Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-03-11

''Lor' bless us, missy, here you are at lastp
was borne toward him on the summer air;
and then he mounted the dogcart and drove
back to bennington at about five times
the pace he had driven on the outward
Journey.
Molly followed her young mistress into
the dining-room, where the latter was a
little startled to see, not only her uncle, but
Louis Charters.
He caught her hands IN his, and gazed
at her as If she had at that minute been
rescued from death,
"ValerieN' he exclaimed. "Valerie!"
why, Louisv' she said, la%ughiugly, ~
am all r~ight-haven't been struck by light
ming or anything" and she drew her hands
away, and turned to her uncle, who en-
braced her more warmly than was his won't.
And how did You come homer he said.
"Who brought yout"
Captain Beauregard drove me In his
dogcart; he wouldn't come in because he
couldn't leave the horse, but he's going to
call"
who's Captain Beauregardi" asked
Louis, with a quick frown.
'He is Captain in tn til, you know,
Louis. Such a handsome fellow-and you
can't think how nice he is. I'll tell you all
about my adventures. You stop, Molly,
and hear.'
She threw of her hat quite spoiled by
the rain), and, sitting down at her uncle's
feet, told her story from the b~eginning-a
story which failed to please Louis Char
teris; but Mr.. Herbert said the F~anshawes
had indeed been most kind, and he was
glad Mrs. Fanshawe was going TO call, that
be might thank her himself.
"And wasn't Captain Beauregard good
to me?" said Valerie, earnestly. ut was
he who sent the orderly-his own nan
didn't you know that?"
"The message came as from Mrs. Fan
shave, my dear, which was delicate
thoughtfulness on Captain Beauregard's
part. He must be Beauregard Of Abbot's
L~eigh-one Of the few remaining Norman
families. Hand me that Country Gentry
Charters; it is ten years old, but it will
serve my purpose"
Louis handed down the volume; and Va
lerie raised herself on her knees, and, turn.
ing to the name "Beauregard," read out
the particulars:
Yes, there they were; Beauregard-frst
VI tllO uil iliu lliu COuleTTeu upon MN
the manor OF Leigh, shire, A. ID. .1126;
and coming down to recent times, Gerald
Walter Beauregard married Agnes. third
daughter Of seventh Earl Of -, and had
issue Gerald Walter (present owner of
Abbot's Leigh, and Max Eustace, the dates
OF birth showing eight years between the
brothers..
81 remember" said Uncle Will, closing
the book, "that Gerald Beauregard mar
ried, about three years ago, Lady Elinor
Musgrove; so this brother has no chance of
inheriting one of the finest estates In the
country"
ats just as we'll; perhaps he'd give up
the army, and that would be a shamei"
exclaimed Valerie. And oh, Louis, / am
going to a military ball, after all. They
wouldn't take no, uncle VIII; and Mrs.
Fanshawe will send for me-"
"Well, we'll hear all about it to-mor-
row." said Mr.. Herbert. Now we must
go to bed"
Louis was to stay the night.
So good-nights were said, and the quar-
tette separated, Valerie somewhat perplex-
ed by Louis lack Of sympathy.
She had thought he would be 30 glad to
hear she had enjoyed herself-she would
be glad IL the cases were reversed but, In.
stead, he was quite sullen, and hardly said
a word. That wasn't like Louis.
Poor child! 1t showed how ignorantly she
had pledged her future-that she so little
understood the real nature Of love as to
marvel at and be grieved by Louis want
of sympathy" in her days adventures,
and prospects of future enjoyment. He
would be a rarely-constituted lover who
could find 1t pleasant for his lady-love to
be taken out of his own hands. as 1t were,
by a handsome, attractive man like Max
Beauregard, driving through the lanes
with him, and evidently very happy in his
company. But there was no jealousy In
valerie's love, which proved it was no more
than sisterly.
Louis wished the whole lot" at Dom
nington would be ordered off somewhere
within a week; and was firmly convinced
that all the officers, and Captain Beaure-
gard in particular, were flirts, and Valerie
would get no good by going to their halls,
and being fused over, and made much Of.
CHAPTER VIA CALL-wELcoMR AND IN
WELCOME.
Two days later Mrs. Fanshawe called at
the Lines, and received Mr.. Herbert's
thanks for her kindness to Valerie.
"Oh! please don't speak Of thanks" she