Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-07-15

q fire had famed inside q lantern. He
thnew back his head.
With all my SOUL" he said. And
forever!"
CHAPTER XIV.
I SAID IT, AND I WILL.
A rushing mountain stream-white-
yelled in the falling, black brown in
n fOam-flecked pools -tumbled,
splashed, brawled down the mountain;
banks Of fern held the rampant brook
In chatps Of green. Alike and Fran
co.'s. riding slowly in the GOODNESS of
the road below, looked up and saw
1t all. familiar, beautiful, fall of old
associations.
One misses Pietro." Francois said.
He always wanted to ride past the
'trou du g~ouverneur.'"
A Roman legend had given this name
to the deep pool Of the brook by the
road; it was said hat the cruel old
governor had used it. 1000 years back,
for drowning refractory peasants.
Alike gazed steadily at the dark MUIR
muring water.
Yes. one misses him. Is life like
that. do you suppose. Francois? One
grows up with people. and they get to
as the air. or ones hands-and
then. suddenly. n is told that
they are going away. And that ends
1t. One must do without air, without
hands. What a world. Francois!"
I'VE are not meant to like it too
much, I believe, Alike" said Francois
sunnily. ut is just en- PEASANT. this
world. when you stop to consider. The
real business will come, I suppose.
when we are moved on a step farther.
EWfnv,1cht~ onN ~0~o~4t{0r~ rry{11 not
seem so badly arranged then, probably.
This is school, this life, I gather. My
mother says it is not very important
If one has a good seat in the school
room or a bad; If sits near ones
playmates or is sent to another corner,
so long as n is a good child and
works heartily at ones lessons. 1t is
where all that is made right. Not a
bad idea of my mothers is it, Alixe?"
your mother is a wonderful wom-
m" Alike answered thoughtfully.
"She lives like that. She never let
things trouble her, not eve when your
co.'s?
mo" said Francois. "She is of
the few people who know what the real
things are and live in them. 1t is hard
to do that. I car not. I care so bit
terly for what I want It is''-Francois
hesitated-..it is very hard for me to
over the words: his voice shook so that
Alike shifted in the saddle and looked
at him inquiringly.
Francois! Is anything wrong? Must
you give up something's"
Francois laughed then and patted
the brown arching neck of Capitaine,
give up things; and Remuneration is the
measure of strength" he said with 20
year-old generalization, yet with a
light in his face which might have been
the smiling Of an aged saint. "You
were talking about Pietro," he went on
rapidly "about u separation from
him, our good old Pietro! I do miss
beginning. That was life. Pietro IS
Italian; he has his place owe there
and he nodded to where far-off Italy
might lie. "He is a man, Pietro, every
inch. already. He has gone to fill his
place, as quietly. as unhesitatingly as
he will do everything that comes to
him."
Everything that comes to him-yes.'
Alike spoke a little scornfully. but
-~Francois-he does not go very fast
to meet the things that come to him."
Francois eye flashed at her. You
have never been fair to Pietro, Alike"
Not fair?" Alike interrupted, and
laughed.
mo. not fair" repeated the boy.
you do not seem to see what he is-a
heart of gold, a wall of rock. 1t is not
his way to a much, but he has great
qualities"
WHAT" asked Alike.
What" Francois repeated. you
to ask that! You know as we'll as I
that Pietro is a Bayard-without fear
m without reproach. He is unchang-
ing as the ocean-he is to be believed
in his slightest word. You know that
it would be a commonplace for Pietro
to be killed rather han play false to
the smallest trust. He is a fanatic Of
reliability"
You make him out a slow worthy
person." said Alike. and drew up the
horses bride. You can respect a man
with all those sterling qualities, but
he isn't very-dashing to be like that.
Is he? I like a man to have initiative
some gift Of leadership"
Francois looked at her sternly.
"Dashing! Initiative! Do you remem-
Der. Alike. what 1t is that Pietro has
done? Do you realize that Italy is in
liberty? That a forlorn fight against
the power of the Austrians is on her
hands, and that Pietro went back at is
to take his part with the patriots?
Do you realize what danger that
means? Danger not only OF death. but
of worse. of years Of imprisonment in
some dungeon. Noblemen Of higher
rank than Pietro are living in chains
there now. It is u playmate Pietro
who IL facing ~this-Pietro, who has
breathed the free air and ridden with
US through this valley for 70 many
years. He realizes 1t. He went with
hia AvAa nnon HYfo fa~f1v ora ~o~N-nS.