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Show g eVALIANT5VID(iINlA I Sr HALLE ERTHN1E PIVE3 B I Sjk 1LLU5TR010N3 g? LAUREN 5TOUT ' 1 8YN0P8I3. mil'-'iiy'J!"1' a r,?h octy favorite, Sor.iio ?'.8?".r7 ll,at th Volant cor-tifi".i,lol cor-tifi".i,lol w,,Ach '' ,a,ner founded and ..ui, Vs tl".. n.rlncPal aource of hla L-J" " '1. He voluntarily turna t ' . Dr,Vtt,e fortune to the receiver lS!i. 1corPron. Hla entire remalnlnit poasesalon, co,18lt of an oW mo,or ,. R KJ.i 1 .do? "?;? ,,;unry court, a neg lected eitatfl In Vlrflnla. On tho way to IMmory court he meeta Shlrloy Dand- dM. an auburn-lialred beauty, and de- ;-" lihRt f ,' 0"K t0 llk Virginia lm-menstly. lm-menstly. Hhlrley'a mother, Mrs. Dand-ndKe, Dand-ndKe, and Mnlor Ilrlatow exchange rem-1J rem-1J .ceJI.cB ''""IS whlcl. It la revealed that the major. Valiant's father, and a man named Saasoon were rivals for tho Jand of Mra. Dandrldfrc In her youth, eaasoon and Valiant foucht n duel on her account In which the former was killed. i.innt nnd" Damorv court overKrown " '!". .V.'"1" Bn(1 creepers and decides to rehabilitate the place. Valiant saves fV'Irlev from tho bite of a snake, which E CB ",!" Knowing the deadllness of the bite, Shirley sucks the poison from the wound and saves Ills life. Valiant learns for the first time that his father left Vlr-Klnln Vlr-Klnln on ncrount of h duel In which Doctor Doc-tor Houthull and Major Drlstow acted as Ms father's seconds. Valiant and Hhlrley Jecomo Rood frlrtnds. Mrs. DandrldKe faints when she meets Valiant for the flrjt time. Valiant discovers that he has a rortune In old walnut trees. The yearly tournament, a survival of the Jousting of feudal times. Is held at Damory court. At the last- moment Valiant takes the place Of one of the knlclits. who Is sick, and emep the lists. He wins ond chooses Bhlrley Dandrlve an rmeon of beauty to Ine dlrmay of Katherlne Kanco, a former sweetheart, who Is visiting In Vlrrfnla. The tournament ball al Damory court draws the elite of the countryside. Bhlrley Bhlr-ley Is crowned by Valiant as queen of heniilv. VallHnt tells 8hlrley of his love and they become engaged. CHAPTER XXVI Continued. "Ilrlstow, Shlrley'i a magnlflcont girl." "Finest In Bovon counties," ogrood tho mnjor's bass. "Whom do you reckon sho'll cliooso to marry?" "Chilly I.usk, of courso. Tho boy's been In lovo with her since thoy woro in bibs. And he comes as near being fit for hor na nnybody." "Hump!" snld tho other sardonically. sardonical-ly. "No man I over saw wos half good onotigu for n good woman. Hut good women marry Just tho samo. It Isn't I.usk I used to think it would bo, but I'vo got n pair of eyes In my bend, If you haven't. It's young Valiant." Val-iant." Tho pearl fan twisted In Katharine's Katha-rine's Angora. What sho had guessed wis an open secret, than! The major mndo nn exclamation that had the effect of coming after a Jaw-dropped Jaw-dropped nllonco. "I I nevor thought of that!" Tho other resumed slowly, somo-what somo-what bitterly, It seemed to the girl listening. "It her mother was In love with Sasioon " Katharine's heart beat fast and then Blood etlll. Bassoon I That was tho name of the man Valiant's father had killed In thnt old duol of which Judgo Chnlmerfl had toldl "If her mother" Bhlrley Dandrldgo'fl mother "was In lovo with Sassoon!" Why" "Was BhoT" Tho maJor'H query held n sharpness (hat seemed almost appeal. Sho was conscious that tho other had faced lLout abruptly. "I've alwnya believed so, certainly. If tho had loved Valiant, would nho linvo thrown him over merely bocauso ho broke his proinlso not to bo a party lo n qunrrol?" "You think not?" Bald tho major huakfly. "Not under the circumstances. Valiant Val-iant was forced Into It. No gentleman, at thnt day, could have docllncU tho Katharine's Heart Beat Fast and Then Stood Still. Sassoonl mooting. Ho could have explained it to Judith's satisfaction a woman doesn't need much ovldonco to Justify tho man bIio'h In lovo with. Ho must hnvn written hor ho couldn't hnvo Kouo nway without that hiiiI It