The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-04-22
in Virginia. DueIing was dreadful
custom. I'm glad it's gone. Aren't


liant, IL he could have had his choice
afterward. would rather have been ly-
Ing there that morning than Sas-
soon."
"He must have suffered, too." she
agreed, cor he wouldn't have exiled
himself as no did. l used to wonder
II 1t was love-quarrel--wheth they
could have been in love with the same
woman"
But why should he go away?"
Il can't Imagine, unless she had
really loved the other man. If SO, she
couldn't have borne seeing Valiant
afterward." She paused with little
laugh But then," she said, ut may
have been nothing SO romantic. Va
liants grandfather, who was known as
Devil,John, is said to have called a
man out because he rode past him
on the wrong side. Our ancestors in
Virginia, Pm afraid, didn't stand on
ceremony when they felt uppish"
He did not smile He was looking
out once more over the luminous
stretch Of fields, his side.face towards
her. Curious and painful questions
were running through his brain. With
an effort, he thrust these back and re.
called his attention to what she was
saying
You wonder suppose, that we
feel as we do toward these old estates,
and set store by them, and-yes, and
brag Of them insufferably as we do.
But it's in our blood. You Northern
ers think we're desperately con-
ceited," she smiled, "but it's true.
We're still as proud of our land, and
it's old, old places, and love them as
well as our ancestors ever did. Do
you wonder we resent their passing
to people who don't care for them in
the Southern way?"
But suppose the newcomers do
care for them?"
Her lips curled. "a young million
aire who has lived all his life in Now
York, to care for Damory Court! A
youth idiotically rich, brought up in a
superheated atmosphere of noise and
money!"
He started uncontrollably. So that
was what she thought! He felt him
self flushing. He had wondered what
would be his impression Of the neigh
borhood and its people; their possible
opinion Of himself had never occurred
to him.
You think there's no chance Of his
choosing to stay here because he
actually likes it?"
Not the slightest" she said indif.
ferently.
You are so certain of this without
ever having seen him?"
She glanced at him covertly, an
noyedly sensible of the impropriety
of the discussion, since the man dis
cussed was certainly his patron, may
be his friend. But his insistence had
reused certain balky wilfulness that
would have its way. Its true I've
never seen him." she said, "but I've
read about him hundred times In the
Sunday supplements. He's a regular
feature Of the high-roller section. His
idea Of good time is a dog-banquet
at Sherry's. Why, girl told me once
that there was cigarette named after
hiEl-the Vanity Valiant"
Isn't that beside the point? Be-
cause he has been an idler, must he
ueCcSbdllly Uo d--VdIQdl
She laughed again. "He wouldn't
call 1t vandalism. He'd think 1t de-
cided Improvement to make Damory
Court as frantically different as possi-
BILE. I suppose he'll erect a glass
cupola and porte-cochere, all up-to-
date Ind varnishy, and put orchid hot
houses where tho wilderness garden
was, and modern marble cupid in
stead Of the SUNNI house, and lay
out hte-shaped tr -"
Everything that vas impulsive and
explosive in John valiants nature
came out with a ban. moi" he
cried. whatever else he Is. he's not
such preposterous ass as that!"
She faced him sqaarely now. Her
eyes were sparkling. Since you know
him so intimately and so highly ap-
prove Of him
mo. no." he interrupted. N"You mis-
take me. shouldn't try to justify
him" His flush had risen to the roots
OF his brown hair. but he did not
lower his gaze. Now the red color
slowly ebbed, leaving him pale. "He
has been an idler-thst's true enough
and till week ago ho was fdiotio-
ally rich But his idling is over now.
At this moment, except for this ono
property, he is little better than .
beggar."
She had taken a hasty step or two
back from him, and her eyer were now
fixed on his with a dawning halffear-
full question in them.
It'll the failure Of the Valiant Cor
poration, he had never heard Of Da-
mory Court, much less been aware