The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-30
CHAPTER XVI.
"with Your Lips to the Hurt. "

AACA 6SAQC Will the CdItlSSS 1OICt
OF full control. She recoiled with al
exclamation, for a glance showed hel
that the count was in one of his mos
deadly moods.
What have you done-where is Selp-
DORIS daughter" he snarled.
AS Nine. de Sagan shrank from tbs
menacing hand the door opened a Sec
ond time, and Valerie herself stumbled
in with a bloodless face.
At the sight of the count she drew
herself together like one who faces an
unexpected peril.
Il apologize for coming. but / am
frightened. The storm is dreadful. So
came to you, Isolde
Isolde put out her arms with Sob
bling cry.
Il am frightened, too" she said, with
swift. resentful glance at her hus-
band. Il was coming for you. Stay
with me, Valerie, l will not be left
Alone
Sagan looked from one to the other
of the two beautiful faces, and a SEN
satiOn of surprised dismay. to which he
was a stranger. arose in his mind.
| Hitherto women had been to him pos
| sessions. not problems. Now n very
ancient truth burst in upon him with
| all the force of a revelation. To own
a woman is not always to understand
her. The unexpected defiance on his
WlIe lace cOQIOu0Qeu MIN.
''Isolde"' he began, stepping toward
her.
But the young countess chung TO Va
lerie.
stay with me. Valerie," she i'm
plored. Il am far more frightened than
you, for 1 know what there is to
fear
| With a loud curse of bewilderment
he strobe out banging the door behind
/ him Isolde 70 ClinnINQr tho
bolts with trembling fingers. Then she
threw herself upon couch and broke
| into pitifu sobbing.
| Valerie stood looking down at her in
| an agony of suspense, yet remembering
J that self control is the chief rule of
every game. Presently she put her
| hand on ISoldes shoulder. The young
countess started up with a suppressed
scream. Il had forgotten You were
| there. Valerie. he Will murder mel He
hates me! o, l have no one to save
met
Valerie looked round. After the scene
she had just witnessed, this suggestion
did not sound so wild as 1t would have
done at another time.
You are nervous, Isolde; one could
fancy anything on such a night" she
said, soothingly.
Have you lived so long in Maasau
without knowing that here at Sagan
everything is possible? He threatens
me. and o. my God, what shall 1 do?'
Valerie sat down beside her and put
steady hand upon her arm She had
her own object in this visit. but it mus:
be approached with caution.
Il am here. 1 will help your she
said, reassuringly.
Isolde sat up and put her arm round
her companions shoulders.
Il must trust you-though-. Valerie,
| -srrl,N nj
to help me tonight" she whispered
close to the girls ear. HE might save
me. But he must come to me-here-
nowi dare not leave this room. ST.
mon"-she shivered.
who is it?" a new coldness crept
into Valerie's voice as she listened.
Can you not guess? 1t is Captain
Hollywood"
Valerie had braced herself to meet
this, and it only added proof 70 her own
fears for his safety. Come what might,
she would undertake any message from
Isolde to get the opportunity of warn
ing the dukes guard of the coming dam
ger, and to tell the fate of that gallant
figure now tossing TO and fro IN the
battering rush of the Kofn. She drew
herself away from Isolde's embrace
with a shudder.
What is the matter with vou?"
Isolde peered up at her with quick
scrutiny. You are shaking all over.
Valerie, is it because of him."
Il am very cold" returned the girl,
with a smile IT am quite willing 20
bring-Captain Hollywood. But where
is hep
He is on guard in the dukes ante
room" She turned her head away.
Then Isolde, you know it is impos-
sible, He cannot come"
Even if it costs my life?" said the
countess, bitterly. 20, how cheap YOU
hold other peoples lives, Valerie. You
are a true Maasaunr
Valerie thought a moment. The re-
quest of Nine. de Sagan fel! in with her
own plan. 1t would enable her to solve
the doubt that was agonizing her; yet
if she found him safe, how could she
lead herself to tempt him to his own
dishonor? A cruel question rose within
her Should she put him to the SUI
preme test of life and love-would she
not rather know him dead in the cold
river, than living and false TO her dim |
ideal Of him?
There is no time to spare" Isolde's |
voice broke in upon her. IF you could |
make him know the danger L stand in, |
he must comet Remind him of mis- |
promise TO me-"
"But if he will not Gomez" Valerie |
forced the words.
Then ask him to give you the cigar |
cite case of Maasaun leatherwork. That |
will remind him of many things. But |
he will eome," she ended more conf |
IDENTIFY.
Valerie rose.
II am ready 1 know the passages
are watched. l saw no one. yet 1 felt |
the shadows were full of eyes. Lend |
me your sable cloak, Isolde; every one /
will recognize that, and with this lace |
about my head / shall be free to go |
where l please as the Countess Sagan."
'VaIerie''-Mme. de Sagan helej the
girl back-"listen to me; you must
make him come. l must tell you ALL
Hollywood is in danger; nothing can
save him unless you separate him from
the duke She stopped painting, then
barred her arm. Remind him how he
promised me-with his lips upon the
hurt, Now go!"
The next second Valerie Selpdorf
found herself alone in the dim corridor
in which the lights burned low She
stood quite still, the shock of the last
sentence, with his lips upon the hurt
still ringing in her ears. Rallywoodi
Hollywood, with the clear gray eyes
and that look in them which remained
persistently in her memory. Her father
had taught her to suspect the whole
world. But she had chosen to think
of this man, even when she
told herself she hated him. Different
from others-exempt from the universal
stain of hypocrisy-one to be trusted. If
turned upon herself. After all had he
deceived her. had she not rather de-
ceived herself? He had spoken openly
70 bar Of his daSpairing secret nj the