Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-08-19
nigh robbed her of.

"I suppose Il may ber' the girl said, In q
mechanical, passionless way; 'or perhaps
never-that would be bcstP'
"why do you say that, valerief" said
the soldier, almost sternly. Tell me one
thing, you are not going to give yourself to
Aston Lawfordw
"Nor' she said, suddenly wreuching her
hand from his hold. shave not stink quite
20 low as thatp'
She made a quick step forward to go,
but Beauregard did not move.
"Valeriep' he said, under his breath,
forgive me-forgive met
The girl stopped, and half turned toward
him.
Thave nothing TO forgiven she said,
chokingly. you have always been kind
| to me, Colonel Beauregard; let me thank
you now-and go!"
Etill he did not move-did not s~peak-his
face was ashen white; be strove hand TO
hand. foot TO foot, with the passion that
was burning In his veins like molten fire
melting even his iron will as iron is melted
In the furnace.
valerie's lips moved; there was no sound,
but he saw that they formed the words
"Good-bye;" and it needed only this. AS
she turned away once more Max Beaure-
gard flung himself before her, and caught
her In his arms, locking her TO his breast
I'm an embrace that left her powerless, even
II she had had the will TO strive with him.
covering her face with passionate, despair
ing kisses. He had courted temptation,
and Il had mastered him. In those wild
moments everything was forgotten, swept
away like gossamer. everything but the
love he bore this girl; blotting out the sin
he had told her could never be blotted out;
wrecking the stern resolve to trample his
heart in the dust, rather than to accept a
love less pure than he gave. Once before
he had tasted the JOY, the anguish, OF hold
ing to his breast the woman he so worship
ped; but then she was unconscious; she
knew not hat his lips touched her brow,
her heart gave no answering throb 10 MS;
but now his kisses we're pressed not on her
brow only, but IN warm lips that trembled
under hts; IL was no senseless form he held
to him, but one that quivered with the full
consciousness OF the love enfolding 1t.
Yes, for those few moments even hono
was forgotten-honor that should have
stood between Max Beauregard and the
woman he loved, yet would not make his
wife; Ii was the one irresistible impulse:
81 have gone mad-I love you'll" and terri
BILE, when It came, was the shock OF the
revulsion.
Valerie, who had so clearly, by act II not
by word, told him the value she set upon a
comparatively poor man-who had been
ready to sacrifice her youth and beauty for
wealth, and cast that, too, aside when the
man once despised became a more desira-
BILE ''match"-it was this Valerie he was
holding TO his heart with such passion OF
love, whom he was claiming as his n
great earthly treasure.
He loosed his clasp, he put the girl from
him, and flung himself into a chair, cover
ing his face.
"Oh, Heaven" he muttered, hoarsely,
~ was mad-mad, Forgive me, Valerie,
IL you can. could only remember that L
loved you; ay, and I shall love you while l
have life-love you beyond the grave!'
But Valerie was blind aud dizzy with joy
30 great that 1t was almost a terror. Max
Beauregard loved her! She knew it now,
knew II by his own confession: his clasp,
hts kiss, II words had been unuttered, had
unsealed her lips, had given her the right
10 break down the barrier between their
lives; she could tell him the truth now; Ali
but would he doubt her, She had moved
a step toward her lower. ont ~ this unhep-
" theashs she .hrank back. si1n.as mt mt,
trembling hand stole into her bosom, where
her talisman rested; IL she showed him thii
would he not believer
Beauregard dropped HIS hands, and, ris
ing, approached Valerie. Her head droop
ed, the burning color suffused her face
he laid his land on the back Of the chair
and bent down to her, speaking low and
brokenly:
II asked you just now" he said, ''to for
give me. have no right, TO ask that
have lone you a great wrong, 1t was mad
ness TO seek you; I should have better
known my own weakness, and yet-Oh,
valerier' he said, passionately, IF you
could love me for myself alone-if even
now-but mol the test is wanting. III
could strip myself Of all that dazzled your
~eyes-if | could be once more what was,
when you unconsciously won my heart
from me-then l might know, but now II
is too late! You love me; ay, | knew il
when / held You this minute in my arms
and my lips chung to yours; but not as
love you. Oh! my d~arling-my life. Flower
the bright head dropped, the girls face
was hidden in her clasped hands, If you
had been true to yourself, true to the no
bier nature you have never wholly crushed
IL you had known how loved you. Valerie,
almost from the first, almost from the day
/ carried you through the rain in my arms
Your image was always with me on the
battlefield, in the camp, by day, by night
waking, dreaming, you were with me still,
I heard your voice; / felt the touch OF
your hand; your dear eyes looked into
mine, and / grew to hope that those dreams
might yet be reality. Your love for Louis
Charters was but a girls love for a boy
dared even to dream sometimes that
had perhaps sowed in your heart the seed:
Of q deep and lasting love. IL was happi
ness to imagine that you sometimes thought
Of me, sometimes wished for my presence
and when al last I canc homo, Oh. the bit
ter-bitter awakening! You met mech!
no, I cannot speak Of itr' He turned aside
pressing his hand over his eyes. 1T is my
punishment that ! love you with all my
strength, ay, though I know that you would
have sold yourself to Aston Lawford, and
cast him aside for my sake in the very houI
that made me owner OF the broad lands Of
Abbot's Leigh"
Now Valerie sprang TO her feet and faced
him; her eyes met his with clear, fearles.
gaze; but her lips quivered, her whole form
trembled with the passion Of emotion that
possessed her.
"Nor' she said; you wrong me, You lave
wronged me from the beginningi"
"Valeries"
sit was my woman's pride that forced
me to seem all that l was not" she went
on, not needing him. But may speak
now; l may tell you the truth .or know
that You love me; your own lips have told
mel Stay! hear me out, and then" heI
head dropped, the crimson rose to her brow,
her voice faltered; "if you can take me tt
your heart again -" she broke off alb
ruptly. her hand stole into her breast once
more. her voice sank lower, but size spoke