, was sitting
tapping her foot on the floor in n state OF
extreme perturbation.
Valerie's conduct was simply distracting
Colonel Beauregard!" She exclaimed
In great surprise as he entered; you wish
to sec Elinor, pcrhapss" -
NO. said he, coolly. 81 wish to see
you for a few minutes, if you can spare INT
the time"
"Of course | can, with pleasure!" she
answered, making room for him on the
lounge by her side, and more amazed thar
ever.
''Thanks," said he, seating himself, .'nnd
pardon a soldier for going straight to the
point. Is Valerie obliged TO fulfill this en-.
gagement at the M%orton's?"
Colonel Beauregard, 1 don't under
staud!'
1t wal wicked Of him, but he could not
resist teasing her.
mop" he said; "well, excuses are ONE
times made in these cases, are they not.
and If Valerie went back to WclfordN'
And who told you," asked Mrs. Lang.
ley, leaning buck, that Valerie was going
back to Wclfords"
"She told me herself!' returned Beaure.
gard, playing with his moustuche.
Mrs. Langley looked at him steadily TO,
q moment before she spoke again; but hel
scrutiny was not very satisfactory.
Valerie" she said, coldly, sis impetu.
Gus and capriclous. She had taken into
her head to go to Wexford; but l dom
know why she need have mentioned it tc
your
II don't see why she need go!"
Nor 1: it was her own wish!"
swish! hardly. If man jumped In to
the sea, MS IN alternative to committing
a crime. would you say he wished to be
drowned?"
You talk in riddles, F" said Mrs. Langley,
turning pale, yet with a flash Of hope In
her heart.
"They arc very readable riddles. You
have done all you could, Mrs. Langley he
said, laying his hand on hers, and speak.
ing with O certain sternness underlying
his gentleness of speech and manner, "to
wreck a life that a nature too noble-for-
give me-for you to understand saved from
moral shipwreck, but could not save from
the shipwreck of happiness. You tried to
force Valerie, first into q hateful marriage
with Aston Lawford; next into trying to
win me, when l became a more valuable
'matoh;' and since she would do neither,
you pronounced her a failure and practi-
cally gave her the choice of these W al.
~tcrnatives, or.banishnlent from your care
aud favor. You were worldly wise-vcry
worldly wise, and yet you never discovered
what a truer wisdom might have found
out without any worldly knowlcdge-the
handspring of al Valerie's conduct"
Mrs. Langley had sat gazing stonily a,
the speaker, too utterly taken aback to re-
sent the accusation, which, put plainly and
tersely, looked very ugly indeed, and yet
was so true; as he paused, and she did not
speak, he added, with n hnlf smile-in his
heart he almost nitled the woman-"I sup
pose you know it nows'
acknowledgement, do you mean-?'
u mean," he said-unl what a LIGHT
flashed up into his dark cyes!-"that Va
terie's heart was given to me before she
went to live under your roof. though she
did not know it then; md when she knew
1t, all her life was given to the task OF hid
Ing her secret. She hid it from you, md
she hid it from me until to-day. So, after
all, YOU have your wish. though not rs you
had planned 1t, but because l learned the
truth, that Valerie loved me for myself,
would have given herself to me If l had
asked her love-when l was only u younger
son, with n younger sons allowance and q
soldiers pay!'
Poor Mrs. Langley! it was a bitter pill
to swallow, to find that she had so terribly
Numbered; and to be told point-blank by
Max Beauregard, although lie spoke gent
ly, that She was a worldly-minded match-
maker. But still, there was the consola-
ton that Valerie would, after all, be the
mistress of Abbot's Leigh. 1t was not her
(Mrs. Langley's) success, but it twas success
triumph.
Lady Elinor could hardly be expected to
rejoice very much, but she dared not ex-
press to her brother-in-law any doubt of
Valerie's vcracity; nor did she venture to
hint her opinion that Mrs. Langley WAS
improving on the truth when she said Va
lerle's letter to Aston LnwfOrd was sent
before ting girl knew of Gerald Bcaurcgard's
illness.
"Of course" Lady Elinor said to Angela,
there is no difficulty about fnlling in love
with Maxi dare say Valerie did that: the
question is, would she have married him
before he became the head of his houseY'
so" wrote uncle Will to his niece, you
are not coming to Wexford, after oil, and
you IRE going to marry Colonel Beaure-
gard. am very glad to hear that; he is u
splendid fellow, and none the worse for be-
Ing the owner OF n of the finest proper
ties in England. l am sure you Will BIO
happy; of course l shall be delighted to see
him, and Ihave some new kinds of ferns
to show him-but you mustn't ask me to
give yon away. Your aunt will oitm
better, and 1t would distress me to take
part in grand affairs like that"
II dare say he would not know what to
do" said Beauregard, laughing, when Va
lerie showed him this letter, a long one for
uncle win; land those ferns! He has new
er% forgotten my supposed interest In ferns,