Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-07-04


oh! l am speaking the truth now"
ne said. Il am Max Inglesant-not
Alexis"
you mean" Valerie said slowly, "you
have personated-your brother p
That's it-a fine. honorable thing to
do, isn't it? My father found out about
that wretched marriage of mine. and
washed his hands of me ] went abroad
Alexis had gone to Australia long before
that. don't even know where he is now.
l was coming to England for a short
spell when l heard of my fathers death
knew he had left everything to Alexis.
Then the temptation came The devil
played into my hands with plenty of
specious excuses. One of them was that's
Alexis would soon run through the prop
erty. We were so much alike, and had
been so much away from England. that
the matter was easy. So / took Alexis
place, and spent his money"
GO ont" Valerie said, as he paused.
Il don't say l ever had an easy mind"
Max lnglesant went on, but it was YOU
who first made me feel how utterly in
famous was the thing had done. Lola
knew me-tried to blackmail me-but ]
was not fool as well as a villain, and
was After that day-when | met YOU
on the Row-she told me she was going
to PIT the matter to the proof That
would have brought out the truth. But
that very evening-the accident hap
pened. So ! was safe-unless Alexis
should chance to hear anything. He may
be dead, for all ! know"
You might have kept your secret if
you chose?"
Most likely. Alexis is up country
out OF the way of news. Only, l could
not keep silence. l must tell you the
truth. If" he said slowly-for he spoke
now with some difficulty had not be-
trayed myself as l did the other day, |
might have gone abroad, and Just writ
ten to the solicitor; but after that. was
bound to explain myself more fully. or
tell You why l must leave you. Now
| you know. ! don't ask You to forgive
me-l've no right to ask even so much.
You have been very, very good to me,
not knowing what manner Of man | was.
That was an added deception-an added
wrong"
You have thought out the future"
Valerie said in a low voice, what you
are going to dor"
| Yes" lnglesant answered. 81 shall 20
/ first TO Mir. West, the solicitor, and place
the whole matter in his hands. And then
l shall go abroad again, and keep West
advised where ! am, There's nothing
else to be done, that l can see"
No" said Valerie. She turned away.
and sat down. She was trembling, and
| locked and unlocked her hands nervouslv.
! Il suppose-there is nothing else-for
you-but what am to do?"
"Y0u!' He looked at her, startled
Her head was drooping. He could not
fully see her face.
Valerie" he said brokenly 81 have
been worse than cruel to you. God
knows you can't reproach ne more bit
terly than / reproach myself The only
reparation | can make you is to Danish
myself from you for ever. If you have
given me one throb of your heart, re-
member what / am-and that | am not
worthy a single thought of yours
ut Is so easy" said the girl, with a
sort of suppressed passion, ito Judge n
man who has been sorcly tempted. and
sinned, and has repented. and made full
and free restitution. 1t is so easy, when
| you have given a man your whole heart.
to forget hiIn-and forget him, not in
! his prosperity and fame, but when he IS
! poor, and broken hearted, an an exile
when he most needs all that love can
/ give hint is so casy!"
/ "Valerie' lie made one stem. and
! flung himself at her feet. "What arc Won
saying? What DO you mean? Don't
tempt me-don't madden me with hopes
that must be crushed! ! can't ask YOU
to share my poverty and exile; and il
may lie worse than cXiIe-public dis
honm-open shame, The law Justly calls
what l have done Crime!' He got her
/ hands into his, locking them fast
Haven't | wronged you enough?" he
said, but yea tempt ne so?"
you have wIonged me indeed" said
Valerie passionately, IF you make me
love you only to break my heart. | am
willing to brave everything poverty.
exile, shameful things for your sake.
You do owe me reparation-and Won
have gwen ne the right to claim its
form. Whatever your lie may lie, I
will share it"
Wondering, awcstruck. tremulous with
an inefiable JOY, Max Inglesant drew the
girl within his arms. folded her to his
heart, bent MS face to hers.
Valerie" be wliSpercd. you will come
with ne into banjshfnont, my Iove-my
wife,
1T will not be baniehmert with vou,"
Her voice broke in a sob, as his lbs met
hers, and fer minutes they chung to-
gether, in eestacy the fuller and deeper
for all the pain that had gone before. and
the suffering that lay in the future; and
indeed, to Max Inclesant. it seemed as If
oil ? I'll fss4 -,