The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-07-09
AROnaln Of neutrality-suspicious.
1f1E MARSHAL
BINARY Raymond Shipman Andrews
0e@@ Tie Perfect Hzbuze. ETC
nryHxht The BoeaeMerrm compsrs.
CHAPTER xI--(Continued).

CHAPTER Extraordinarily.
Big little Pietro had to be told what
had happened and how the general
was now to be a father to him as best
ne might, and Alike and Francois
would be his sister and brother. He
took h blow dumbly and went about
ms studies next morning, but for many
days he could not play, and only Fran
co.'s could make him speak. He chung
70 the other boy. and seemed to find
ms best comfort in the friendship
which 1T had been his fathers parting
Inspiration to assure for him. He was
MISUNDERSTANDING handsome
AND a lovable, good child, but slow
IN initiative where Francois was ready
shy where Francois was friends with
an the world. steady going where the
peasant boy was brilliant. Between
the two. of such contrasting types,
was an unspoken bond from the first,
and at this age 1t seemed to be the
hltle peasant who had everything to
Smaller physically, weaker in
muscle h the big boned son Of
norln Italy, he yet took quite naturally
ana retro accepted it without hesita-
tion. There was no jealousy between
them. Francois taught the other, who
mad grown up petted but unframed in
the lonely castle Of his ancestors, all
that he knew Of boyish skill and
strength, and was enchanted when his
pupil went beyond him, as happened
where brute force counted. Yet Fran
co.'s was the acknowledged leader.
Father" Alike complained, "Pietro
VIII not try to knock Francois down.
Pletro is big, yet it is always Francois
who comes up behind him and throws
him on the grass, and Pietro only
smiles and gets UP. Make Pietro be
brave and quick as Francois is,
father
Either Of my boys is brave enough
for you,w who are only a girl" the gen
eral growled, and put an arm around
her and kissed her brown head.
And Alike pushed away haughtily.
That is not a way to talk before boys.
is worth six boys, and it is you who
said it. Besides, 1 can ride, can I not.
father? Nobody has jumped Cog over
the hedge by the far field but just me
Alike" And the boys nodded their
dark heads and agreed, and Pietro
added:
She can run faster than I, though
at her in his sleepy fashion. honest,
admiring, shy.
Things went on in this way for two
years or more, and the three studied
together under the tutor, and rode Cog
In the park, and sometimes went to-
6SIAiSA VI 1lddy iIlOOu ~ III
Valley farm and spent a two days there
never to be forgotten. They were royal
guests to LIE Francois and La Claire,
and the wholesome simple things done
to amuse them were endless; the farm
was theirs to play with for that week
end. First, on coming, there was a
fine lunch; gigot-a leg of lamb-which
one gave to princes, with salad and
bread and wine and much besides. III
grandmother told them stories, the
father took them driving on hay
wagons: the mother showed them how
to milk, to shell peas n other occult
accomplishments. The children were
ready to drop everything and do any
thing with them at any moment. It
was like a glorious dolls house built
for the little visitors. And according
to the season they gathered fruits
raspberries, apples, whatever grew. The
Ferme du Val vas a fairy land Of
pleasure.
Also the chateau at Vicques with
three children in It was no convent.
That good boy Francois was forever in
mischief. For instance, there was the
winters day when he got the general
into difficulty with the church by bru-
tally snowballing the bishop.
II thought it was Marcelle," Fran
coils explained penitently. H pranced
Just as Marcelle prances. And l was
hiding behind the door with my am
munitions snowballs, my seigneur-
big hard one 1t was twilight, SO I
could not see plainly. I fired straight,
my %seigneur. 1 gave him one in the
neck. And n on the head. and two
in the back, and n or two in the
stomach when he turned. I only missed
once. And also when he turned howl
! ing, with his hand out, I sent one into
his mouth before 1 saw 1t is too bad
it was the bishop, my seigneur; but
| why didn't he fight back?"
And the seigneur, scolding fero-
ciously, had a CLEAN in his eye
which lessened Francois sense of
wrong-6oing. There was also an occa-
sion when, hearing the general give a
long order to Marcelle for the stable,
| Francois went out hurriedly with a
stout cord and fastened it where Mar
celle must go. And Marcelle, the pran-
| Ger, caught his foot and entered the
stable door like q comet and fell on
Jules, the groom, in his orbit-on Jules
carrying a bucket Of water; and Jules
and the water n Marcelle ~ricochetted
in a thousand-legged tangle into Coq's
| stall; where Coo, being angry, let forth
a neigh and a kick together, n of
which broke the innocent Jules arm.
| So that Francois, stating the case to
| the general, was condemned to do the
groom's work till the arm was cured.
| The days were not monotonous at the
| chateau OF FlCQueS. 1uey we're uOt Ill
work and no play to the three very
human children living there.
So with work and play life rolled
rapidly, and suddenly life was all
changed. A g~overness was coming for
Alike, and Francois M Pietro were
going away to the great military school
of Saint-Cyr. nea Paris.
CHAPTER XII