The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-16


you. Poor Anthony, like all other
young men, is desperately in earnest,
he gives one the blues. 1 know he al
ready bores you; but Won Elmur- All,
that is altogether another affair."
Madame de Sagan sank down beside
little buhl table, and tapped on it i'm
patiently with her slight fingers.
Against the light of the afternoon glow
she watched the outline of Valerie's
cheek For Mile. Selpdorf had returned
10 her contemplation of the landscape.
A curl of blue smoke from among the
trees on the nearest bank of the Kofn
held her gaze and suggested thoughts.
winch she was taking up one by one.
as 1t were, and examining soberly
enough.
Rallywood had been stationed at
hofn Ford when first Isolde made his
acquaintance. The girl recalled a de-
scrlpuon she had heard of the tall
young Englishman galloping along the
nat road TO the rescue of the pretty,
terrified countess, whose Arab had been
merely cantering along, capering now
ana again from sheer light-heartedness
ana without malicious intent until its
trmid rider chose to scream. when il
reared and started with flying hoofs
toward the marshes Valerie went on
TO picture Hollywood holding the trem-
Ding woman on her saddle till her es-
cort and grooms overlook them. and at
the picture the girls lip curled and
qulVered with angry scorn-of a sud-
den she hated and despised them both
but especially she despised Hollywood
Tor having succumbed to Isolde's shall
low beauty Thus it will be seen that
Mademoiselle Selpdorf was inclined to
underrate Madame de Sagan's points
Isolde was not only wonderfully pretty.
but she was endowed with a super
n Il IL
tact. all of which rendered her ire
sistible to nine men out of ten A mere
chameleon, Isolde almost always be-
neVed in herself and her own moods;
therefore, it was little wonder that the
men whose phases of humor she re-
Elected believed in her also, and, more
over, thought her as adorable and as
full of delicious changes as Cleopatra.
Isolde had told the story of her ad-
venture TO Valerie. dwelling on the
facts that the hero detested-absolutely
deteSted-all other women; also that in
physique he followed the most approved
English pattern, and was an eXcep-
tionally good specimen at that. Alto
gether, Valerie had found the descrip-
ton sufficiently attractive to induce her
10 pay Hollywood that coquettish little
visit in the anteroom of the Hotel du
Chancellor.
While these things passed through
her thoughts, her eyes were still fixed
upon the blue plume of smoke that rose
and melted over Kofn Ford, for its po-
sition indicated the wherea bouts of the
blockhouse used by the frontier patrol,
and there Hollywood had lived during
the early part of his acquaintance with
Isolde.
What are you thinking off," inquired
Madame de Sagan, suddenly; then, as
Valerie made no immediate answer, she
added, Shall 1 tell you, Valerie?"
The other turned, with the pink of
sunset lighting up her pale face.
Il don't imagine you can guess, she
said, with faint smile.
Madame de Sagans little trill of
laughter was not quite so childish and
irresponsible as usual.
But 1 can. You were thinking of
Hollywood. You think rather often of
Hollywood. my dear girl
The guess, so near the truth, startled
Valerie, although she gave no sign
idea to Isolde? Instantly Valerie was
on the defensive. Her delicate nostrils
Quivered slightly, and her hand-a
larger and more capable hand than
Isolde's-closed more firmly upon her
fathers letter, as she replied. with that
firm directness which was so surpris-
ing a trait in her fathers daughter:
you The blockhouse where he lived is
down there; can see the smoke. That
reminded me of it all. BY the way,
Isolde, it seems that some young men
have a shade of interest about them"
This one is rather unlike all the 9TH
ers," returned Madame de Sagan, with
gravity. He saved my life, and-well,
assumes nothing
1t is a fact worthy of consideration
that while a man rarely establishes a
claim on a woman by rendering her a
service, a woman always establishes a
claim on a man by being rendered
service. Perhaps this is as it should be.
No" repeated Valerie, thoughtfully,
"he certainly assumes nothing"
What do you mean by that Va
lerie?" exclaimed Isolde, irritably.
you are in one of your Incompetent
sible moods today. What do you think
of Rallywood?"
Il hardly know what to think yet.
Very likely 1 shall never come to any
conclusion about him. He is not my
affair, and what can be more uninter
esting than a man who has saved some
other woman'S life?" She laughed.
.'YCSI have recommended Won Elmur to
my notice. shall certainly spend my
time TO more profit in studying him"
A servant entered
His eXcellency Baron Won Elmur
wishes to wait upon your ladyship."
Elmur advanced bowling. After greet
ing his hostess, he turned to Valerie
with a manner that was new in their
intercourse. He dropped from the
courtier to the man pure and simple.
kissing the girls hand, he said, ear
nestly:
Il feared you were not to arrive I'M
til tomorrow"
Nine. de Sagan, who had raised her
eyebrows and made a little grimace
at Valerie behind the minister's back,
here interposed:
Il persuaded her to travel here with
me. hope, baron, you feel how great
~ I have befriended your
You will find me grateful, madame
In the meantime, 1 have been sent to
warn YOU that his highness has al |
ready arrived at the foot of the hill, |
and to beg you to descend to the great |
hall, where the count is waiting to re- |
ceive him."
Come, Valerie" said the countess, |
with a little catch in her breath and |
an added fieck of color in her soft |
cheeks.
The great hall was half filled with |
and retainerS, ranged accord |
ing TO the fashion which has obtained |
at Sagan during the memory of man, |
for the ceremonious reception of the |
reigning duke. Half a dozen hunts |
men held in leash as many couples of |
huge boar-hounds at one side of the |
hall; on the other, servants carrying |
gold trays of refreshments, stood in |
line. Above these, again, clustered the /
numerous guests who had already ar |
rived.
AS the countess, looking very young |