The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-06-21

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rogue. Tell me- quickly, which way Gian-
nc,to Went for it is he am alter and am
certain lie took this path.''
.Wllo knows!"
"Who knows" roarcd the adiutant. 81
know that YOU have seen him"
Can one see all the plsscrs .by when ono
is aslccpt"
You were not asleep, good for. nothing
lit'lc wretch: the gun-shots must have
| Weakened YOU"
| on think, then. my cousin. that your
guns make ii great mosc' My fathers car
bmc makes much louder onc''
MAY the devil cOmfound vom. am very
sure YOU have seen Giannctto Pcrhap, Won
have even hidden him. Comrades, 90 into
the house and see il our man is not there,
lie was dragging along on one foot and hc
knows too much. the rogue. to try and reach
,hc maIuis while limpng in that manner.
Besides, the marks of blood stop here"
"And what will papa say" asked Fortu.
natn, 'whcn he knows people have entered
his house when he was absrnt.'
"Rascal!' said the adjutani. scizng him
by the car, do YOU know tina, | rau make
YOU sing another tune! After have given
YOU twenty blows with the flat of II sword.
you will speak"
| MY father is AInteo Falconc," said For
tunato, with emphasis
do You know, you little scoundrcl, that !
can take YOU away to Cor,c, or lsas,a; that
can put You in Il dungeon on straw, with
Chains on your ankles, and 1 will have Won
snillotincd, il YOU do not tell me where
Giannr,to Sanpirro isl
| ,,,t In,
threat, and repeated: "My father is Nlatco
| falconc."
"Adjutant," said onc of the soldiers i'm n
low tone, "bcwarc of uuarrcling with
Matco"
| GAMBIA was evidently embarrassed. He
talked in Il low voice with his men. who had
already searched the house. II was no, Il
lengthy operation, Tor the cabin of IL Curs-
can contains hut single square room. The
furniture consists of IL table some benches.
aricst or two, and hunting and cookin..
utensils Meanwhile, the little boy pl;,yr,l
with the kittens, and seemed To take Il ma
lici"us Joy in the evident confusion of his
cousin and the soldiers
One OF the latter approached the heap of
straw, and he SAW the cat and carclcssly
thrust his baNomct inin the straw, shrurgintr
his shoulders, ;li il lic fcl, the prc,.au,inn
was ridiculous. Nothing stirred, and the
| rhild's face betrayed not the slightest emo.
tion The adjutant and his Moup wcra in
despair. Already thri looked seriously at
the plain as if disposed to return whence
they came, when their chief, convinced ,h,t
threats produced no impression on l'ulcone's S
| son, resolved To make II last effort, and try
| the effect Of ralrSSrS and bribery
Little cousin" said lc, You seem n very
wld"'aWakc fellow: you'll make ynurmarli;
b'' YOU are paNin" an ugly game with Inc,
and II was not afraid of giving pain TO my
cousin Matco, may the devil catch nc! bu,
would carry you of with mo"
'l;ah'" said tn" Guild.
"i'ut when my cousin Ala,co returns, I
shall relate the whole affair io him. and he
will whip YOU Till the blood comes iorhlyiu-
lied To me"
"Rcally,"
"iou will scc--bui hold-vou are a fine
boy, and will give you something"
And ], my ronsin will give YOU IL piece
Of advice, which is il Nou wait much
longer. Gianlc,'n will bc in the mauuis, and
then will need NOR" than one strong fcl-
low like you to =" and iinl him"
The adjut:ntdirw from his rocknt silver
watch. worth about ten crowns, and. oh.
serving hat the eyes of the child spIrkcd
its he looked at il, he said tu him. holding
the watch dangling hv its steel chain:
Would You not hc delighted to have a
watch ILL" tI,n, h""";".e f"..," ,.",," ,,"..,,.
rhio as proud as il peacock, and when pc0-
pic would ask YOU, Whats o'clnckn then
You could say, Look ut my watch and find
outrr
"Whcn am a big boy my uncle will give
me Il watch"
"ics, but your nnclc's son already has
one; not as handsome as this, 10 he sure,
but then he is younger than your
The child sighed.
'Wcl do you want this watch little
cousin:"
Fortunate, gancing at the watch from the
corner of his eye, rcscmblcd II eat, TO whom
you offer Il chicken. AS IL feels you ar.
joking, it darcs not put its paw on the fowl,
and from time 10 limo turns away it's eyes.
so As not TO yield to the temptation, bu,
lirks its chops every minute and seems to
say To its master, ''your joke is Il very cruel
oncw
However, the adlutant seemed sincere in
Offering his watch. Fortunate did not
stretch out his hand. but said, with IL bitter
smile, why do you joke with rnc:''
"By heavens! ! am not joking, only tell
me where Gianncto is, and the watch is
yours"
Fortunate smiled incrclulously. and fixed
his black eyes on those of the adju,ant. he
tried To read there how much to believe of
what lie said
MAY lose my cpaulc:s:" cried the adju.
tant, 'if dn not give You this watch. pro
vi'r,l you do not ask. Ny men are witness
rs. and cannot rrtrar, my promise.
AS he spoke he held the watch nearer so
that il almost touched the child's face. For
tuna'o showed plainly in his face the strg-
gle in his soul between rovc,ousncss and
tho respect due 10 hospitality. Ills naked
breast hclvcd Violently and lie seemed half
sufTocatcd. However, the watch continued
Ia turn and twist about, and sometimes
struck the end of his nose Finally. little
b." little, his right hand rose slowly toward
the watch the ends of his fingers touched
i, and he frl, its weigh, before the alju,ant
dropped the end OF the chain The dial
plate was sky blue, the ease newly polished.
and, in the sun, it shonc like fire. The
tcmptaiOn WAS too strong:
Fortunate raised HIS lclt land slowly. lau
pointed with his left thumb over his should
cr, ut the heap of straw. The auju,amt in
stantly understood his gesture. He let 90
the end of the chain, and Fortunate fcl, him
self whole po>scSsor of the watch. He arose
with the agility of Il deer, ran Il fc:. STEPS
from tho heap of hay. which the soldiers
Immediately began Ia ovrrturu. II was not
lon" before Il man, covered with blood luin-
ard III hand. crlwlcd out: but as he tried to
raise to his feet his wounded thigh did not
;tjutant threw himself upon MIN and seized
his stiictto. and lie WAS soon securely tied,
despite his struggles. Lying Oh he ground,
and bound up lil;cl fag.ot, Gainnctt0 turn
rd his head toward Fortunate and Kissed
son Of il dog The child tossed back the
i"rin" that he had ceased To deserve it, but
the outlaw paid 10 attention To this move
mrn'. He said roolly To the adIulan,:
My dear GAMBIA, cannot walk you will
be forced to carry me to town
''i'ou ran quicker than Il squirrel awhile
ago. replied the cruel con1ucror; but be
easy: am 50 clad To have caught YOU that
could carry YOU for Il league ON nv back
without fatigue As for the rest, cnmra,it.
We Will make you li,tcrout of some branch
cS and your cloak. and at Crespole's farm
we shall lind horses
''Al! right said tn" prisoner. ''pu, also Il
lit'l straw on the litter that / may lie cas-