The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-08-19

stood between Max Beauregard and the
woman he loved, yet would not make his
wife; it was the one irresistible impulse:
II have gone mad love your and terri
BILE, when 1t came, was the shock Of the
revulsion.
Valerie, who had 80 clearly, by act If not
by word, told him the value she set upon q
comparatively poor mnn-who had been
ready to sacrifice her youth and beauty for
wealth, and cast that, too, aside when the
once despised became n more desira-
bic "match"-it was this Valerie he was
holding to his heart with sucn passion of
love, whom he was claiming as his one
great earthly treasure.
He loosed his clasp, he put the girl from
him, and flung himself into a chair, cover
ing his face.
"Oh, Heavenl' he muttered, hoarsely,
81 wa mad-mad. Forgive me, Valerie,
II you can. Icould only remember that l
loved you; ay. and I shall love you while I
have life-love you beyond the graver!'
But Valerie was blind and dizzy with Joy
30 great that it was almost a terror. Max
B~eauregard loved her! She knew 1t now,
knew it by his W confession; his clasp,
his kiss, II words had been unuttered, had
unsealed her lips. had given her the right
to break down the barrier between their
lives; she could tell him the truth now; All!
but would he doubt herr She had moved
a step toward her lover, but at this unhap-
ply thought she shrank back, sinking into
trembling hand stole into her bosom, where
her talisman rested; If she showed him this
would he not believe?
Ilooy,rornr1 Iro>pnI hjo horI, orI rio-
ing, approached Valerie. Her head roop-
He laid his hand 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
ness to seek you; l should have better
Valerie!" he said, passionately. eff you
could love me for myself alone-if even
now-but mol the test is wanting. If I
could strip myself OF all that dazzled your
eyes-if ! could be once more what l was,
when you unconsciously won my heart
from me-then l might know, but now 1t
is too lateI You love me; ny / knew it
when I held you this minute in my arms
and my lips chung to yours; but not as l
love you. Oh! my darling-my life, " lower
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:
If you had known how l loved you, Valerie.
almost from the first, almost from the day
I 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.
l heard your voice; I felt the touch Of
your hand; your dear eyes looked into
mine, and grewto hope that those dreams
might yet be reality. Your love for Louis
Charters was but a girls love for a boy.
Idared even to dream sometimes that ]
had perhaps sowed in your heart the seeds
Of a deep and lasting love. 1t was happi-
ness to imagine that you sometimes thought
of.mc, sometimes wished for my presence:
and when at last l came home, obi the bit
ter-bitter awakeningl You met me-ohl
no, l cannot speak Of itH' He turned aside
pressing his hand over his eyes. sit is my
punishment that I love you with al my
strength, ay, though know that you would
have sold yourself to Aston Lawford, and
cast him aaide for my sake in the very hour
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, fearless
gaze; but her lips qulvered. her whole form
trembled with the passion Of emotion that
possessed her.
"Nor" she said; "you wrong mc;you have
wronged me from the beginningp'
"Valeriel'
ut was my woman's pride that forced
me to seem all that l was not" she went
on, not needing him. But l may speak
now; l may tell you the truth, for l know
that you love me; your own lips have told
me! Stay! hear me out, and then" her
head dropped, the crimson rose to her brow,
her voice faltered; iii you can take me to
your heart again she broke off alb
ruptly, her hand stole into her breast once
more. her voice sank lower, but she spoke
p~assionately, "It was you who taught me
what love was, Max; 1t was you who show
ed me clearly what had only felt vaguely,
that it was only q sisters love I gave to
Louis Charterls. When l rejected his
flowers for yours, it was not only because
you had been kind to mel did not know
1t then-but-but l knew afterward, and l
kept those flowers; I have kept them ever
since. and a few of them 1kept apart-here
-always-day and night, on my hearth
Thu flush Of shame was on her cheek; the
last words were scarcely whispered, for
though she knew this man loved her now,
she had not'knosvn it then.
She so loved him ever then, so treasured
his gift. so wore it on her heart-alwaysl
B~eauregard had almost obeyed the impulse
to clasp her once more in his arms. but he
mastered 1t, setting his teeth. She might
have loved him, and yet given heed to am
bition.
Valerie went on, not raising her eyes,
her hands pressed on her bosom now.
when you were away in Egypt, my
heart was with you; you hoped that l some
times thought of you. thought Of you
always; you liked to imagine that l wished
for your presenca; longed to see you
again, as a woman car only long to SEQ the
man she loves. l treasured every line that
was published about you, II only your
name was mentioned. l did not know at
first that | loved you; / did not think all
this was d~isloyalty to Louis. 1t was ole
night, in Paris-that-" she stopped.
Whenever mind" she added, hurriedly.
go onl' said Beauregard, huskily, still
mastering himself. 60 on-teil me all-
allIn
Valerie sank into q chair, dropped her
clasped hands on q table near; but after a
moments silence she went on, falteringly
with changing color, not once raising her
eyes:
ut was n night, when I saw In tbs
evening papers that you had been made
Colonel, and l was so happy-so proud +
I had o picture Of you, ons I had bought
and | used to look at 1t often; and that
night { went to my desk for 1t, and there
was q letter Of Louis that I had forgotten
to answer. and 1t seemed 70 startle NE, fol
I had no thought for him. only for You, and
I knew then that I loved You. Oil the
shame OF It'll Tor I was giving my love IN.
sought. That was why I was 80 cold Il
I yon when you came back; it WIS my pride