Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-08-12

OR,
Half q Truth.
BY "THE pUCHEss,n

THANK You from my heart" said Amy,
gratefully. ~ know you mean what YOU
say, though / don't deserve It; but / will
try to deserve ftp
''Tryl it wouldn't be easy to change You
for the better, Amy. Well, I must not
say too much, or Hal may take me to task:
I hope he isn't anywhere near nowI"
ooh. Colonel Beauregardr' cried Amy,
laughing merrily, NOW You are chaflngl"
"About Hal, yes; not about you; that was
sober truth, on my honor as a soldier. Now
you may come in TO tea, If You like. I dare
say Hal Is weDdering-not very resignedly
-where you have been ell the afternoon"
81 have been chattering with Valerie"
Young ladies' condolences. Is she not
coming DOWN."
MOI until dinper time"
She glanced up in Colonel Beauregard's
face, but could make nothing Of 1t. Just
outside the d~rawing-room door she paused,
and said, pleadingly:
Don't let them tease me too much, Col
onel Beauregard, will your"
Il will protect you," said he. smiling,
like q veritable kuight-errant, IL You will
give me my guerdon-to be paid before
hand"
For fear | should cheat your But
knights-errant never sought reward"
MOT in gold: but what / ask is more
priceless than gold-this."
He bent down smiling, and Just touched
his lips to her brow-a brothers kiss.
dear old Halls betrothed Is my sister,
you know he said.
Il am so happy that you should feel So"
said the girl, her face radiant; and then he
opened the door and led the fugitive into
the drawing-room.
Valerie appeared at dinner, and was, to
all outward seeming, as brilliant as ever;
n In the drawing-room afterward her
soft laugh was often heard. She sang
some of her best songs, aud one might
have Thought the girl had never shed q
tear. Yet she knew Max Beauregard was
not deceived; her acting was not for him;
but for the others; and all the tins her
heart was throbbing like the throb of a
minute bell tolling the passing hours. To
morrow Wednesday. then one day more,
and then the promised answer; and that
answer would be the fiat that parted her
from Max Beauregard forever.
And when she went up to b~ed-having
scarcely exchanged half a dozen words
with Max the whole evening-Fanchon
told her in great delight that the ball=dress
had arrived from London, and was d
"poemp' Would mademoiselle try It on9
NO." said Valerie; lit will tire my
ankle, tonight. Tomorrow morning will
do
But Mrs. Langley came in to see how
the dress fitted, so Valerie gave in and sub
mitted to the draping process.
The dress was made in most artistic fash
ion-artistic as painters, not as dressmak-
ers, understand the woodland seemed ali
lace and silver rs 1t fell around the girls
slender fcrm-a fitting robe for the Fairy
Queen. The thought came into her mind
with ineXpressible bitterness; but It all
seemed to her like n rehearsal of n play
never intended TO be put on the stage.
She would never wear the dress. WHY
worry her with 1t, and go into ecstasies
over it?
"Take 1t Off" she said at last, impatient.
ly, to Fanchon, 81 am tired Of standing,
and | hate having things tried on"
"Madeinoisellc has not aver looked M
herself!' demonstrated Fanchon. ruefully.
u am dressed for other people TO look
at" returned her mistress, carelessly.
"There! bundle the thing away, and take
these" pulling of her bracelets and ding.
ing them on a couch. She had dropped
into a fauteuil, Her aunt came near to bid
good night.
"iou don't seem quite yourself tonight,
my deari' she said, in a low tone.
Don't II" replied the girl, with a half
laugh. DO you mean this evening, or lust
now?n
Just now"
"Ah, | thought SO. You always call the
mask the face, and the face the mask"
And of that reply Mrs. Langley had to
make the best she could; but that "best'i
was not very satisfactory. Certainly Va.
lerie was an enigma.
Friday dawned with the promise OF a
glorious day; and Valerie, who had scarce.
ly slept during the night, rose before the
sun was fairly above the horizon. She
dressed quickly, and then began moving
about, opening drawers, and taking out
sundry articles, which she put altogether
in one drawer, previously cleared out for
the purpose. They were entirely personal
souUeRirs thus collected - photographs,
.ntcknacks. bought on the Continent out OF
her own pocket-money, and such things.
were not touched, nor wearing APP
parcl. Il will tell Fanchon by-and-by,"
the girl said to herself, what clothes To
pack. The jewels are not miner
Her face was white and ~resolute while
she went about her strange task, her eyes
dry and fearless. One large box made OF
inlaid with silver, she took in
her hands with a special and reverent care,
and was about to put it III the drawer with
The rest OF her treasures, when she paused
.hesitated-her face changed, and sud-
ienly, with trembling fingers, she drew
)ut her purse, and took from it q little key.
With this she opened the box, and a faint
'weet smell OF flowers rose up. Tenderly
The removed a dainty lace handkerchief,
hen some silver paper, and there lay q
,oquet OF fadel flowers etillin their hagrae
holder. Almost holding her breath, Va
erie lifted the boquet from its bed, and
aid it against her lips; then, suddenly, she
1ut 1t down on the table before her, and
lropping on her knees, burst into q storm
If passionate weeping; that defied all eff
Of s%elf-control. With all her strength
The strove to check her sobs, Int it was in
vain; the tempest would have way, and on
y ceased when 1t had exhausted its victim
beyond the power OF weeping any more.
II shall be stronger now!' she said,
lrearily, to herself, slowly rising to her
'eet, and almost staggering to a fauteuil
hear, into which she sank, weak and trem-
bling.
."Stronger-much stronger-better able
% say goodbye to him. Oh, my hearth il
t would only cease aching!'' She stretched
,ut her hand for the flowers, md laid
hem in her lap, looking down on them in
PASSIONATE woe, rs if they had been living
"Max!' she said, softly, and now the
.ich color mnntled over check and brow.