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Show s B VALMT3 VIRGINIA H I 111; &riMJJL ERMINE RIVES Jf. K I "1 ILLUSTRATIONS &T LAUREN 5TOUT Hrft! I SYNOPSIS. SI John Valiant, u rich society favorite, suddenly discovert that tho Valiant cor- paratlon, which Ills futher founded anil hlrh was Hie principal source of (.In neallh. had fulled. IIo voluntarily turns ever his private fortune to the rccelvtr for I ho corporation. Ills entire remaining possession consist of an old motor caf, a while bull doff and Dumory court, a neglected neg-lected estate In Virginia. On the wy to Jhimury court ho meets Hhlrley lhind-rhlfie. lhind-rhlfie. an auburn-haired beauty, and decides de-cides that he Is koImk to like VlrRlnla Immensely. Im-mensely. Shirley's inothur, Mrs. Dand-rldKe, Dand-rldKe, and Mujor Urlstow exchange reminiscences rem-iniscences during which It Is revealed that the major. Valiant's father, and n roan named Bassoon were rlvnls for tho hind of Mrs. UandrldRa In her youth. . Sassoon and Valiant fought a duel on her account In which the former was killed. , Valiant llnds Dumory court overgrown 5 lth needs and croppers and decides to rehsbllltnto the place. Valiant surm Shirley from the blto of a snake, which j bites hint. KnowInK the ilnndllncu of the bite, Shirley sucks tho prison from the wunnd und saves his life Valiant learns for tliu first time that Ws father left Virginia Vir-ginia on account of a duel In which Doctor Doc-tor Southall and MXjcr llrlstow acted as i Mi father' seconds Valiant and Shirley y become good friends. Mrs. DandrldRe faints when shn meets Valiant for the first time. Valiant discovers that ha has a fortune In old walnut trees. The yearly tournament, n survival of tho Jousting of feudal times. Is held nt Damory court. At the last moment Valiant takes the place of one of the knights, who Is sick, and "1 enters tho lists. IIo wins and chooses Rblrley DandrldRo as queen of beauty to IIm dismay of Kathetlne I'lirno, a former sweetheart, who Is islllnR In VlrRlnla. The tournament bull at Dumory court draws the elite of tho countryside. Shirley Shir-ley I s crowned by Valiant as queen of beauty Vullunt tells Shirley of his love snd they beenmo engaged, Knthcrlne Kargo, determining not to Rive up Valiant Vali-ant without a ntrUKRK points out to Shirley Shir-ley how terrible It would be for the woman wom-an who caused the duel to meet Valiant, who looks so much like his father. Shirley, Shir-ley, uncertain, but feeling that her mother moth-er was In love with the victim of Villi-ant's Villi-ant's pistol, breaks the enRBRemcnt.nreef King, a liberated convict whom Major llrlstow had sent to prison, makes threats against his prosecutor. Valiant pleads - lth Shirley, but falls to persuade her to chanRo her decision. , CHAPTER XXXI. Continued. I Uncle Jefferson's lips relaxed In a ldo grin. "Ah reck'n dah's er few q stray sprigs let', suh. Step In en mck 3 jo'ae'f ct homo. Ef Mars' John see ro ho bo mought'ly hoped up. Ah gwlneter mix yo' dat Julep In two hakes!" He disappeared around tho corner of tho porch and the major strodo Into tha hall, threw his gray slouch hat oa tho table, and sat down. It was quiet and peaceful, that an- clont hall. He fell to thinking of the II many tltnoa, of old, when he had ant there. The houso was tho samo again, now. It had waked from a thirty- rears' slumber to a renewed prime. I Only he had lived on meanwhile and eck I aow was old. IIo sighed. . How gay tho place hnd been tho I Dlght 0( tho bal1, wlUl tbe IlKhtB and Irtr I rosea and muelot He remembered sei what tho doctor had said about Vnl- nlc I "tnt and Shirley It had lain ever cn. I ,mco '" '''a nilnd, a painful specula om I on' Tuo recollection roused another I thought from which he shrank. He itlrred uneasily. What on earth kept " that old darky bo long ovor that julep? k I A alight nolso mado him turn his ai. kead. But nothing moved. Only a of :rcak of tho woodwork, ho thought, the I ,nJ settled back again in his chair. in- I ll n8 ,n fact- tt atcalthy footfall jje I o had heard. It camu from the , I library, whore a shabby figure :rouched, llstonlng, In tho corner be M I alnd tho tapestried screen a man D" evilly clad, with