sho hnd lovrd him, sho would hnvo called him back." The major mado no answer. Katharine Katha-rine saw a olgar fall unhrodftd upon the grass, whero It lay glowing llko a panlhor'n eye. The other had risen now, hla toop-8d toop-8d tlguro bulking In tho moonlight. Ills voice Bounded harsh and strain-d: strain-d: "I loved Iloauty Valiant." ho snld, and his aon Ib his son to me -but I Jftve to think of Judith, too Sho faint-id, faint-id, Hrlstow. when she iw him Shirley Shir-ley told me about It. Hor inothor has Tiado hor think It was the scent of the obim1 He's hla father's living image, hV brought the past back with him. Every sound of his voice, every sight of his faco, will be a separate stab! Oh, hU mere presence will bo enough for Judith to bear. Hut with hor heart In tho gravo with Sassoon, what would lovo botwoen Shirley and young Valiant moan to hor? Think of 111" Ho broke off, and there was a blank of stlenco, In which ho turnod with almost a sigh. Then Katharine saw him reach tho bench with a single Rtrldo and drop his band on tho bowed shoulder. "HrlBtowl" ho snld bruskly. "You'ro 111! This confounded philandering at your tlmo ofllfo " Tho major's faco looked, ashy palo, but ho got up with a laugh. "Not I," ho said; "I was nvcr bettor In my life! We've had our mouthful of air. "Como on back to tho house." "Not much!" grunted tho othor. "I'm going whero wo both ought to havo beon hours ngo." Ho throw away his cigar and stalked down tho path into tho darkness. The major stood looking nftor him tilt ho hnd disappeared, thon suddenly droppod on tho bench and covered his faco. Somothlng llko a groan burst from him. "My aod!" ho said, and his voice camo to Knthartno with a quaver ot ago and suffering very dlfferont from tho Jovial accents of tho ballroom "If I woro only suro It was Sassoon!" I'rosently ho roso, and went slowly townrd tho lighted doorway. CHAPTER XXVII. The Ambuih. Not long after, from tho musicians' bower tho sound of "Homo, Sweet Homo," drifted over tho poignant rose-scent, rose-scent, and presently tho driveway resounded re-sounded to rolling wheels nnd tho voices of negro drivers, and tho Iioubo-ontranco Iioubo-ontranco Jostled with groups, mufllod In Ioobo cnrrlago-wraps, silken cloaks nnd light orsreonts, calling tired but laughing farowelts. Katharine, on tho stop, found hor-self hor-self looking Into Vnllant's eyes. "How can I toll you how much I hnvo on-Joyed on-Joyed It nil?" sho said. "I'vo stayed till tho very last mlnuto which la somothlng for ono'a fourth Reason! And now, goodby, for wo nro off tomorrow tomor-row for Hot Springs." Hor father had long ago betaken himself homeward, and tho big throe-seated throe-seated surrey holding "six comt'tablo and nine fumlllah," In tho phraso of Llge the coachman had returned for the rest: Judgo Chalmers, the two younger girls and Shirley. Katharlno greeted tho latter with n charming smile. What mora natural than that she should find horsclf slralghtwny on tho rear 8eat with royalty? Tho two girls safely disposed In tho mlddlo, tho Judgo climbed up beside tho driver, who crnckod his whip nnd thoy were off. Tho wny was not long, and Katharlno Katha-rlno bad need of dispatch If that revengeful re-vengeful wenpon wcro to bo uncd which fnto hnd put Into her hands Sho wnstcd llttlo tlmo. "It seems so straugo," sho Bald, "to find our host In such surroundings! 1 can scarcely bolievo him tho Bamo John Valiant I'vo danced with a hundred hun-dred times In New York. Ho'b been hore nuch n short whllo and yet he couldn't possibly bo moro at homo It ho'd lived In Virginia always. And you all treat him as If ho wero qulto one of yourselves." Shlrloy smiled cnchnntlngly. "Why, yea," sho Bald, "maybo It Booms odd to outsiders. Hut, you bco, with ub a Valiant Val-iant la nlways n Valiant. No matter wnero ho baa llvod, ho'a tho son ot tils father and tho master of Damory court." "That's tho wonderful pnrt of It. It's so bo Kngllsh, somehow." "Ib It?" Bald Shlrloy. "I never thought ot It. Hut perhnps It Booms bo, Wo have the old houses