Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-07-01

with a fierce rumble. we'll suited to his
look. IF you had not done it. Alessan.
dro." he growled. '1f you had not trust-
ed me, EI-!" and with that the thun.
der storm broke down.
h old officer of Napoleon had, at
ter all his battle and killings, the sim
plicity and the heart of his own little
girl. But he cleared his throat hurried
ly with a brayado Of carelessness, and
before the marquis could do more than
smile at him wistfully. he went on.
1T is all settled: there was no need
Of a word; Pietro is my son till you
claim him from me. and glad enough I
am to get him for as long as I may. I
boy already, young Francois Beaupre.
whom I wished to adopt. but the lad
would not give up his parents. And
that makes me more eager for another.
They will play better together and
work better together, and they will be
a good brace of brothers for my Alike"
flectively. she is a charming per-
son. that little woman OF yours"
Again the general looked as If in a
terrific rage. "She is the best thing
that lives" he announced and suddenly
smiled. "Alessandro. shall I tell you
what flashed into my head before you
and Pietro mad been here an hour?"
What them"
Il saw the children-your boy AMI
my girl-together as If lifelong play
mates over the big books in the vim
dow seal there. and it came to me thai
it wou be a joy to crown ones life IL
later on" He stopped n gazed in-
q%uiringly at the calm eyes which met
his.
YES" the marquis answered quiet
~. ut would be that-the crown Of
our friendship. IL some day they might
love Zach other"
And with that the general gave q
great shout Of laughter and leaned
a bears grip.
1T is unbelievable-it is heaven-it
is a dream come true that you are here.
Alessandro. And here we. sit, after all
these years, we Die soldiers of Napo-
leon. and instead of talking campaigns
and battles. we plot a marriage like
grandmothers. A marriage! Listen to
those babies shouting outside over the
pony! Such thoughts are far enough
from them-sapristi! And there is in
deed plenty Of time; they are only
babies yet" His voice stopped. but
his eyes fingered on the face of the
other as If he could not look enough to
SOilNAIlSe IlllIlSSlL VI llS reality. Gil
me o your Journey. Alessandro. as
You promised, inc why you should go
that unheard of distance. to that vague:
just possible country. America. to get
land"
So the marquis. sitting in the French
castle. with the Jura mountains stand
ing far off as he lifted his eyes, with
window and the children's voices CALL
ing to each other outside. told at
length a story of negotiations. of busi-
ness arrangements, of a tract of land
not yet seen which was to become one
day of vital Importance to those care
less children who played. He told. what
the general partly knew, how man fol-
lowers of the Emperor. including his
brother jerome Bonaparte, had bought
tracts of al under that new govern
ment, the United States, and how sew
eral of them had gone out to this land.
taking many things with them and
looking to live there as in France in
s~eigneurial dignity, How. through one
of the Bonapartist emigres and through
his connections in America, Zappi had
been offered a chance to buy 5000 acres
In the state of Virginia; how he had
considered the condition of 1taly-that
1t was torn and worn with wars, that
the Austrians We're gaining in power,
that his house was a marked one on
the side Of Italian liberty, and sure to
be among the first to be punished IL
Austrian power were triumphant; that
If such a time came it might mean
everything to him or to his. son to have
a home and domain beyond the reach of
the tyrant's hand. For that reason he
had thought it wise to cross the ocean
and take possession OF this land; and
to do this quickly. because-the mar
quis stopped and looked at the general,
and the general looked back fiercely.
What them" the latter demanded
savagely. ut is we'll, of course, to do
things at once. when one decides. But
is there any hurry in particular for you,
you hardened old v%eteran?"
The marquis smiled his gentle slow
smile. "a little hurry for me. Cas-
pard," he answered. 1.-The doctors tell
me hat my heart is not strong; a man
dies suddenly Of that trouble some-
times:.'
And the general, impatient, indig-
nant. threw his arm around his friends
shoulder. "They know nothing. doc
tors" he growled. you will outlive
me. It is all villainy. such talk. Come
then. Alessandro, and see If Pietro can
stick on Cog"
CHAPTER K