The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-07-01
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"Vnlcrtc, drd,p rein, you are bredthed-
dfdm REIN"
though I vow / have not earned it. Shall
we push on u littleP The trio ahead will
be out of sight in a minute or two."
And he had no intention of being tied to
his two present companions throughout the
ride,
They soon came up with the other three,
andpcesently the participates were passed,
and after q sLesst$ bit Of, road came a broad
stretch OF heath. sps
Now" said Colonel BeaRregard. "for .
gallop!, -
In the instant that he spoke, Valerie ga .
Zoe the rein, and away went the Arab,
with n wild snort of delight. In two min
utes the fleet-footed animal, carrying but
a feather-weight, had distanced her late
companions; but Princes long stride gained
quickly o her, and halfway across the
heath Max Beauregard rode up to Valerie's
side.
The girl turned a bright look to him, and
met in his eyes something like a flash of
triumph, and the wild-rose flush on her
cheek deepened; the breath came fast
through her parted lips; sky and land
seemed but a haze; she only heardth thud
of the horses hoofs on the velvet turf; only
knew that Max was with her-Max alone
riding on-on through the summer air
and the glorious sunlight, under the blue
sky-on-on-faster, faster-tlll her breath
came in a sobbing gasp, and her brain
was growing dizzy: and then Max Beaure-
gard bent toward her, sIeaking low, but
decidedly:
Valerie, draw rein, you IRE breathed-
draw RENT"
She was well-nigh spent, less with the
than the mental agitation; but she had
strength enough to pull the mare In q lit
tie, not to stop her. Beauregard grasped
the rein with his right hand, checking
Prince with his left, and Zoe s%lackened,
stopped dead. with heaving flanks and
qniyering limbs, but not half tanned yet.
Valerie could not speak; her swift, half
yelled glance said "rhanks!" She sat
dropping, painting. Max watched her a
minute In silence, patting Zoe's glossy
neck, not trusting himself just yet, for the
blood was leaping like fire through his
veins, and passionate words quivered on
his lips; bnt the self-mastery of years did
not utterly fail him now, and in q moment
or two he moved his hand from Zoe's neck
to her riders hand.
Poor child!' he said, tenderly; sit was
my fault, l oil 10 nave stopped you be-
fore"
"No-no" II he had only known that it
was his fault, though not as he meant; If
lie had only known how every fibre of her
frame vibratcd to his touch! "I-Iwanted
to &C OMIT was u glorious ridcl"
"Ay," he said, under his breath; and his
dark eyes flashed; for q second his clasp
closed over the little hand on which his
had rested; but US quickly relaxed, and he
paused, setting his teeth close; while Va
leric, who had started, and changed color,
turned to look behind her, though her eyes
were blinded, and she could see nothing.
Beauregard turned, too.
1.-THE others are close. behind now," he
said. ''shall we wait for them2"
He spoke almost coldly: Valerie sifnfr
ly wheeled her horse, and rode back toward
the advancing party, and Beauregard fol
lowed suit. w.,
well, your two horses have got wingsl''
cried Mrs. Dudley, addressing both, and
Max said, smiling:
."rhey are both OF them ready for anoth.
or gnllop. and double the diatancc. Zoe is
e splendid slayer, and next to Prince, the
heetest horse in the stable; and thcn Va
leric weighs about rs much as thistle
down"
Brain and all?" asked Valerie, wicked.
~. They were all riding on now at a walk.
ing pace, Beaurcgald III tho girls RICH.
hand.
Nay" he answered, gravely; IT only
spoke OF physical weight"
She laughed.
did you? But it would be equally apt
the other way. wouldn't itt"
That comparison is yours-not miner
said Beauregard, drily.
Thanks" was the retort, ''for q neat
application OF the old proverb about the
cup and the ft!"
And she turned, laughingly, to speak to
Lord Westbrook on her other side. She
knew she had forced n meaning never in.
tended. Max Beauregard was far too
chivalrous for such u gib.; she knew she
had vcxed and even wounded him; but he
should not think she was trying to win
him; yielding sometimes. as she had yield.
cd n little while ago, ulconsciously, In.
evitably, to his power over her, she recoiled
afterward, and in II terror of being misin.
terpreted, rebuffed him in some such man
ner rs this, stuEg to recklessness by they
yer bitterness OF her own suffering.
She had been startled, too, by the looh
that met hers when Max Bcaurcgard first
rode up to her; his close clasp of her hand
later, and sudden release Of 1t, rs II, sur
rendering himself for one second to q
warmer feeling for her, he had condemned
the instinct the next. Was 1t o blending
of past and present; the old tenderness liv
ing still: the glamour of her beauty infu
cncins him against his better Judgment
rs all men are influenced by exceeding
beauty
1t stung her to madness, that If she hai
power to stir this mans heart at all II
should be to no deeper homage than this
She would have spurned him II he knelt tt
sue for her love, and gave her only passion
for passion can despiss its object-love
cannot. So Valerie wronged herself more
and morc-strovc more and more to make
herself wholly md hopelessly ntgsades
stood by the man she worshiped.
They came prcsently-Valerie doing hei
hest, it seemed, to turn Lord Westbrook'i
head-to q narrow path where only two
horses could go abreast. Beauregardr rein
ed back ut once to Mrs. Dudley's side, and
left Valerie to the young peer; and Valeri,
urged Zoe forward, so that she and he
companion got some little way ahead o
the rest of the party.
Another victim..n said Mrs. Dudley
Laughing, and pointing with her whip t
Lord Westbrook.
"A willing one, I suppose" returned
Beauregard, Struggling his shoulders
Whateverkhe might think Of Valerie h.
could not Nendnre. for anyone to speal
slightinglyof her; in Ills own heart he triet
MOTTO condemn her, tried to make ever