and tho old names and think of them, no doubt, In tho samo way." "What n sad llfo his father had!" pursued Katharlno dreamily. "You know all about tho duel, of courso?" Shlrloy shrank Imperceptibly now. Tho subject touched Vnllont bo cloBoly It Boomed almost ns If It belonged to him nnd to hor nlono not a. thing to bo flippantly touched on. "Yes," alio said somewhat slowly, "every ono horo knows of It." "No doubt It has been almost forgotten," forgot-ten," tho othor continued, "but John's coming must naturally havo revamped tho old story. What was It about tho quarrol? A lovo-offnlr?" "It's so long ngo," murmured Shlrloy. Shlr-loy. "I supposo somo ono could toll If thoy would." "Major Ilrlatow, perhnps," conjee tured Katharlno thoughtfully. "Ho was ono of tho seconds," admit-tod admit-tod Shirley unhappily. "Hut by com mon consent that sldo of It wasn't talkod of at tho tlmo. Meti In Virginia Vir-ginia hnvo old-fashioned Ideas about womon. . . ." "Ah, It's fine of them!" pnenncd Katharine. "I can Imagine tho men who knew nbout that droadful nffolr. In their eouthorn chivalry, drawing a cordon ot silence about the name of that girl with her brokon heart. For If sho lovod one of tho two, It must havo been Bassoon not Valiant, elio ha would havo stayed, How tenlble I to Bo one's lover killed In aucb a way- ... It was quickly ended for him, out the poor woman wos left to bear It all tho years. I fancy sho would novor wholly got over It, novor bo ablo to forget him, though Bho tried." Shirley mado Borne reply that was lost In the whirring wheels. Tho other's oth-er's words seomod almost an echo of what Bho hersolf had boen thinking. "Maybo sho married after a whllo, too. A woman must make a llfo for hersolf, you know. If she llvos hero, It will bo sad for her, this opening of tho old wound by John's coming. . . And looking so llko bis father " Katharlno paused. Thero was a kind of exhilaration In this subtlo baiting. Shlrloy stirred unenslly, and In tho glimpsing light her faco looked troubled. trou-bled. Katharine's volco hnd touched pathos, nnd In splto of her dlstnsto of tho subject, 8hlrloy hnd boon entering Into tho feeling of that supposititious woman. Tho Judgo, on tho front scat, wns 'tolling a low-toned story over hla The Year Was That of the Duel: the Date Was the Day Following the Jessamine Anniversary. Bhoulder for tho delectation of Nnncy and Hetty, but Shirley was not listening. listen-ing. Her whole mind wns full ot what Katharlno had been saying. Sho wns picturing to hnraelf this woman, hor sccrot hidden all thoso years, hearing of John Valiant's coming to Damory court, learning ot this likeness, shrinking shrink-ing from sight ot It, drcndlng tho painful pain-ful momory It must thrust upon hor. "Suppoio" Kntharlno's volco was dreamy "that sho and John mot suddenly, sud-denly, without wnrntng. What would sho do? Would sho say anything? Perhaps sho would faint. . . ." Shlrloy started violently. Hor hands, ns thoy drow her clonk uncertainly nbout hor, began to tremble, ns It with cold. Something fell from thoin to tho bottom ot tho eurroy. Through her chiffon veil Katharlno noted this with a slow smllo. It hnd boon easier than Bho hnd thought. She said no moro, nnd tho cnrrlagu rolled on, to tho accompaniment ot glggleB oyer tho Judgo's peroration. Ah It nonrcd tho Rosewood lanq nho leaned toward Shlrloy. "You hnvo dropped your fan," Bald Bho" and your gloves, too. . . . I might have renched thorn for you. Why, wo nro thero nlready. How short tho drtvo has seomed!" "Don't drlvo up tho Inno, Ilge," said Shlrloy, nnd her volco Beomod sharp nnd Btrange oven to horsolf. "Tho wheels would wnko mother." Katharlno bndo her goodby with careful care-ful Bwcotness, bb tho Judgo bundled her down In his strong friendly nrms. "No," Bho told him, "don't como with mo. It's not a bit necessary. Em-mnllne Em-mnllne will bo wnltlng for mo." Ho climbed Into her vncant place as tho girls called thoir good nights "We'll nil sleop late enough In tho morning, I reckon," ho snld with a laugh, "but It's been a great success!" Emmallne was crouched In a chnlr In tho hall, a rug thrown over hor knees, In open-mouthed slumber. Sho started up at tho touch of Shlrloy'a hand, yawning wldoly. "I 'claro to goodness," Bho muttered, "I was Jes' flxln' f go t' Bleep!" "I I'm bo tired, Emmallno. Tnko the crown. Its heavy." Tho negro woman untangled tho gllttorlng points from tho meshing hair with enroful fingers. 