South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-11-06

he had lost and more--so the tale
would run
And SO Francois set down the glass
empty. and for the last time cried the
fatal word-"DOublei"
In silence, with a crowd of silent
men, who in some way had come TO
know what was happening, standing
about them. the two played the last
round. And Francois lost
In silence he signed the note which
gave to the stranger his house and
furniture and land, all that he had
in the world and stood up and looked
about at the faces gathered as if
astoniShed. A long second he looked
at them; then he bent and stared
froR the low open window which
faced him, and the men, following his
eyes, saw with a manner of shock
that they were focused on the distant
village Of Vicques and on the church
standing separated at one end of it,
and on the house next, his home.
With that he stood straight, and fell
through the crowd without a word,
and out of the doorway, and plunged
forward with strides which lufched
drunkenly. But he was not drunk.
CHAPTER VII.
Work and Hope.
The next day a sheriff and his clerk
came and fixed red seals to the house
and to everything in it which locked,
and Claire watched in a deep quiet.
the baby in her arms. The children
watched too. awed, but yet pleased, as
1t is with children, to be part of an
event. Tomas Dragged openly to AL
phonse Villeneuve.
You have no affairs at your
house." he observed. AT our house
all the neighbors are crying, and
nh = - Il,
who puts red things on the table
drawers and on my fathers desk. 1t
is amusing to have affairs"
1t came as a surprise to such hon
est pride to receive at this moment
a blow on the ear from his older
brother. "Blockhead." Francois said,
do you not understand that we are
losing our home? Is that arnusing?"
The brown eyes of Francois were
burning like Goals as he stalked away
from TOmas-quiet for once-like,
tragedy hero. On his shoulders il
seemed, was the weight of the world,
and he could not, as he longed to,
carry II. He, being the Oldest son,
should, according to his code of elev-
en- years, take up his nightmare
which had turned his gay capable
father into a crushed heap sitting
there at the table Of the great room,
and his happy calm-eyed mother into
haggard statue of woman. He
ought to lift ii from them and throw
it far away by some heroic effort. but
he did not know how 10 begin. The
sheriff seemed as sorry as any one;
il was OF no use to attack the sheriff,
which he had considered. And that
evil spirit. that man who had taken
their happiness in an afternoon, Du
plessis. kept far away. His heart
swollen with affection and aching for
action. Francois stood about uselessly
In him grew a resolve that he would
give up all that he had hoped for, the
normal school at Delesmontes. the
college after, everything. TO work and
win back the lost home for his peo-
pie.
Something had been said already Of
sending the children TO this or that
uncle or aunt-there would in short |
time be no home and no living for |
them until the broken father could |
gather himself and begin again. Lit
tie Francois resolved that he would |
not go. He would stay with his faith |
er and prove that eleven was not too |
young 10 make money. AS he stood |
watching the sheriff who moved |