a scarred cheek. w I It had boen with no good purposo 111 .hat Greer King hnd dogged tho major or I Itinso last few days. Ho hugged a hot ei I hatred grown to white heat lu six m t m Greef King Stood an Inatant Breath-, Breath-, Ing Hard. M yeam of prison labor within bleak walls t Uio clicking shoo-mnchlno, or with ifto chain-gang on blazing or frost turnpikes. He had slunk boll bo-ll hind Ulm that afternoon, creeping up j tho drive under covor of tho bushes, 'H and whilo tho other talkod with Undo ili Jufforaon, had skjrtod tho houso und .v pntored from tho farthor sldo, through J an open French window. Now as ho 'Ii Peered from behtud the ecrcon, n illl Poer, snatched from tho flroplace. jllj a In his hand, lis furtlvo gaao fell 111 3pon ft morocco covered chso ort a 'III "ramoirt by his sldo, He lifted Its ill lid and Mh eyed narrowed ns ho saw" I Wiat H held a plstoj. Ho sot down I the poker noiselessly and took the I enpon, II. tJlted t It was niated, I out there wce loads In tho crinmbem I Ho crouchnd lower, with a whispered I Wko the major waa coming Into tho library, but not alone-tho old nlggar wus with him I Uncle Jefferson boro a tray with a frosted goblet ovor whoso rim peeped green leaves and which spread abroad an ambrosial odor, which the major sniffed npprovlngly as the othor set the burden on tho desk nt his elbow. 'Mnjah," said tho latter solemnly, you reck'n Mars' John en Mls shir-ley shir-ley " "Good lord!" said the major, wheel-lug wheel-lug to tho small ormolu clock on tho desk. "It's 'most four o'clock. Haven't you any Idea v. hero he's gone?" "No, suh, less'n he's gwlneter look ovah dom walnut trees. Whut Ah's gftlno tor say yo' reck'n Mars' John en Miss " "Walnut trees? Is ho going to ecll them?" "Tree man como f'om up norf some-whan some-whan ter so orbout ot ylstldday, Yas, suh. Yo' reck'n Mars' John en" "Nice pot of money tied up in that tlmberl Ho saw It right off. You'ro a lucky old rascal to have him for a master." "Hyuh, hyuhl" agreed Undo Jeffer-Bon. Jeffer-Bon. "Dam'ry Co'ot er heap bettah dan drlvln' er ol" stngo ter do deepo for drummaliB en llghtnln'-rod agents. Ah sho' do pray do Good Man ter mok Mars' John happy," ho added soberly, "but Ah's mought'ly 'sturbed In mah mind mought'ly 'eturbcdl" Tho hidden watcher waited motionless. motion-less. From whoro he stood ho could look. Ho waited till through tho rear window ho snw tho negro's bent figure dlsnppcar Into tho kitchens. Then ho noiselessly lifted himself upright, and resting tho pistol on tho screen-top, took deliberate nln nnd pulled the trigger. Tho hammer clicked sharply on the worthless thirty-year-old cartrldgo, and tho major sprang around with an exclamation, ex-clamation, aB with an oath, tho othor dashed tho screen aside and again pulled the trigger. "You Infernal murderer!" cried tho major. It was all ho said, for, as he swung his chair up, tho one-tlrao bully of Hell's-Half-Acre rushod In and struck him a single sledge-hammer blow with tho clubbed pistol. It fell full on tho major's templo and the heavy Iron crashed through. Greet King stood an instant breathing breath-ing hard, then, without withdrawing his eyes from the p rostra to form, his hand groped for tho cold goblet and lifting It to his lips, drained it to its dregB. "There!" ho said. "There's my six-years' debt paid In full, ye llly-llv-ered, fancy-weakited hellion I Tako that from tho mayor of tho Dome!" There was n inan'B atop on tho gravel and tho sudden bark of a dog. Tho pistol fell from his hand. He stolo on tiptoe along tho corridor and leaped through tho French window. As he dashed across tho lnwn, a stnrtled cry camo from tho house bo-hind bo-hind him. No human eyo had seen him, but ho hnd been obsorved for all that. Hun our best now, Greef King! Doublo nnd turn how you will, there Is a swifter swift-er Nemesis pursuing. It Is only a dog, and not a big ono at that, but It Is of a faithful breed that knows neither fear nor quarter. Like white lightning, without a bark or growl, Chum launched hlmeolf on tho fleeing quarry, quar-ry, and In tho shadow of the trees his teoth mot In tho ragged trousers-log. Kicking, beating with his hands at tho dragging weight, tho man