But Valerie had no desire for a tetc-a-iete
with Bor I Westbrook.
“We must not linger here too long,” she
said, “or Mrs. Dudley will be waiting for
us.”
“Why such a hurry?” exclaimed Lord
Westbrook, reproachfully.
But the words only made Valerie quicken
her steps, walking hastily and heedlessly
across the gnarled, spreading roots of a
giant beech, and suddenly her foo* slippe I;
with a sharp cry of pain she re I 1, bat bo
ore she could fall, Max Beauregard, not
many feet front her now, sprang forward,
and flung his arm around her.
"Valerie, my child, are you hurt?”
But trying to answer him, a deadly pal
lor swept over her face, her head fell back
against him: for the first time in Iter life
she had fainted.
“Westbrook,” said Beauregard, quickly
and decidedly, “go down the hillside bs
himl ns—it is an easy path—there is a
woodman’s c ittage at the fool—bring some
water. Don’t 1 ok so terrified, man! she
has sprained her foot, and fainted from the
pain. Go quickly!”
Bord Westbrook obeyed without a word,
however much lie might resent Valerie be
ing in Colonel Beauregard’s care instead
of in his own.
And Max Beauregard was once more
alone with Valerie. Despite his suffering
fur her pain, a passionate exultation filled
his heart, as he looked down at the white
face lying against him.
