The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-09-13


than usual. and more gruffiy and
loudly. but at last. after wandering
about the room some minutes. all the
time talking, scolding, he swooped
on Francois and thrust q thick paper
into his coat and at the same instant
his heavy left hand was over Fran
co.'s mouth.
mot word" he whispered. and
then The loaf OF bread"
Francois, stuck dumb and blind,
turned hot and cold, and his shaking
hand In his coat pocket clutched the
letter.
But Battista prodded him with his
hard foreanger. BE careful" he
muttered, and then again, The
bread"-with sharp prod-"The loaf
Of bread"-and the door had Changed.
Battista was gone.
A strong man. who had not been
shut away from life, would likely
have read the letter instantly, would
instantly have examined the long
round loaf lying before him. Fran
coils was Ill and weak and II was the
FIRST word for Ave years from his own
people, which lay in his hand; he
| sat as II turned to stone, touching the
paper 90 II that we're enough; he sat
for perhaps fifteen minutes.
Then suddenly Dreathlessness
came over him that something might
happen before he could read it--this
writing. which. whatever 1t should
say, meant life and death to him.
Taking care not to rustic the paper,
deadening the sound under his bed
clothes. he read 1t. kneeling by the
bed. It was four letters--from his
mother and Alike and the general and
Pietr0; but the first three were short.
! He felt. indeed. reading them, that
no words had been written, that only
the arms of the people he loved had
strained about him and their faces
laid against his. and that 80. word.
leshly, they had told him but one
thlng-their undying love. Weak,
lonely, his intense temperament
stretched to the breaking point by
the last three months Of fearful hope,
1t was more than he could bear. He
put the papers against his cheek and
HIS head dropped on the bed, and
storm of tears tore his soul and
body. But 1t was dangerous: he must
not be OF his guard; he remembered
that swiftly, and with shaking fingers
he opened .Pietro's letter-Pietro's
letter which, yellowed and faded but
distinct yet. In the small clear writ
Ing, Is guarded today with those other
letters In the mahogany desk In vir-
ginia.
my dear brother Francois" the
letter began, and quick tears came
again at that word brother" which
said 30 much. my dear brother
Francois-this ia not to tell you how
have searched for you and never
forgotten you. / will tell you that
when see you. This Is to tell you
how to get out Of that house of mine
which has held you as a prisoner
when you ought to have been its well
come guest. When Italy is free We
will do that over; but we must get
you free first. Francois. am now
within Ave miles of YOU"
The man on his knees by the prison
bed gasped; the letters staggered be-
fore his eyes.
I am living on a ship, and will
explain how I got 1t when | see you.
In Few days now, Franc Dis. Every
night for week, beginning with to-
night. there will be person watch
Ing Tor you In Riders Hollow, from
midnight till daylight. After that we
shall go away for two weeks so a.
to avoid giving suspicion. and then
repeat the arrangement again every
night for week. You do not know
Riders Hollow, and It Is unnecessary
TO tell you more about It than that
II Is a lonely place hidden In trees.
ana supposed to be haunted by ghosts
OF men on horseback; the people
ABOUT VIII not 60 there for love or
money except by broad daylight.
ihis Is the way you are to get
there. In the wine-cellar of the
castle, which opens from the govern
ors room-in old times always the
room OF the loId-in that wine.cellar.
on the north wall, is a square block
OF stone projecting slightly beyond
the wall. II you press the lower or.
ner on the left-hand side. OF the stone
unoer this, the big stone above will
swing out and show an opening large
ehougn for man to pass. Going
through, you close the door by press.
ing the same stone, and you then will
md yourself In an underground pass.
age which leads straight half a mile
through the earth to Riders Hollow
inc passage Is five hundred wears
OLD and only the family OF the zann,s
nave ever known of H. went
through 1t once in my boyhood with
my rather, and 1t was In perfect CON.
oition, 80 believe that IL will no
now. II was built with soliditv-as
one may believe. for II the old Zapnis
wanted 1t at all they wanted n IN
working order. ~
four part will be difficult Eran.
co.'s, but believe you can do T. vnr
VIII have to get the key of the wilma
cellar, or else force the lock Con
you DO that? It is necessary TO do r.
Francois, for we can not get ON win
Out you, and We shall from now live
only to set you free. send Won
something which may be useful,
Francois dropped the letter and
picked up the long loaf and tore n
apart. There was q Ale In the center
As II powerful tonic had been in.
FUSED into him he felt strength ana
caimness pour through him. He read
the letters over and over till he had
them by heart; then he concealed
them carefully. with the file. in bia