The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-02-19
CHAPTER XIV.
Good News,

Vicques, where the stiff gray stone
vases spilled again their hearts blood
OF scarlet and etching of vines; where
the two stately lines of them led down
to the sundial and the round lawn-on
one of the gritfin-supported stone seats
Alike and Pietro sat, where Alike and
Francois had sat five years before
AS they sat in the garden, they had
been going over the pros and cons of
his life or death for the thousandth
time. Pietro's quiet gray eyes were
sad as he looked away from Alike and
across the lawn to the beech wood.
God knows l would give my life
quickly if | could see him coming
through the trees there, as we used to
see him, mornings long ago, in his
patched homespun clothes"
Alike followed the glance consider
ingly, as if calling up the little, brown,
trudging figure SO well remembered
Then she tossed up her head sharply
Who ?"-and then she laughed. 81
shall be seeing visions next, like Fran
co.'s she said. Il thought it was he
back in the beech wood"
Il see no one" Pietro stared.
But you have no eyes, Pietro-I can
always see thing two minutes before
you Alike threw at him. "There-the
man."
Oh said Pietro. Your eyes are
than ot hlivn in,
to a wood; that is uncanny. Yes,
see him now Mon dieu he is a big
fellow"
"A peasant-from some other viii
lagc." Alike spoke carelessly. Il do
not know him." and they went on talk
ing, as they had been doing, of Fran
co.'s.
And with that, here was Jean Phil
lippe Moison, forty now and fat, but
still beautiful in purple millinery, ad-
vanCing down the stone steps between
the tall gray vases, making a sym
phony Of color with the rich red of the
flowers. He held a silver tray; a let
ter was on it.
FOR madem0lSelle.
Mademoiselle took it calmly and
glanced at it, and with that both the
footman and the Marquis Zappi we're
astonished to see her fall to shiver-
ing, as if in sudden illness. She
caught Pietros arm. The letter was
clutched in her other hand thrust back
Of her.
"Pietro!"
What is it, Alixe?" His voice was
quiet as ever, but his hand was around
her shaking fingers, and he held them
strongly. What is it, Alixe?"
She drew forward the other hand;
the letter shook, rustled with her
trembling. 1T is-from Francois!"
Jean Philippe Moson having
stayed to listen, as he ought not, lift
ed his eyes and his hands to heaven
and gave thanks in general way,
volubly, unrebuked. BY now the un-
steady fingers of Alike had opened the
paper, and her head and Pietro's we're
bent over it. devouring the well-known
writing. Alike, excited, French, ex.
ploded into a disjointed running com.
ment.
From prison-our Francois-dear
| Francois" And then: Five years,
| Pietro. Think-while we have been
free!" And then, with a swift clutch
again at the big coat sleeve crowding
against her: "Pietro! See, see! The
date-it is only two months ago. He
was alive then; he must be alive now
he is! knew it, Pietro! A woman
knows more things than a man."
With that she threw up her head
and fixed Jean Philippe. drinking in
all this, with an unexpected stern
glance. What are you doing here
Moison? What manners are these?'
Then, relapsing in a flash into pure
human trust and affection toward the
anxious old servant: my dear, old
good Moison-he is alive-Monsieur
Francois is alive-in a horrible prison
in Italy! But he is alive, Moisonn
And with that, a sudden jump again
into dignity. Who brought this, Moi
SOM"
Jean Philippe was only too happy
to have hand in the joyful excite
ment. "Mademoise'le, the young per
son speaks little language. But he
told me to say to monsieur the mar
quis that he was the little Battista."
! Pietro looked up quickly. Alike, 4
is the servant from my old home o.
whom spoke to you. can not imag
inc how Francois got hold of him, bu
he chose good messenger. May
have him brought here? He must have
something to tell us"