dashod on. Not till thoy bad reached the hemlocks hem-locks was that fterco grip broken, and then It was with a tearing of flesh and sinew. Panting, snarling with rage and pain, the man seized a fallen branch nnd stood at bay, striking out with vicious sweeping blowe. Hut the bulldog, bull-dog, tho hair bristling up on his thick nock, his rod-rlmroed eyes fiery, circled cir-cled beyond reach of the flail, crouching crouch-ing for another spring. Again ho launched himself, and tho man, dodging, blundered full-fuce Into a thorn-bush. Tho Bharp spines Blashcd his forehead and tho starting blood blinded him, so that ho ran without with-out sense of direction otralght upon tho declivity of Lovers Leap. He was toppling on Its edgo beforo ho could stop, and then throw himself backward, clutching desperately at tho sllppory fern-covered rock, fedlnghla feet dangling over nothing. Ho dug his fingers into tho yielding soil and with knee nnd elbow strove frenzledly to crawl to the path. Uut tho whlto bulldog was upon him. Tho clamping teoth met In tho striving Angora, nnd with n scream of pain Greof King's hold lot go and dog and man went down togothor. Ten minutes later a motor was hurling hurl-ing Itself along tho lied Rond to the village. The doctor was In IiIh afllco and no tlmo was lost in the return, Kn routo thoy pasbed Judge Chalmers driving, and seeing tiia flying hasto, ho turned his sweating pair and lashed them after tho car. So thnt when tho mnjor finally oponcd his ryes from tho big leather couch, ho looked on tho facee of two of his oldest frlelids. Recollection and understanding seembd to como at once. nVoll Southall?" Tho doctor's hand closed over the whlto tso on tho settee. Ho did not answer, but hla chin' was qutvorlng and ho waa winking fast. "How long?" aaked tho major after n lengthy intuuU. "Mnybo maybe an hour, llrlstow. Maybo not." The major winced nnd shut his oyea, but when tho doctor, retching swiftly for a phial on the tablo, turned again, It waa to find that look onco more on him, now In yearning appeal. "South-nil," "South-nil," ho aald, "sand for Judith. I I muat aee her. Thero'a tlmo." Tho Judgo started up. "I'll bring her," ho said, nnd his voice hnd nil tho tenderness of n woman's. "My enr-rlago enr-rlago is at tho door and with thoso horees she ought to bo hero in twonty minutes." He loaned ovor tho couch. "Urlstow," hb said, "would you would you ltko mo to send for tho rector?" Tho major smiled, a Mttlo wistfully, and shook his head. Ho lay silent for a whilo after tho Judgo had gono out ho seemed housing his strength whilo tho ormolu clock on tho desk tlckod ominously on, and tho doctor buslod "No," He Said, In Answer to Her Look, "He Won't Rouae Again." himself with tho glasses beside btm. I'reBcntly ho said huskily: "You'vo had a bad fall, llrlstow. You were dizzy, I reckon." "Dizzy 1" echoed tho major with feeble asperity. "It was Groef King." "Greet Klngl Good God!" "He was hiding behind tho screen. He struck me with somothlng. Hs sworo at his trial ho'd get mo. I was a fool not to have remembered hit time was out." A look, wolMIko and grim, had sprung into tho doctor's face. Ilia eyes searched the room, and he crossed tho floor and picked up something from tho rug. IIo looked nt It a moment, then thrust It hastily Into hla breast pocket. "I romomber now. It was a pistol. Ho snapped It twice, but It missed llro." "He can't hldo whore wo'll not find him!" Tho doctor spoko with low but terrible energy. "Not that I care myBolf," said tho mnjor difficultly. "But I reckon ho'd better bo eettled with, or he'll bo killing kill-ing Bomo one worth while ono ot theao days." A big tear suddenly loosed Itself from tho doctor'B eyelid and rolled down hla check, and he turnod hastily away. "Tboro's no call to feol bad," said tho major gruffly. "I've sort of been a thorn-ln-the-flcsh to you, Southall. We always rowed, somehow, and yet " The doctor choked and cleared his throat. "I reckon," the major murmured with n faint Btnllo, "you won't get qulto eo much tun out of Chalmors and tho rest. They never did rlso to you ns I did." A llttlo later ho asked for the restorative restor-ative "Ten minutes gono," ho said then. "Chalmers