The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-04-29

with q little hoard OF maxims preaching down
o daughters heart"
Preaching, maybe, to a willing listener.
Valerie was but n child; 1T would be strange
indeed If she had withstood the over
whelming influence of hcr surroundings;
II she had not been make giddy by the
height OF the pinnacle on which she was
placed. Be it remembered that Max Beau
regard had not seen enough Of Valerie to
enable him to fathom her nature: but his
passionate love for the girl fought against
the miserable doubt that oppressed him.
He would not-nay, he could not-judge
her hastily. Time and opportunity would
show whether she was indeed changed.
DO you admire that girl in pale pink,
Colonel Beauregardsn asked the Countess,
as she sat eating an ice, her companion
standing by.
She has just passed by with Dallas Of
ours' Yes, very much. Who is she?''
Amy Linwood. She and Valerie Her.
bert are great friends"
Beauregarl looked with more interest
Rfter Miss Linwood.
II seem to know the name, y he observed.
They are friends of Mrs. Langley's.
Mrs. Linwood is a charming woman, I am
told. All! there is Miss Herbert dancing
with Mr.. Lawford. How badly he dances
and how perfectly she doesl A splendid
match"
Il thought you snid 1t was n bad one"
For life / mean, you tiresome fellowl"
ct Is a match, then?'
We'll, believe so-everyone says 40
and he might marry a peers daughter If
he chose. Lady Stonend tried very hard
to get him forone of hers: so did the March
toness of Fashmore. OF course the girl
could be a peeress; but Aston Lawford can
buy up most of us. So suppose she has
become %reconciled to the front,
Didn't she like 1t at flrstyn
The countess laughed.
No; used to call him the iron man, so
Ihave heard. Idare say you think it tnfra
db., with your military prejudices; and
you Beauregards are as proud rs High
tanders?"
II am content to plead guilty; but as to
Mr.. Lawford, apart from the iron, my
brother knows him better than l do. Ibe-
lievc / met him once."
"And that is the cool way you talk of a
man worth millions!-at n rate over q
million-for whom all the girls and young
widows are pulling caps."
II am sorry to be so old-fashioned. lam
afraid one gets rusty campaigning; for in
field and camp one is apt to reckon a man
for what he is, and not what he has"
Now, Colonel, you are sarcastic, and
you certainly are old-fashioned. Give me
your arm II let u walk through the
rooms. l won't discuss the money cues
ton with you any more; for you talk like a
Bayard, and make me feel ashamed of my
self"
An hour later Valerie sat alone for the
first time that evening. She had begged her
partner to leave her; her head achcd, she
said; she must keep quiet for d few minutes;
but, in truth, she felt as if she could not
bear much more; she was almost dizzy
with the agony of her mind. She longed,
with a wild, desperate longing, to get away
away anywhere, free from the crowd, the
gaze of curious eyes. the meaningless chat
ter, the lights, the music-away by her
self. alone and in darkness, to weep her
heart out. 1t would be some relief, at
least, to be able to drop this horrible musk
Of smiles and merriment.
Someone passed through the door by
which she sat, and paused close to her.
She had not heard the step-it was lost
amid the beat of the band and the steps Of
the dancers-but she knew whose it was,
and her breath seemed to ebb away like
the breath of a dying woman, and she saw
and heard nothing; but she needed no out.
ward sense to know that Max Beauregard
was near her. Yet She did not turn her
head to look-did not even move, ~asthough
she had been unaware of his presence.
Miss Herbert" he said, gently, and her
start was not all feigned. Miss Herbert.
alone.n
For, with a sickening rush of memory,
she came back to the ballroom at Don.
~nington-so Beauregard had come up to
her as she sat apart and spoken to her al
most the same words.
But tone and manner then and now
How the difference wrung her hearth The
old, sweet touch of tenderness gone; that
something which recognized the dawning
w~omanhood, yet saw the child. Had few
months so changed her2-so altered their
relations?
But this, which showed her so clearly
she was nothing to him more than a friend
III indeed so much-gave her greater
strength to guard her secret.
With a pretty shrug she answered him,
Just glancing round.
ut is a treat to be alone sometimes-and
Twas tired!"
Again the stab, SO straight and keen that
he could not for a moment speak.
Then, lightly:
SIS that q hint. If so, pardon me-"
mo, moi" she said. quickly, flushing
crimson now. II did not mean thatl''
II was only jesting!"
He laid his hand on the back of her chair
and bent down a little.
Miss Herbert, are you engaged for the
next dancer
II Valerie had not been prepared for the
question her nerve might have failed her
at that moment, but. though the crimson
changed to paleness, and then to crimson
again in one great thro3 of her heart, she
faitered under her breath:
II am so sorry III am indeed. IL
have not one vacancy!'
Colonel Beauregard drew his hand away
and raised himself.
Thanks" he said, quietly. II dare say
your card was full before 1 came"
He bowed and passed on.
Valerie saw him through a scarlet mist.
She was da~zed-stunned. If she had tried
to rise then she would have fallen.
If he had only spoken some bitter wordsi
reminded her of that ride through the
moonlit lanes, which he must have recalled
wildly just now, when she had pledged
herself to give him four dances; and to-
night, after he had been away so long, she
had not one dance to spare forhim, though
she knew he was coming!
Yet he uttered no reproach: he even tried
chivalrously to shield her; perhaps he al
most pitied her-mere purppet Of fashion
that she had become; tool in n worldly
woman's hands; heartless %coquette, who
accepted all mems homage, and would
sell her youth and beauty to the highest
bidder!