The Detroit times., 1913-09-16
ChAprER XIII.
Rest and Safety.

He heard the sound OF waves out
i side. the slipping OF ropes, the fiap-
ping Of sails. He kept his eyes closed
few minutes. not daring to open
them. There was blessed atmos-
phsrs of rest and safety about him:
he feared to hnd II unreal II he
opened his eyes. He feared to ind
himself In the straw OF dungeon.
He listened attentively-surely sails
and cOrdage and slapping waves
aud then he was aware Of the motion
of q boat Cautiously he peered from
under halfclosed lids. A small room,
q boats cabin nothing to tell II he
were In the hands Of friends or OF
enemies. Yet-was It q dream that
he had seen the general and Pietro,
had ridden long miles In the dawn
with Alike? Such dreams come to
comfort poor prisoners-he knew
that. But at that point his eyes
flashed wide and his arms few out
Something more had crept into that
circumscribed neld Of his visiOn-a
/. quiet figure sitting In dark corner
of the little room.
"Alixe!"
Not q dream, not another world;
just the close sweetness Of her face
bent over him. Of her hands hold
ing his, Of her courageous soft voice
speaking to him caressingly a. II he
were child. ~ II he were dear to
her.
you must not talk. Francois. Az
ter . while-not yet. You are very
weak"
So he smiled and lay happily,
clutching her hand with his long. hot.
shaking fingers. like a birds claws
for thinness. But q hunted beast
may not rest absolutely till 1t knows
II the bloodhounds are distanced. The
cavernous eyes turned on Alike with
a question, and she understood.
You want to know II you are safe.
dear Francois?" and she stroked his
hand. YES You are ON the boat
of little Battista-Luigfs boat 1t Ia
now. Little Battista gave 1t to Luigi
when he went to France, and Luigi
il his friend and also one OF Pietro's
people. You will hear about that
later. We are going now to the har-
Dor Of Commachio, sixty miles from
Castelforte. You are to be put on
away to safety. Yet you are safe now
rest in that. for 1t IL true"
And Francois drew deep tremb-
ling breath and, holding Alixe's hand.
fell asleep.
When he awoke next his eyes
opened swiftly and turned to the cor
ner where Alike had sat. 1t was not
Alike there this time, but the gen.
!, eral. And the general came and sat
down BY him and patted his hand
and swore softly at him saying,
sabre de bois," and nom dun chen"
and such things; and called him his
own boy, and told him how his moth
er and father were well and confident
of his rescue: yes, and told him also
, how II was Alike who had waited
every night for him In Riders Hol-
low, and would let no one take her
place.
1T was the best arrangement" said
the general. For Pietro Is too well
known-it would have been unsafe
old oiDcer that ! should have been
remarked instantly also l am heavy
In the saddle. But Alike passed cas-.
kily for some peasant lad with a led
horse for his master; also she rides
light and 30 could save the horses.
which was important, for only two
horses could we have and they were
10 be In service one knew not how
ong."
Francois asked a feeble question.
"Ah-Pietro. He is q fine sort. our
lietro. They adore him. here in his
country. There il farmer back
there who owed life and home to the
zappis. to Pietros father and mother.
The horses were his. They were
brought after dark and returned be-
ore sunrise, but II was far, and hard
VI the beasts. And risk for the
God Giuieppi; but he was glad to
erve Pietro; they adore Pietro."
Quite nalapropos. the general
,aned over at this point and stretch
out q heavy hand and patted Fran
lis pale cheek and smiled and said,
he 1ad said 90 many years ago on
.at morning when the news came OF
le marquis death, 1T Is good
ling % have q son, my Francois"
nd francois, being fed shortly after,
II ASLEEP again like tired baby.
And he next time he awoke II was
It'll lew feeling; with desire and
hope to live. Pietro sat watching
m ard brought him warm mink
- I'd he'll his head up as he drank II,
re woman. Then. In quiet slow
mes, h explained all the puzzle
hich francois had by now begun to
5nder over. 1t seemed that just be
re littlS Battista had brought Fran
is Letter to vicQues. Pietro had re-
lived aDther unexpected letter, from
Colonel Hampton in Virginia, whose
tate lay next the six thousand acres
land which the Marquis Zappi had
'ught fifteen years before. Colonel
ampton wrote with two requests.
he first was that the Marquis Zarpi
,ould come to Virginia, or send
me one with authority to look az
his property. The land was going
rack and ruin for want of manage.
mt; the uncontrolled slaves on the
ce were demoralizing to the neigh
hood. Colonel Hampton had done
ht he could, but he had not the
ver Of . master, and moreover he
busy with his own large estate.
marquis should come or send q
lined agent and at once.