ought to bo at Rosewood Rose-wood by now . . . what a fool way to go llko this. Hut It wasn't apo ploxy, Southall, anyway." At tho sound of whoelB on tho drive Valiant went out quietly. Huddled li a corner of tho hall were Undo Jef forson and Aunt Daphne, with Jere boam, tho major's body-sorvant. Aun Daphne, hor apron thrown over hei faco was rocking to and fro silently. nnd old Joreboam's head waa bowed on hla breast. Valiant went quickly to tho rear of tho hall. A painful embarrassment em-barrassment had come to him a curious curi-ous confusion mingling with a fastidious fastidi-ous sonao of shrinking. How should ho moot this woman who recoiled from the Very sight of his face? In tho Bwlftnoss of tho tragic event bo had forgotten this. From tho background ho saw Judgo Chalmors lift down thu frnll form, and suddenly his heart leaped. Thoro wero"two fchilnlno figures; fig-ures; Shirley was with her mother. Tho doctor stood Just Inside tho library li-brary door nnd Mrs. Dandrldgo wont hastily toward him, hor light cano tap-Ping tap-Ping through tho strlckon ellenco. Joro-boam Joro-boam lifted his head and looked at hor plteously. "Reck'n Mars' Monty cyan' see olo Jorry now," ho quavered, "but yo'-nll gib lilra mah lovo, Mis' Judith, nnd toll him " His volco broke. "Yea, yes, Jerry, I will." Tho doctor closed tho door upon her nnd camo to where Shlrloy waited "'Como, my dear," ho said, and dropped hla arm about hor. "Let ua go out to tho garden " As they passed Valiant, alio held out hor hand to him. Thero wbb no word botween them, but aa hla hand swallowed swal-lowed hers, his heart Bald to her, "I lovo you, I love youl No matter what la botween us, I shall alwojs love youl" It waa wordtosa, a heart-whisper that only lovo Itself could hear, and ho could read no anBwer In tho deep pools of hor eyes, heavy now with unshed un-shed tears. Hut In aomo Bubtlo way his volcoleas greeting, comforted and lightened by n little the weight -f dumb lmpotenco that ho had homo. In tho library, lighted so brightly by the'aunllght, yet gravo with the hush of that solemn presence, the major looked Into tho faco of tho woman for whoso coming ho had wnlted bo nnx-lously. nnx-lously. "Ifa nll-up, Judith," ho said, fnlntly. "I've como to tho Jumplng-off placo." Sho looked nt him whltcly. "Monty, Monty!" ahu cried. "Don't leave me thla way! I alwaya thought" Ho guessed what sho would havo said. "Heaven knows yoo'ro needed moro than me, Judith. After all, I reckon when my tlmo had to como I'd have chosen tho quick way." Hla volco trailed out and ho struggled for breath. "Jerry'a In the hall, Monty. Ho asked me to give you his lovo." "Poor old nlggerl Ho used to toto me on his back whon I wbb a llttlo shaver." Thoro wbb a Bllenco. "Don't kneel, Judith," he said nt longth. "You will bo so tired." Sho roso obediently nnd drew up a chair. "Monty," sho fnltcrod tremulously, tremu-lously, "shall I say n prayer? I'vo nov-or nov-or prayed much my prayers never seemed to get abovo tho colling, somo-how. somo-how. Hut I'll try." He smiled wanly. "I wouldn't want any better than yours, Judith. Hut sooms as If I'd boon prayed ovor enough. I reckon God Almlghty'a llko anybody elso, nnd doesn't want to bo ding-donged nil tho time." He seemed to havo been gathering his resolution, nnd presently his hand fumbled over his breast. "My wallot; give It to me." Sho drew It from tho pocket and tho uncertain fingers took out a key. "It opens a tin box In my trunk. Thoro'a a letter in it for you." Ho paused a moment, panting: "Judith," "Ju-dith," he said. "I've got to toll you, but It's mighty hard.' Tho lotter . . . It'a ono Valiant gave mo for you that morning, after the duol. I never gave It to you." If aha bad been whlto beforo, she grew llko marblo now. Hor slim Angora An-gora clutched tho little cano till It rnt-tied rnt-tied against the chair, and tho laco at her throat shook with her broathlng. "Yes Monty." Ho lifted his hand with difficulty nnd put tho koy Into hers. "Tho senl's still unbroken, Judith," ho snld, "but I've kept it theso thirty years." Sho was holding tho koy In hor hands, looking down upon It, Thero was a Btralnod half-fearful wonder in her faco. For an Instant