The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-04-08
VALE RE
Half a Truth.
BY.THE DUCHESS,

Half a Truth.
BYa"THE DUCHESS"
The Court Ciionidr-ycs, here it was, .
long list OF the names Mt Mrs. Langiey's
dance on Wednesday night; a society paper
speaking in glowing terms of the extra
ordinary beauty Of Miss Valerie Herbert,
and the sensation she created. louis rat
and read these things with a miserable
feeling that Valerie was drifting away
from him; she belongedtoaworldin which
he had no part or lot; he was not Sin 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 a letter from Va
lerie asking him, in her aunt's name, to
come and dine III Upper Brook Street the
following evening. YeA he wal asked
now and then; he WAS not to see Valerie
often; she was to be alienated from him;
taught the creed that money and rank are
nll 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 ana heart
sore; no wonder Especially as he was only
Just twenty-three) he talked and thought
a good deal OF nonsense about love in 3
cottage (even the cottage, by the way,
would have been problematical, Sghting
the battle of life more braycly with the
loved one by your side, and the rest Of it.
The trifling 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 I'm
crease of employees salarles-were, natur-
ally, overlooked.
But at the appointed time Louis drovs
mp in q hanson to Mrs. LanRley'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 W Valerie!' he said, taking her
in his arms, and kissing her many times,
lit is hard to see you 80 seldom.'
Valerie drew herself gently from him.
w cannot help it, Louis, can wet'' she
said, forcing herself to speak brightly;
land we must make up our minds to a still
longer separation"
"Valeriel what do you mean,n He
caught her hand almost roughly in his pain
and fear.
The girl turned white. Did he love her
20 muchS and she-Heaven help herl-she
felt like a hypocrite. ,
Only" she said, hurriedly, that in
January we are going abroad until the
spring."
NO, no, Valerie, you will not consentf'
oh, Louis, be careful!' exclaimed the
girl, with q quick glance toward the door;
amy moment aunt Constance may come
In. How could l help consenting, ever If I
did not wish to gos" Valerie's t%ruthfulness
was not yet corrupted.
"You DO wish to go, them" said the
young mnn. eXcitedly-"to leave me-for
months!"
II have told you l lido" the girl answered.
shrinking back, but speaking firmly.
why should you be angry with me for
thatf l nave 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 1t, but did not cling to his.
L have no right, perhaps he said, in a
charged tone, Ito blame you, or-or to
doubt you, because you are willing to leave
me; but l cannot help thinking that your
aunt wants to part us. When was this
decision made!"
"a few days before the dance, Louis"
And does she attempt to forbid our
writing to each other:"
mo, no! You don't think would sub
NIT to that's" 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 a m to ask a man to her house
and then snub him.
The three dined together; there were no
guests besides Louis Charteris; 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 I4awfordss" repeated Valerie.
Are those the people Lord Emily was talk
ing about2 He said they were iron."
Aston Lawford Is an ironmaster," said
Mrs. Langley. quietly; ''but he is also q
man of good birth, and has a large estate
in Nottinghamshire."
"rhathe boughthimself?n asked Valerie,
with the instructive contempt of land in
heritance for land-purchase.
None the worse man for that, surely!"
observed Louis. who inclined, out of the
sheer pugnacity of youth, to what he term
ed "liberal' views. "a man who earns
land may be a better man thar he who
simply inherits it,"
You got those lines out of some melo-
drama. Louis" returned Valerie, cavalier
ly. Il can discover what they mean; I'M
less they mean that II tradesman is better
than II gentleman
"Idon't quite agree with either of YOU"
interposed Mrs. Langley, but you surely
don't cal! an ironmaster a tradesmun, Va
leries"
II wasn't speaking of Aston Lawford,
aunt Constance. 1 meant that Louis idea
that man who makes money is a better
man than one who inherits it-would, in
fact, put even trade before land, wouldn't
ityn
81 didn't mean it sou said Louis, vexed
at being taken up in this style by Valerie;
"but you have such invincible ~prejudices
about land, Valerie!!'
"These will become modified with time
and experience said Mrs. Langley, indul-
gently; meanwhile, I may tell you that
the Lawfords are received everywhere be-
cause, really, their connection with iron
is accidental. The Lawfords are a good
family, and Aston Lawford's mother was
q Vernon. of -. Even the Beaurepard's
pardon the iron"
Are they SO very proudt' asked Louis.
Intensely proud. dare say Captain
Beauregard looks askance at the iron,''
added Mrs. Langley, laughing; "but then
military men IRE especially stiff on such