Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-11
CONTINUED from Saturday.

After all these years. the visitor
was saying in her customary italics
(rhe broad "a" which lent a dulcet
softness to the speech of her hostess
was scorned by Mrs Poly, her OWL
as" being as narrow as the needle
through which the rich man reaches
heaVen). I'VE came here from Rich
mond when [ was a bride-thats
twenty-one years ago-and Damory
Court was forsaken then. And think
what a condition the house must be
in now! Cared for by an agent who
comes every other season from New
York. Trust a man to do work Ike
that"
I'm glad a Valiant is to occupy it,
remarked Mrs. Mason in her sweet
hute-lke voice. 1T would be sad to
see anyone else there. For, after all,
the Valiants were gentlemen
Mrs. Clifford shifted. Would you
have called Devil-John Valiant a
gentleman? Why, he earned the name
by the dreadful things he did My
grandfather used to say that when
his wife lay sick-he hated her, you
know-he would gallop his horse with
all his hounds full-cry after him
under her windows. Then that ghast-
ly story of the slave he pressed to
Il know" acquieseed Mrs. Mason
He was cruel man, and wicked,
too Yet. of course he was a gentle
man. In the South the test of n
gentleman has never been what he
does. but who he is. Devil-John was
splendid. for all his wickedness. He
was the best swordsman in all V1r-
ginia, 1t used to be said there
was a portrait of him at Damory
Court, and that during the war
In the engagement on the hill
side. a bullet took out one of
its eyes. But his grandson, Beauty
Valiant. who lived at Damory Court
thirty years ago. wasn't his type at
all. He was only rs when the duel
occurred.
HE must have been brilliant" said
the visitor ito have founded that
great corporation It's pity the son
didn't take after him. Have you seen
the papers lately? 1t seems that
though he was to blame for the
wrecking of the concern they can't do
anything to him. Some technicallty
in the law, ! suppose. But ii a man
is only rich enough they can't convict
him of anything. Why he should SUD
denly make up his mind to come down
here | can't see. With that old af-
| fair of his fathers behind him,
should think he'd prefer Patagonia. y
Il take it. then, madam" Dr.
| Southalrs forbidding voice rose from
the doorway. that you are familiar
with the circumstances of that ole
affair. as you term it?
| The lady bridled. Her passages al
arms with the doctor did not invari-
ably tend to sweeten her disposition
| Pm sure I only know what people
say" she said
| People, snorted the doctor
| lrascibly. Just another name for q
community that's a perfect sink OF
meanness and malice. II one believed
all he heard here he'd quit speaking
to his own grandmother
you will admit, suppose" saio
Mrs. Clifford with some spirit tina
the name Valiant isn't what it uset
to be in this neighborhood?'
Il will madam" responded the doc
tor. when valiant left this place
Ga mark of good taste. I've always
considered it, he left it the worse. j
| possible, for his departure. Your re
mark. however. would seem to impl!
demerit on his part. Was he the onl,
man who ever happened to be at TIL
lucky end of duelingg round?'
Chen it isn't true that Valiant wa
dead shot and Sassoon lntoxi
eatcd2"
Madam" said the doctor, II havl
no wish to discuss the details of tina
unhappy incident with You or any
body else / was one of those present
but the circumstances you mention
have never been descanted upon b,
me. | merely wish to point out tina
the people whom YOU have been quot
ing are not only set of ignoramuse
with cotton-back souls. but as full o
Observation-Disclosures as an egg is o
meat
81 see by the papers" said Mrs
Clifford. with an air of resigned,
changing the subject, they've beer
investigating the failure of tn