The Dermott news., 1914-06-11
Alike" he whispered. what is it

the blue ribbon tied around them lay
motionless on his arm. And suddenly
a thought shook him.
1T cannot be-" he gasped
And Alike lifted her face. and the
exaggerated black lashes lifted, and
the blue glance lifted and rested on
Pietros black hair bent down where
the light shone on the silver lines
through it. Up flashed her hand i'm
pulsiyely, gently-as Alike did things,
and touched the thick lock with an in
finitely delicate caress Your hair
is all turning gray" she whispered N
two quick breaths. and at that. in some
occult fashion Pietro knew
For moments they had no need of
that makeshift. language: the great
house was very quiet, and one heard
the horses stamping In the paved
courtyard and the grOoms singing. and
yet one did not hear it. Distant sounds
came from the village. but one only
knew that long after. in remembering
that morning. All they knew was that
the ghost OF a lifelong affection of
brother and sister stood before them.
changed by a miracle 10 shining
angel into whose face. for these first
moments, they dared not look Then
slowly, exquisitcly. courage came and.
hand close In hand. they looked at
each other astonished. glad It was
Pietro and Alike still. the ancient play
fellows, the childhood friends all the
dear familiarity was there yet. but 10
longer were they brother and sister
And then, after a while they began to
compare notes Of things hidden
When did you begiu=to like me
this way. Pietro?"
4 don't know" answered Pietro
stupidity. Does 1t make any differ
ence ."
"A great deal" Alike insisted It's
important It's historical =
But this isn't history" said Pietro
Alike. however. returned to the
charge Last year."
Last year what" Pietro asked.
he had already forgotten the question
"Oh-that | began to-mon dieu-no
Last year. Why. | think 1t was the
/ ddy Nalll' anu saw Ou ibiuS W
"Oh, Pietro-if you will talk only
nonsense" AliXe's voice was disap-
pointed But why. then. didn't you
ever say so before this We are both
thousand years old now. II you
! loved me'-she spoke the word In a
i lower voice-"why, then, were you as
quiet as mouse about 1t all these
years >"
4 thought you cared for Francois. =
/ Pietro said simply And added. Didn't
YOU"
Alike considered 4 don't-thnk-
/ | ever did. Pietro Not really
thought did perhaps. He dazzled me
Francois his way OF doing all
sorts OF things brilliantly. and that
wonderful something about him makes
+ everybody love him He believed In
j his star there was around him the
I romance of the emperor's prophecy
and the romance OF the career which
is. We believe. about to begin now.
there was always glamour about
Francois
Yes, Pietro agreed The glamour
OF his courage. Alike. OF loyalty and un-
seltishness, the qualities which make
what people call his charm. Francois
is unlike the rest OF the world. | be
lieve. Alike"
Pietro talked on. the silent Pietro,
as II delivering a lecture. He had read
much and thought much. 1t was sell
dom he spoke OF the speculations which
often filed his scholarly mind, today 1t
seemed easy TO talk OF everything JOY
had set wide all the doors OF his be
ing Alike opened her eyes in aston
ishment.
"Pietro! You are-talking like a
book! But It Is true. something OF
that sort has come to me. too=which
proves II to be true have felt al
ways that Francois had notes In him
which are not on our pianos Pietro
smiled looking at her
And Yet. Alike. you do not love
Francois with all these gifts and all
his power over hSarts-but only com
monplace me-"
Alike Strengthened against his arm
Monsieur the Marquis Zappi. the gen
tleman care for. is not common
place thank you not TO say IT," she
shot at him, and then. melting to Il
sudden intensity. she put hand on
each side of his dark face and spoke
earnestly. "Pietro dear. listen be.
leve | always cared for YOU When
was little 1t hurt me 10 have Francois
forever the one 10 DO the daring things
no you remember how | used to scold
at you because YOU would not fight
him 90 Pietro smiled again Then ne
was captain OF the school and YOU only
a private. and cried about that when
was alone at night, And when you
went of 10 Italy so quietly with never
word said about the danger did not
know that you We're doing a fine deed
i thought IL commonplace that you
should go back TO your country. till
Francois opened my eyes"
Francois ?" Pietro asked.