Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-02-24
knight Grant
By EDNA LYALL


fine English face came TO his aid.
u am a fool" he thought. What
ever the captains faults, he would
never be false to the traditions Of his
country. A forced marriage might
we'll be among our own people, but
the English feel very differently
about such matters Mr.. Britton
would do all that could be done TO
pr4yent it, even if the captain had
been too much taken by the tile,
And for the rest-should Francesca
ever wish it--why then, there would
he nothing to be said, In that case -
he smiled, because in his heart he
was perfectly sure Of her unchange-
able love-'in that case | suppose !
should wish it msyelf since her nap
piness would be mine
with sigh. he dismissed vague
fears for the future. but the undenia-
bic sorrows Of the present were not
so easily laid aside, Once more he
lived through his last meeting with
F'rancegca--on more he recalled all
that she had said to him in the TEN
ple of Venus and then saw again in
figure on the ueck Of the Pilgrim.
If only he could have borne 1t all for
her. But In that lay the really hard
part of the lot he had chosen; he had
deliberately made the choice which
involved suffering. not only for him
SELF. but for another.
II was hard, there was no gain
saying that; II was hard to think Of
leaving this dear, familiar garden,
with it's lovely giimpses OF Ischia
and Of the blue sea in between; 1t was
hard 10 leave the place where his
happy childhood and boyhood had
been spent; but il was far harder 20
think that francesca would be left
with an aching heart in the midst Of
all this lovellne8s, that the very
beauty Of the place would but re.
mind her OF past happiness. But
then there came to his mind one OF
s:.,s 50. golden maxims Of Mazzim
which had already done much to
shap, and color his life Every act
even It the price Of increasing her
earthiv irGtls--so that the sister-soul
unItcd 10 your own may never need,
here or elsewhere. to blush through
you or for you"
At least. he had tried so to act; he
h,a -..a, forth la a typnd s.aiIqp aud
with reasonable hope of success
And yet even now his temptations
were not over. for, as he lay there
In the shade watching Gigi, who was
chasing white butterfly down the
moss grown walk, there spoke TO him
the very devil himself disguised dn-
der a specious show OF common-sense
and worldly wisdom.
Have you not. after all, been I'M
entionally uniust?" urged the
tempter. Are you not making the
innocent suffer for the guilty? Surely
| there must be a screw loose there
injustice can never be right A WORD
of warning to Merlno would have
been quite enough to induce him tC
suffer in order TO save Nita from g
disagreeahle scene with her husband
which she deserved"
But. then" ne reflected Il could
only have told Merlino through 1
/ deliberate breach Of Nita's conf
/ dence She would newer have
trusted me again: she would never
have understood that | longed to hell
her Generic would have seemed hel
only protector; she would have beer
driven desperate. and would have
! gone to him. Would not Francesc,
| have had cause 10 blush for theu
/ them There could have been M
happiness for us bought at such {
price as that bceiGcs il would have
been wnlful disobedlence TO what
was told to do"
1t had been sharp encounter, but
he had worsted his foe. and was lef'
strong in the possessloe OF that mems
/ console rect' mich had helped I,
bear him up lhrough Captain Brit
TONS insults and circumstances. ant
/ Uncle Gujdo's anger. Moreover
/ there came to him one Of those inter
( walls of comfort which make all sor
row worth while. and he knew that 4
( would he thus. too with Francesca.
san Carlo San Carlo" shouted
/ Gigi tearing up the path TOWARD
/ him rive caught 4 at last--just yol
see
His rosy face besmed with happi
ness bis eyes shone. and in his "a
little brown hand he clasped III,
white butterfly
A souvenir of happy day an,
he first butterfly for our collection,
said Carlo. showing Gigi how TO d is
pose his treasure in one OF the orthu
doX little boxes.
The child threw his arms round hi
neck,
4 love YOU So he cNclaiu I'd
There was no collections. or treats
or anything nice at all tin YOU came
Before long Gigi discovered that h
was hungry as well as thirsty The
had wandered along the dcsertel
Baja shore In search o. more butter
flies, and the only pace to whicl
they accordingly repaired, Gigi sturt
lily climbing the outside staircase
ana eu,ranccd 80 fud a number o
peasants seated at the Inn table liz th