Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-02-18

than his uncle; he knew enough to do
test the Austrians and TO have a keel
sympathy for the long. horoic. losini
fght-so far losing-of those devoted
men who were counting their lives az
nothing for a united Italy The scheme
Of helping to rescue a prisoner out Of
an Austrian fortress was an adventure
/ such as made his eyes dance. MI.
| Hampton was twenty-one and fun OF
romance. romance as yet ungrati1ed
So, Pietro told Francois, this long ex'
| PLANTATION over, the Lovely Lucy was
anchored at an uninportant island out
side the port for which they were
| bound, and Francois and the others
| we're to go on board and set sail
promptly for some port OF France.
There the general, Alike, Pietro ana
| little Battista we're to be put ashore,
and Francois was to sail across to VIZ
ginia with Mr. Hampton and take pos
session for Pietro of his American es-
tates.
Francois, lying in bed with his eyes
glowing like lanterns, listened. But
as his friend finished he broke out,
with a sharp pain in his voice.
"Pietro! | want to see my mother.
And Pietro was silent. laying quiet
hand over the unsteady one. Without
word he sat so and let the sick man
think. The line of red which came
into the pale cheeks told that he was
thinking intensely. and at last. with a
shivering sigh which went to the
others heart
You are right, Pietro," he said. ut
is a wonderful plan for broken man.
1t is like you to do everything right
without word said The sea voyage.
the healthy life in Virginia-that ought
to make a man of me again soon,
ought it not, Pietro?"
Pietro could not speak as he looked
at the wrecked figure. but he nodded
cheerfully.
'As for your place, I'll have that in
order in a month. and in year it will
be a model for Virginia: and then III
come home"
Pietro smiled.
Come home and fight for the
princeton our Prince Louis. Do you
remember that afternoon at the chau-
ted, Pietro, and the strange boy, and
how he fascinated us and how" the
weak voice stopped at every syllable,
but slipped on again cheerfully. The
familiar charm of the boy Francois
was strong as he talked. And how he
was not to be frightened by any dan
ger of an old wall" and Francois
stopped. smiling
And how you saved him." Pietro
added.
THAT was chance" said Francois
quickly. But, Pietro, do you remem-
Der how Alike turned on you, because
had done it? Droll little Alixe!"
'She always scorned me because !
was not wonderful like you. Francois.
You were always the hero Pietro said
gently, and pressed the skeleton hand
under his own.
Francois eyes blazed up at him then
as they had done so often in boyhood.
mot that, Pietro. You do not under
stand. 1t was because Alike wished
always to see you first. was older
and had a certain quickness-she
wanted you to have my poor facility as
well as all of your own gifts"
Pietro smiled his kind quiet smile.
MY Francois, l have no gifts. And if
Alike is more proud of you it is right,
for you are pride to all of us and
am the last to grudge one particle of
honor or love to you. Francois
Pietro's deep voice stopped, and then
he went on in his straightforward, sim
pie way-"Francois, it is not possible
for me to tell you how glad l am to
have you. my brother, back from the
dead"
And weak, nerve-wrecked Francois,
holding tight to Pietro's hand, turned
his face to the wall and cried
Now that the end of effort was over.
the strain of the long years showed
their effects in collapse; the
stretched chord had fallen loose, re-
Taxed as if it might never make mu-
sic again. When the time came to
leave the sailboat of Luigi and go
aboard the Lovely Lucy, the effort was
too much for the man who, two nights
before, had shown the nerve and agil.
ity of an acrobat. When he must leave
the boat and make the change. he
tainted, and, wrapped in a blanket.
CHASTITY white. unconscious, the little
Battista carried his light weight w
the ladder of the American ship.
CTO BE CONTINUED)