The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-30

x..esteu your advice, am gong 10
read them TO you"
The barrister opened one Of the
drawers and from a hidden receptacle
drew out bundle Of letters.
you understand, my friend he
resumed that will spare you all
insignificant details, which, however.
! add their own weight to the rest.
| am only going to deal with the more
important facts, treating directly to
| the affair"
| After a selection, which he was
some time in making, the barristcr
| opened letter, and commenced read
| ing.
My dearly loved Valerie Valer-
ie," said he, 'is Madame Gerdy."
My dearly loved Valerie This
is a happy day. This morning ! re-
ceived your letter. | have covered
| it with kisses; | have re-read it
| hundred times; and now it has gone
| to join the others here upon my heart.
| This letter, oh, my love, has nearly
| killed me with JOY. You were lot
! deceived. then, it was true. Heaven
| has at last blessed our love. We shall
| have son.
| 81 shall have a son. the living
image of my adored Valerie! Oh. why
are we separated by such an immense
distance? Why have l not wings,
that | might fly to yourefeet and fall
into your arms full of the sweetest
righteousness. No! never as at this
moment have | cursed the fatal union
| imposed upon me by an ineXorable
| family, whom my tears could not
| move. | cannot help hating this VIC
| man who in spite Of me bears my.
| name, innocent victim though she is
of the barbarity Of our parents, And,
to complete my misery, she, too, viii
! soon render me a father. Who can
| describe my sorrow when ! compare
the fortunes of these two children?
1.-The one, the son of the object Of
my tenderest love, will have neither
father nor family, nor even a name,
since a law framed to make lovers
unhappy prevents my acknowledging
him. While the other, the son OF my
detested wife, by the sole fact of his
birth, will be rich, noble, surrounded
by devotion and homage, with great
position in the world. l cannot bear
the thought of this terrible injustice
How it is to be prevented, do not
/ lint CHI Rrl
a way. 1t is to him vino Is the most
| desired, the most cherished, the most
beloved, that the greater fortune
should come: and come to him 1t
shall, for | SO will it,
From where is that letter dated?"
asked old Tabaret. The style in
which it was written had already set
tied one point in his mind.
See" replied Noel. He handed the
letter to the old fellow. who read
Venice, December, 1928"
you perceive resumed the bar
rister, call the Importance of this
first letter. 1t is like a brief state
ment OF the facrs. My father. mar
ried in spite of himself. adores his
mistress, and detests his wife, and
his feelings toward the two infants
about to be born are not at all con-
cealed. Toward the end one almost
sees peeping forth the germ of the
idea which later on he will nc. be
afraid to put into execution. in de-
fiance of all law human OF divine"
He was speaking as though plead
ing the cause, when old Tabaret inter
rupted him.
1T is not necessary to explain it,
said he; thank goodness, what you
have just read is explicit enough
am not an adept in such matters.
am as simple as a juryman; however
l understand it admirably SO far"
II pass over several letters contin.
ued Noel. and come to this one
dated January %. 1929. 1t is very
long, and filled with matters alto.
gether foreign to the subject which
now occupies us. However, it con.
tains two passages, which attest the
slow but steady growth of my father:
project. A destiny, more powerful
than my will. chains me to this coun
try; but my soul is with you, my
Valerie! Without ceasing, my
thoughts rest upon the adored pledge
of our love. Take care, my darling
take care CT yourself, now doubl,
precious 1t is the lover, the father
who implores you. The last page O
your letter wounds my heart. Is i
not an insult to me, for you to ex
press anxiety as to the future of oul
child? Oh, Heaven! she loves me, sh.
knows me. and yet she doubts
| Il skip" said Noel, two pages OF
passionate rhapsody. and stop at these
few lines at the end. The countess
condition causes her to suffer very
much! Unfortunate wife! hate and
at the same time pity her. She seems
to divine the season Of my sadness
and my colG1ams By her tlmid sub
mission and unalterable sweetness
one would think she sought pardon