Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-06-24

On.
HaIf q Truth.
sY 'dTfiti brstsxss."

ApuoI lLclSu lUSelI SJOOd on u nelRnt, ana
the road b~y-and-by grew sufficiently steep
to require a more moderate pace for the
horses.
Lady Elinor had gone herself with the
carriage to meet her guests, and she and
Mrs. Langley kept up a fire of talk the
whole way; but Valerie spoke very little.
She found ample employment in looking
about her, and admiration OF the scenery
left her free, too, to indulge her own
thoughts undisturbed. A noble heritage,
truly this was How justly proud Max
Beauregard must be of it'll How he must
love it'll
Lord Westbrook and Mr.. Dallas arrived
last night" explained Lady Elinor, as the
carriage began to mount the hill, "and
Major Travers and Mrs. Dudley came to-
day; we expect Miss Linwood tomorrow;
and we may have one or two others later
military friends Of Max's-but it is not
quite certain yet"
Valerie turned round TO look at the
house, and her heart thrilled as she caught
q glimpse Of the gray battlemented walls.
A few minutes more, and they came in
full sight Of the south-or rather south
west front-a grand old pile Of buildings,
with stately terraces brilliant with flowers,
and windows richly Digit" glittering in
the level rays Of the sun
well, Valerie said Mrs. Langley, smil-
ing, for the girls soul was in her face,
'what do you think of Abbot's Leigh"
"Ohi" she said, under her breath, 1T Is
glorious old placer
"And may be yours!'' said Mrs. Langley,
TO herself-"nay, shall be yours!'
The carriage rolled under a great Gothic
gateway, the carvings Of which were black
with age, as were the armorial bearings Of
the Beauregards on the crown Of the arch,
and into q vast courtyard, where, Of old,
lords and ladies In rich attire had gathered
for the hawking; and then the coachman
drew up before the grand entrance-a gate
way rather than a doorway, deep set under
a nobl arch; and from the hall beyond
the doors stood open-appeared the tall
figure OF Max Beauregard, and came down
the broad steps TO the side Of the carriage.
welcome to Abbot's Leigh" he said,
shaking hands with Mrs. Langley, and
then he turned TO Valerie, Inc took her
hand for a moment, including her In the
words just spoken; but in his heart mean
ing far more thar welcome! Ay, a thous-
and times more than welcomed He handed
out Mrs. Langley, then Elinor, then Va
lerie; and as he drew her hand on his arm
to escort her into the house, following
Lady Elinor and Mrs. Langley, he bent
down to her and said softly, with more
h q touch Of the old tenderness:
II hope we may be able to make your
stay here a happy one, Valerie"
Tears rushed to the girls eyes; the hand
that rested on his arm trembled. With an
QffOrf cha QnaXVarnH hin, md har xyn,oa fnl-
tered:
Thank you so much for that kind wishr'
was all she could say; and then they passed
through the lofty doorway, into the noble
hall, with its groined roof and painted win
dows, its grim suits Of armor, and ancient
weapons and trophies Of the chase, and
costly bronzes; and with a strange thrill of
mingled pain and Joy, Valerie raised her
eyes and looked above her, around her, as
she stood in Max Beauregard's house-by
its masters side.
There was no lack Of modern luxury in
the rooms to which Valerie was conducted
-sitting-room, dressing-room, and bed
room en- suite; but she was more enchanted
with painted ceilings and paneled walls,
and Gothic Observation-Disclosures set in deep
embrasures, and portraits Of Beauregard
cavaliers and DANES, than with silk and
lace draperies and velvet lounges, and the
rest. She let the tea that was brought her
get cold-much to Fanchon's distress
while she roamed about admiring quaint
old cabinets, looking ut the pictures, gaz-
ing from the windows, which faced south
west, and commanded a splendid sweep Of
country, and trying to make out subjects
of the paintings In the ceiling. At last
Fanchon tried to bring her to the present
moment with:
what dress will Mademoiselle wearp'
'OhI" said Valerie, dreamily-she was
tracing the story of Joseph and his brethren
carved in alto relteUo on the high mantel-
piece. "I-that isl wonder what the date
isH-ohl here it isl How deliciously old
1882
"Mademoiselle will be late" said Fanch-
on, desperately.
"Yesl' the girl started. ~ forgot. l
was looking at that wood-carving. What
will 1 wear, did you askP Cream and gold
plush-no jeweis-only flowers. lean make
q selection from the flowers here-4see, what
beautiesp'
1t did not occur to Valerie-whose native
simplicity nothing could really destroy
that, by entering the drawing-room the
last, she might incur the suspicion of doing
30 ~purposely; she never thought about 1t,
till, when the servant opened the drawing
room door, she saw that everyone, or al
most everyone else, was already in the room.
MAJ Beauregard talking to Mrs. Lang
ley, looked up, and every pulse quickened
as his eyes rested on the beautiful girl he
loved so ~passionately, yet whom he could
never claim as his own. Lady Elinor
glanced ~involuntarily from Valerie to An
gela, and set her lips together.
Lord Westbrook, Hal Dallas, .Travers,
Mrs. Dudley, all came forward to greet
Valerie, and Mt onc Angela was almost
deserted. Lady Elinor leaned over to
where the girl sat, and tapped her with her
fan.
I'VE were beginning to fear you had
escaped to the picture-galleries. or were
hunting up curios in some out-of-the-way
place" she said, laughingly.
Not quite so bad as that, Lady Elinor;
but l found so many delightful old things
In my rooms, that, but for Fanchon, 1
should not have saved my manners, and
on the way here l could have stopped q
dozen times"
"At that rate" said Colonel Beauregard,
Joining the group, 'you will require a
keeper in going about the house, or you
will box yourself up in some old chest, like
Ginevra."
lis there such a chestp" asked she.
There may be-very likely; but there is
something more in your line in the park"
what IL thatp"
But he shook his head, laughing.
IN tell you another time" he said.
"OhP' cried Lord Westbrook and Mrs.
Dudley in a breath; Ito excite our curiosity
and then refuse to satisfy itl'
And Dallas added:
For shame, Beaul Miss Herbert, make
him telll'