Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-19
ALICE ef OLD VINCENNE>S
Copyright. :ssOOs sy the -BowEMssERRssL COMPANY
By MAURICE


 mate 10 that now worn~uy r1am1Iron, hung in it's. curious1y; engraved scab- bard near one corner. The sight of it 1nfamed Farnsworth. s'Tt's an outragel' he broke forth. Governor Hamilton sent a man to Roussillon place with orders to bring him the scabbard of Miss Roussillon's sword, andth he new wears the beautiful weapon as if the> had come by 1t hon. estly. Cr1rse .himp' | My dear, dear son, you must not soil your lips with such languagey' l Father Beret letefalkthe half of a we'll bitten cake .ands held up both hands.
 "I beg your pardon, father. I know I ought to be more careful in your i presence, but-but-the beastly scoun- dreP'-
 "Bah! |, Doucement, mon fls, douce- ment." The old man shook his. head and his finger while speaking. Easy, my son, easy. You would be q fine 1 target for9E bullets were your words to reach HatniltoRs ears. You are not permitted 9to ;revile3your commander"
 "Yes. I .skn0w; but how can. man restrain himself under such abomtna- ble condtdons?"
 | Father Beret shrewdly guessed that | Hamilton had been giving the captain fresh reSsons for bitter resentment Moreover,~he was sure that the moving cause had been Alice. So in order to draw out what he wished to hear, he said very gently:
 | "How is the little prisoner getting 1 along2'
 Farnsworth ground his teeth and swore, but Father Beret appeared not ] to hear. He bit deep into a scone, took liberal sip of the muddy red wine :! and added:
 ]! "Has she a comfortable place? Do 1 you think Governor Hamilton would 1 let me visit her?''
 "It is horriblew Farnsworth blurted. "She's penned up as if she wereSardan- gerous beast, the poor girl. AndSthat 1 d-d scoundrel''-
 "Son, sonv'
 ''Oh, it's no use to try. I can't help {, 1t, father. The whelp''-
 ''We can converse more safely and intelligently if we avoid profanity and undue emotion, my son. Now. if you
 
 will be calm, so will r.
 Farnsworth felt tie sly irony of this absurdly vtcarious proposition. Father Beret smiled with kindly twinkle in his deep set eyes.
 l Well, if you don't use profane ian 1 guage, father. there's no telling how much you think in explosives. What is your opinion of a man who tumbles poor, defenseless girl into prison and then refuses to let her be decently cared for? How do you express your self about hin?'
 My son, men often do things of which they ought to be ashamed. I heard of young officer once who mal- treated q little girl that he met at night in the street. What evil he would have done, had not a passing kind hearted man reminded him of his honor by friendly punch in the ribs. dare not surmise."
 True, and your sarcasm goes home as hard as your fist did, father. I know that I've been a sad dog all my life. Miss Roussillon saved you by shooting me, and love her for it. Lay on, father; I deserve more than l you can give me"
 ] Surely you do, my son, surely you do, but my love for you will not let mo give you pain. An, we priests have to 1 carry all mems loads. Our backs are 1 broad, however; very broad, my son. And your fists are heavy, father: mighty heavy"
 The gentle smile again dickered over Sl1y yNy.;o l glanced sidewise at Farnsworth and said:
 Sometimes, sometimes, my son, a carnal weapon must break the way for I a spiritual one. But we priests rarely have much physical strength Our de- ! pendence is upon'-
 ITO be sure; certainly" Farnsworth I interrupted, rubbing his side. "Your 1 dependence is upon the first thing that i offers. I've had many blow, but l yours was the solidest that ever jared l my mortal frame, Father Beret'' l The twain began to laugh. There is ! nothing like a reminiscence to stir up 1 fresh mutual sympathy.
 If your intercostals were somewhat ! sore for a time on account of a con- ! I1CC WILL pE1GSlIy hnucklGS, uOuOCloSS | there soon set in corresponding un- easiness in the region of your con- science. Such shocks are often vigor- l ously alternative and tonic; eh, my son?'
 'sYou jolted me sober, father, and then I was ashamed of myself. But 1 where does all your tremendous strength lie? You don't look strong"
 While speaking Farnsworth leaned l near Father Beret and grasped his arm. The young man started, for his fingers, instead of closing around a fabby, shrunken old mans limb, 1 spread themselves upon a huge, knot ted mass of iron muscles. With l quick movement Father ~Beret shook off F'arnsworth's hand and said:
 T am no Samson, my son. Non sum | qualis cram" Then, as if dismissing light subject for a graver one, he