she seemed quite to havo forgotten him In the grip of somo swift and painful emotion. emo-tion. "I loved you, Judith!" ho atam-mered atam-mered In anguished appeal. "From the tlmo we were boy and girl together, togeth-er, I lovod you. You nevor cared for mo Sassoon nnd Valiant had tho Inside In-side track. You might havo loved mo; but I had no chnnco with clthor of them. Then came tho duol. Thoro was only Valiant then. I overheard his promlBO to you that night, Judith. IIo had brokon that! If you cared moro for him than for Sassoon, you might havo forgiven him, nnd I should havo lost youl I didn't want you to call him back, Judith! I wanted my chnnco! And bo I took It. That's tho reason, dear. It's It's n bnd one, In't It!" ! 111 Kt5aaa mm A shiver went over hor set face llko a breath of wind over tall graas, and sho soemed to como back from nn Inflnlto distance to place nnd moment Hetweon tho curtnlns a white buttor-lly buttor-lly hovered nn Instant, nnd In the yard Bho hoard tho Bound of same wlngod thing fluttering. Tho thought darted to hor that it wo tho sound of her own dead heart nwaktng. Sho lookod nt tho koy nnd nil nt once put a hand to her mouth na though to still words clamoring there. "Judith," ho aald tremuloualy. be-tweon be-tweon ahort atrugglcB for breath, "all thoso yoara, nftor I found thoro wna no chnnco for mo, I rockon I'vo prayed only ono prayer. 'God, lot It bo Sassoon that sho loved 1' And I've prayod that mighty near every day Tho thought thnt mnybo It wna Vnllant hna haunted mo ltko a ghost. You novor told and I nover dared ask you. Judith" Hor faco was still averted, and whon oho did not speak ho turned hla head from her on tho pillow, with a broatb thnt was almost a moan. Sho started, looking at htm nn Instant In piteous hesitation, then swiftly kissed tho little lit-tle koy nnd closed her hand tight upon It. Truth? Sho Baw only tho pillow nnd tho graying faco upon ltl She threw horaolt on her knoca by the couch and laid her lips on tho pallid forohcad. "It It wna Sa8Roon, Monty," she said, nnd her volco broko on tho flrat llo Bho had over told. "Thank God!" ho gaBped. IIo struggled strug-gled to raiso himself on his elbow, then suddenly tho strength faded out nnd ho settled back. Her cry brought tho doctor, but thla tlmo tho rostoratlvo scorned of no nvall, and nftor a tlmo ho came and touchod hor shoulder. With a last long look nt tho ash-pnlo faco on tbe sottco sho followed him from tho room. In tho yellow parlor ho put her Into a chair. "No," ho snld, In answer to hor look, "ho won't rouse ngnln." "I will wait," sho told him. and he loft her, shutting tho door with careful care-ful softness. Uut tho slight flguro with Its silver hair, sitting there, wns not alone. Ghosts wero walking up and down Not tho mlaty wraiths John Valiant hnd nt times Imagined went flitting along tho empty corridors, but facet very clear in tho sunlight, that camo and wont with tho memories so long woven over by tho shtittlo of tlmo evoked now by the touch of a koy that her hand still clenched tightly In Ha palm. There welled over her In a tldo those days of puzzle, tho wceka of waiting silence, tho slow Inoxorablo months o( ncartacho, tho long years that had deepened tho mystery of Dcauty Valiant's Vali-ant's exile. In tho flrat shock of tha news that Sassoon had fallen by his hand, sho hnd thought sho could not forglvo him that broken faith. Sho und his promlso to her had not welghod In tho balance against tho Idea of manly "honor!" Uut thla bitterness had at length slipped nway. "Ho will write," she had told herself, "and ox-plnln." ox-plnln." Hut no word had como. Whls pors had flitted to hor tho talo ot Sassoon's intoxication stinging barbs that clung to Hcauty Valiant's name That theso should rest unanBworod had Ailed her with resentment nnd nngor. Slowly, but with deadly auroty, had grown tho belief that ho no longer cared. In tho end thero had been left her only prldo tho prldo that covert Its wound and smiles. And sho had hidden her wound with flowers. Hut In tho deopcat well of her heart her lovo for him had rested unchnnged, clear and defined ub n moss In amber, wrapped In that mystery of Bllenco. (to nrc coNTiNunn.) |