Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-03-18

wasi There was no one hare to compare
with him, Valerie said to herself, as she
met the bright smile that flashed into his
dark eyes.
He zane straight to her at once, and
clasped her little hand in his strong, firm
clasp.
"Ahi Miss HERBERT he said, softly,
bending down. with just 4 glance d. the
bouquet In her hand-he had seen IL the
instant he entered the room-''you are too
good to mel How shall I thank your"
mo, NOS she answered, shaking her
head, rather how shall I thank youf 1t
was so kind Of you to think OF me!>-and
the flowers are the most lovely lever saw"
"And yet scarcely worthy Of their queen
"'Queen lily and rose In one,'"
said B~eauregard, drawing her hand on his
arm.
do you learn complimentary lines Of
poetry for use on various occasionsf" asked
the girl, archly..
What a cruel Implication am sare I
have not deserved II. Will you not credit
me with sometimes speaking as l thinks"
They were sauntering slowly through
the rooms, and as they went men turned
to look at Valerie, and the whisper travelled
from mouth to mouth.
"Who is she9 What an exqpisitely-lovely
girlt' "Who Is that beautiful girl with
B~eauregard?" And Mrs. Fanshawe was
besieged with requests for an Introduction.
Valerie answered her companion!
Then l should have to be very vainl''
Was she innocent or coquettish. He
glanced at her keenly. Could she be ig-
norant of her own supreme right to com.
pliment, even before she entered these
roomsf And now did she not see and hearf
II will ask you by-and-b " he said, light.
ly, after a pause, IF you still find your
Corollary good"
What do you mean, Captain Beaure-
gardp-you are talking riddles,' said the
girl, raising her eyes to his; but the smile,
the look she met startled her with more
than an inkling of his meaning; it was the
admiration which says--"You ask, Am 1
beautiful Can you not divine--do you
not know-that you areI" Admiration
refined, ennobled by reverence, but un.
yelled.
The girls eyes sank, her color rose, her
heart throbbed with nj emotion wholly
new, bewildering; all her pulses thrilled.
Was this it-this what Max Beauregard
meant? Was she so beautiful-far more
beautiful than many of these fair women
she saw around her? And he thought her
so; 1t was not in idle compliment he spokei
The hand that rested on his arm trem.
bled; she glanced around her half-nervous-
ly, and saw men, and women, too, looking
at her; she turned to Max Beauregard in a
kind of mute appeal, like a child frightened
by some wonderful and unexpected revela-
ton, 1ld again he smiled his bright, half
tender smile, and said, softly:
Forgive me! you would find 1t out to-
night, If you have never yet known IL.
Here comes Mrs. Fanshawe''-he changed
tone and manner--'to rob me, and tell me
/ am usurping more than my share of hap
piness."
And Valerie was led away, half dazed
with the new sensations that filled her,
with Max Beauregard's last words ringing
In her ears, to have a dozen men presented
to her in succession, and to give her hand
for the first dance TO Colonel Lord Den
more, c~ommandant Of the garrison at -
and a man Of no small consequence.
She was beautiful. She knew the truth
but as yet not its power. Her pleasur,
was that Max Beauregard thought her so
OH fatal gift OF beauty!' When sh'
knew the full measure Of all that gift con
ferred, how would she use it2
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