Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-12-22


upper Bohemian life in New York,
dining out often with Querida and
other artists, accompanied by Rita.
New Years Eve Valerie is the center
of attraction at one of the gayest ia
bles in Rector's restaurant. Neville
also goes to the famous resort with
some of his friends and during the
height of the festivities sees Valerie
standing on the big banquet table
throwing roses at the crowd. Queri-
da is nearby and Neville, furiously
angry, leaves the restaurant abrupt
ly. Valerie sees him going, deserts
her friends and rushes after him. In
the ante-room Neville faces Valerie
and asks her if she came with Queri-
da. She answers in the affirmative
and Neville thrusts her aside and
starts for a taxi. Valerie calmly fol-
lows, enters the taixcab with him and
insists on accompanying him to his
studio. Meanwhile Querida has OBJ
served them and follows in another
cab.
Valerie's Brave Promise.
At the studio Valerie and Neville
can no longer resist the call of the
love that surges through their hearts
and Neville seizes her in his arms.
At that moment Querida knocks on
the door and enters, demanding that
Valerie come with him. The men
quarrel and Neville orders Querida
to leave, which he refuses to do.
Valerie, her anger aroused, tells the
men that she belongs to neither, and
that she is free to choose for herself.
Querida is abashed and Inundated
and leaves.
Neville urges Valerie to marry him
but she refuses. She declares that
his marriage with her would dis
rupt his relations with his family and
friends and expresses her contempt
for the man-made laws of convention
al society. She tells Neville that on
the first of June she will come to him
and be his under 1.-THE common law"
Back at her own apartments she
tells Rita of her promise to Neville
and Rita warns her against such a
course. Rita divulges a page out of
her own past. She tells Valerie of
her ruin by Querida, of the birth Of
her illegitimate child and it's death,
and urges Valerie to think of the fu-
ture. The thought of a possible child
sobers Valerie and she agrees to go
away with Rita and try to forget
Neville. The girls go to Rita's ia
Their, who is the lodge keeper at Quer-
ida's country place.
Neville visits his parents at their
handsome country home and tries to
persuade them not to oppose his mar
riage to Valerie. His father is furious
and forbids Neville to mention VAL
cries name in the house. Mrs. New
lille unhappily implores her son not
to bring disgrace upon them by what
she considers an unfortunate mar
riage. Stephanie overhears the con-
versation and realizes that she has
lost Neville's love forever.
Querida Shows His Fangs.
Querida goes to his country home
for q rest. He encounters Valerie,
who is on a walk in the woods. Mad
with passion he seizes her and in the
struggle Valerie lashes him across
the face with the dog whip she is car
rying, breaks from his hold and runs
the woods. Darkness comes
on and she realizes that she is lost.
At last she reaches a house and is |
Just able to ring the bell before faint
ing from exhaustion. 1t happens to
be the Neville home and Valerie is
taken in and tenderly cared for. Doc
tor Ogilvy is called and finds en-
tangled in her waist scarf pin which !