'To 11 chlckydee-dco!" alio said lovingly. "Iteck'n sho Hop all th' feddnhs outor hor wings. Gimme thnt o' tin crown I llko tor lam' It out th' winder! Como on, now; wo go upstairs soft bo's not tor 'slurb MIh' Judith," In the silvery-blue bedroom, she deftly unfuBtenod tho hooks ot the heavy satin gown and coaxed her mistress mis-tress to lie on the sofa whllo she unpinned un-pinned tho masses ot waving hair till they lay In a rich surge ovor tho cushion. Then Bho brought a brush and crouching down bosldo hor, began with long gentlo strokes to smooth out tho silken threads, talking to her tho while In a soft crooning monotone. Under these mlnlstrntlous ShJrley lay languid and speocbless, her eyes closed. Tho fear that hnd stricken her heart by turns teemed a cold hand preiBlng upon Its boating and an algid vapor rising stealthily ovor It. Uut her hands wero hot and hor eyelids burned. Finally she roused horsolf. "Thank you, Emmallno," sho said In a tired volco, "good night now; I'm going to sloop, and you must go to bod, too," Hut fllono In tho warm wnn dark, Shlrloy lay staring open-eyed at tho celling. Slowly thi torror was sailing upon her, tho drond, noiseless nnd In-tangible, In-tangible, folding her In tho shndow ot Its numbing wings. Wns hor mothor tho ono ovor whom that old duel had been fought? Sho rcmomborcd the capo Jessamines, Wns tho dnto of that duol of tho death of Sassoon tho anniversary her mother kopt? Sho sat up In bed, trombllng. Then sho roso, and oponlng tho door with caution, cropt down tho stair, eliding hor hot hand boforo hor along tho cool polished banister. As sho passed through tho lower hall, a hound on tho porch, scenting her, stirred, thumpod his tnll on tho flooring, nnd whined. Groping hor way to tho dining-room, she lighted n enndto and passed through a corridor Into a low-celling-cd chnmber employed ns a gonornl ro-coptoclo ro-coptoclo a glorified garrot, ns Mrs. Dandrldgo dubbed It. It showed a strango nssemblagot A row of chests, storod with wlntor clothing, gnvo forth a clean pungent smell ot cedar, and at ono sldo stood nn antlquo Bplnet and a worn set of horsehair furniture 8hlrIoy had turnod hor mlBcroblo oyes on n book-Bholf along ono wall. Tho volume It contained hnd been hor fnthcr'a, nnd nmong thorn Blood a row of tomos tnller thnn their follows fol-lows tho bound numbers of a county uowBpapor, beginning boforo tho war. Tho back of each wob stamped with tho year. Sho was deciphering thcBo faded Imprints. "Thirty years ago," sho whlaporcd; "yes, horo It Is." Sho sot down tho candlo nnd dragged out ono ot tho hugo leather-liackH. leather-liackH. Staggorlng under tho wolght, Bho rested ltd edgo on tlio inula nnu began feverishly to turn tho pages, her eyo on tho dnto lino. Sho stopped presently with n quick breath sho had reached May ICth. Tho year was that ot tho duel: tho dnto wns tho day following tho Jesaamlno nnnlvorsnry. Fearfully hor oyo overran tlio columns. Thon suddonly aha put hor open hand on tho pago ns though to blot out tho words, ovory traca of color stricken from cheek and brow. Hut tho lino scorned to glow up through tho vory Hosh: "Died, May 14thJ Edward Ed-ward Sattsoon, In hla twenty-sixth year." The book slipped to tho floor with a crash that echoed through tho room. It was truo, then! It wns Bassoon's death that her mothor mourned. Tho mnn In whoso arms alio had stood such a llttlo whllo ngo by tho old dial of Damory Court was tho boh of the mnn who had killed him! "Oh, Ood," sho whispered, "JubI when 1 was uo happy! Oh, mothor, mother! Yoj loved him, and your heart broke when ho died. It was Valiant who broko It Vnllnnl