South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-02
Continued from Monday.)

tried 10 find him IN. 1 never uiedhleu
of CastelfOrte.
And with that. as if pulling teeth.
they got by SLOW degrees all that he
knew from the little Battista. The
letter. tight in Alixe's hand, was still
unread: this living document seemed
10 bring them closer to their friend
than even his written words. There
were some things in the living letter,
moreover, not TO be found in the one
of paper and ink. The little BattlSta,
being put to the wall, told them what
his father had told him, what the doc
tor Of the prison had told his father.
How the prisoners health was failing;
Of that band of white in his dark
hair: at last that the doctor had SAID
TO the big Battista that the prisoner
could not live more than two or three
years as things were; that even II re
leased he might not regain his health
would not live. perhaps; that the only
thing which could save him would be
a long sea oyage
"a long sea voyage" Alike grOan- /
ed and put her face into her hands
suddenly, and Pietro looked very sor-
roWful. "A long sea voyage Tor a
political prisoner in the hands OF the
pitiless Austriansi"
At the end OF the interview the lit
tie Battista put his hand into his
breast pocket and brought out an
other letter. thickly folded. Would
mademoiselie have him instructed
where TO find the mother Of the signor
prisoner? He had promised 10 put
his into her own hands. lie must do
il before he touched food.
And Jean Philippe MOisOn. who
had lurked discreetly back OF the
nearest stone vase, not missing a syl-
liable. was given orders, and the huge
little Battista was sent off up the
-- 49,. III. rannTnH Hnur-
crs. up the velvet slope of lawn, in
charge of the purple one.
Half an hour later the general
walked up from the village. walked
slowly, thoughtfully through the
beech wood. his face hardly older than
when he had come To Nicques. but
sterner and sadder; his still sOldierly
hve years age. There were voices
coming 10 him down the wind through
the trees. The generals keen eyes
as keen as AIiXe's-searched the dis
tant leafy dimnesS and made out
shortly Alike and Pietro hurrying TO
meet him. Why, he wondered TO
himself as the two young people
swung through the wood-why had
nothing more YER come of this long
friendship He felt hat Pietro loved
the girl; he knew that the girl loved
PietrO, at least as a sister loves a
brother. But she was not a sister;
why had it gone no further? Alike,
now a very beautiful woman, a wo-
man of a charm greater thin beauty.
had had many lovers. but no one Of
them had touched her heart. n this
Frenchman and his daughter were on
strange terms for a French family.
So intimate. SO equal had the two
been always that the general would
not hav arranged a marriage for her
as would any common father Of his
country. Alike must have her free
choice. Alike was no ordinary girl to
be happy I'm a marriage Of convent
ence; she must have love, his Alike.
But what was Pietro about? And
what. moreover. was Alike about?
Did she care for him? Or-his heart
sank at the thOught-was il possible
that her big warm heart was wearing
itself out for a man ead or worse
than dead-for Francois. shot by the
Austrians. or else buried without hope
in an Austrian fortress The general
went over this question many times as
he walked or rode about the Valley
DelesmOntes, as ne sat in the high
dim library. as he lay in bed at night
and listened through the stiffness to
the Cheulte rushing down over its
stones half a mile away. He wished
above all other wishes to know Alike
married TO PietrO: vet when he saw
IlGIn LOEeLLeE ne was JEALOUS LOT the
memoir OF Francois, OF his boy Fran
co.'s, whose career had promised so
brilliantly, whose daShing courage.
whose strength and brains and beauty
and charm had been his pride and
delight almost as much as the brave
bright character of Alike. He himself
had sent the boy away 10 keep him
from Alike. 1t might be he had sent
him 10 his death; il might be he had
spoiled AliXe's life as we'll. He could
not tell.
He puzzled over il as he came UP
through the park-and then he saw
Alike and Pietro coming joyfully to-
var him. running light-heartedly.
calling TO him with excited gay voices.
il stabbed the generals heart; a quick
thought came OF that other who had
been always with them. nor dead or
worse, or that other whom these two
had forgotten. And with that they
were upon him, and Alike was kissing
him. hugging him. pushing a letter
into his hand up his sleeves. into his
Iace-anywhere.
"Father-good news-the best news
almost the best, Father. be ready
for the good news
Il am ready. the general growled
5mpatiently. "Whar is this foolery >
Sabre de bOis. What is your news.
then, YOU silly child ."
And Alike. shaking very much. laid
her hand on his cheek and looked
earnestly into his eyes. Father,
Francois is alive"
For all his gruhf self-control the
general made the letter an excuse
shortly 20 sit down. Queer. that a
mans knees should suddenly bend and
give way because - a thrill OF rapture
in a mans psychological makeup!
But the general had 10 sit down.
And then and there all that had been
extracted from little Battista was re-
heaTsed, and the letter read over from
start 20 finish.
The letter. still kept IN hat cabinet
in Virginia, told them all that has al
ready been written or told and which
was OF importance 10 this chronicle.
But some OF IL was what has been
$1,000 ----- III. Ii ..-- Mh.n Tho