Val-Intit. Val-Intit. Hie tutherl" Sho slipped dawn upon tho bnro floor and crouched thero shuddorlug and agonized, hor disheveled hair wot with tears. Was hor lovo to bo but tho thing ot un hour, n slnglu clasp and then, forever, nothing? Ills fa-titer's fa-titer's deed was not his fault. Yot how could sho lovo u man whoso ovory featuro brought a pang to that mothor sho loved moro tliau hersolf? So, over and ovor, tho wheal of hor thought turned In tho samo dosolato groove, and over and over tho paroxysms parox-ysms of grief nnd longing submerged her. Noiselessly as sho had descended, bIio cropt again up the stair. As Bho vSKHsl puBsed her mother's door, she paused W9 a moment, and laying her arms out SB across It, pressed her lips to tho dark H grain of the wood. H CHAPTER XXVIII. IbbD The Awakening. IM Tho Bun had passed the meridian next dny when Valiant awoke, from a H sleop as deep aa Abuu ben Adhcm'a, HH yot ono crowded with flying tiptoe ;! dreams. Tho ono great fact ot Shir- liH ley's lovo had lain at tho coro ot alt 'B thoso honlod Imngcs, nnd his mind 'bbVJ wns full of It as his oyes opened, wldo 9H all at onco, to tho now day, H Ho looked nt his watch and rolled H from the bed with a laugh. "Put H twolvol" ho exclaimed. "Good heav- H oris! Yhnt nbout nil the work I had WM laid out for today?" 1 IB Prcsontly ho wns pulnshlng In the i'&H lnko, shooting 'Undor his curved hand ' H unorrlng Jato of wutor nt Chum, who M !M dnnccd nbout tho rim barking, now ' 'JH venturing to wot a vnlorous paw, now jlfl scrambling up tho bank to escape tho jf7l wntery Javollus, (jgj Vnllant enmo up the torrncca with 'iffS his blood bounding to a now rapturo. '; Crossing tho gnrden, ho ran quickly mM to the llttlo closo which hold tho sun- , ! dial and pulled a slnglo great passion- ffJ flower. Ho stood A moment holding ' jl It to his fnco, his nostrils catching Its rjol 'faint elusive pcrfumo. Only last night, oil under tho moon, ho had stood thero . jfij with Shirley In hla arms. A guBh ot l Ml tho unbellovnblo BWcctncBS of that mo- ' JW ment poured over him. His faco I Mm softened. 'sal Standing with his sandaled foot J:H deep In tho whlto blossoms, tho bud ' on his damp liulr nnd tho Ioobo robo nmt clinging to his moist llmbe, ho gavo ;M hliniielf to a midden day-dream. A .H I wonderful waking dream ot Joy over- MM flooding yenrs of nmbltlonlcas oaso; ' SI of tho Damory Court that should be ' J (81 In dnya to como. ml When ho enmo from tho llttlo cloao 3.1 thcro was n now mystery In tho sun- ,,B' ulilno, a fresh nnd Joyous moaning In ' ft tho Intcnso bluo overarching ot tho , l lmpondcrablo eky. Every bird-note ,B held Its own love-secret. A wood- ' - J thrush Bnng It from a silver birch be- 'iLffl side tho Bummer-house, and a bob- IiHhH whlto .whistled It In the little volley ! beyond. Even tho long trlp-hammor (j II of a far-away woodpecker beat a ra- j Hj dlant tattoo. ' jfl Ha paused to grcot the flaming pea- ' i cock that sent out a curdling screech, '' 9 In which tho tentative pottcrackl pot- tornckl of a gulnoa-fowl tangled Itself , jH softly. "Go on," ho Invited. "Explodo all you want to, old Fire Cracker. JH Hang your purplo-and-gold pcsslmlsml M You only mnke tho blrda aound ' jfl Hwrotnr. Porhnpa that's what you're , for who knows?" jfl Ho tried to work, but work waa not fl for thnt marveloua nttornoon. Ho ' 'jg wnndorod about tho gardens, planning j ,'D this or that addition: a little longer tf'B sweep to tho pansy-bod u clump of H bull-ruBhoN nt the farthor end ot tho ' '9 luko. Ho poorod Into the stable: n 1 'm snddlo horse stood thore now, but 'M thoro should bo moro stoeds stamping In thoso stnllu ono dny, good horso- . Jm flesh bought with Bound wnlnut tlm- '' her from tho hlllsldo. How he and Kil Shlrloy would go galloping ovor thoso tvM gleaming ronds, In that rosouto futuru fiajifl whon sho bolongcd to him! Mill Undo Jefferson, from the door of V til tho kitchens, wntched him awlnglng m nbout In tho Bunehlno, whistling the if 'M "Indian Serenade." HM (TO HK CONTINUKD.) t&U |
