The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1914-03-26

scape. Alike, looking down at the
black head with it's short curls set In
thick locks-after the manner Of the
curls OF Particles Hermes-was
startled to see many bright lines Of
gray through the dark mass. Was ev-
eryboGy getting old? Francois with
the broad hand of white In his hair
and now PiStro-sig little Pietro. who
had come TO taem a1lo learned 10 ace
Coo and played with them. Was Pietro
getting old and gray?
BY one of the sudden impulses char
acteristic OF her, her hand few out
and rested on the curled head as II to
protect it, motherly, from the whiten.
ing of time.
And PietTo turned slowly and looked
up at her with eyes full OF hopeless
ness and alteration. Such a look he
had never before given her; such a
look no one could mistake except a
woman who would not let herself un-
derstand.
1T is good to be up and at the win
dow. isn't it?" Alike spoke cheerfully
and her hand left his head and she
went on in a gay disengaged tone.
You will be downstairs in two or three
days now, and then it is only a jump
to being out and about, and then-then
in a minute you will be well again"
"Oh, yes" Pietro answered without
animation. 1T will not be long before
am we'll"
Look, Pietro;" Alike held out the
paper in her hand. Such queer let
ter! From Virginia. From the little
Lucy Hampton of whom Francois
talks. don't understand it. VIII you
let me read 1t to your"
Surely" said Pietro, and waited
with his unsmiling eyes on her face.
MY dear mademoieelle," Alike read.
81 am writing to beg your forgiveness,
as have begged that Of the Chevalier
Beaupre, for the very great fault
have committed. The chevalier trust.
have been sent you only in case of a
certain event; by a carelessness which,
unmeant as it was, | shall never for
give myself | gave it with other let
ters to our negro Sambo to be posted
at once. By now 1t may have reached
you. / cannot tell II | have made
trouble or not, but in any case, can
not rest without saying to you-as
we'll as to the Chevalier-how sorry
am. If you can find it in your heart
to forgive me, please do 80, dear
mademoiselle. That l should have
made trouble for one as dear TO the
chevalier as you are is deep grief to
me. He has talked to me OF you. With
a very earnest prayer again for your
forgiveness l am, mademoiselle, yours
faithfully and sincerely.-Lucy Hamp-
ton Hampton"
Pietro looked bewildered. What is
it about?" he asked.
Il wonder" and Alike laughed and
frowned at the paper in her hand. ut
seems Francois wrote me letter and
left it with little Mistress Hampton to
be sent In case of certain event
What event? What a strange thing
for Francois to do! And then he came
to US here and said nothing OF mys-
FERROUS letters left cooking in Vir-
ginia. | cannot make 1t out, Pietro-
can your"
mot l." said Pietro
THE letter of Francois has not
Gomez that is certain; wonder IL the
negro Sambo lost It."
Probably" Pietro eaid ''It should
have come before this one. otherwise"
at is riddle" Alike decided, land
never guess them" Then, dropping
into a seat on the wide window-sill,
"Pietro-you are letting yourself be
depressed"
The gray eyes met hers with some
thing that seemed wall of reserve in
their steady glance. Il think possibly
| miss having no exercise" he said.
II will feel more natural when / can
get about"
Alike looked at him. You are eat
ing your heart out to be with Fran
cois," she said, and laid her hand on
his.
Pietro stared as II the light touch
had shaken him; then slowly his large
fingers twisted lightly around the
small ones, and he turned his face
dbdlub manu- bO, W tue VIII
dow and the view OF the valley and
the river and the village. A moment
they sat SO, the girls hand loose in
the hollow of the mans; a slow red
crept into Alixe's face; there was con-
fusion in her brain. She had laid her
hand on that of her brother; her broth
er had taken II in his-and behold, by
witchcraft it was all changed This
delicate big grasp that held her was
not brotherly; through all her veins
suddenly she knew that; the flush shot
up to her eyes, to her forehead, and
she tried, with an attempt at an every
day manner, to draw her hand away.
But Pietro, his set pale face toward
the window, his eyes gazing out, held
her hand. With that the world had
reeled and was whirling past her
Pietro had caught both her hands in
tight grip and had drawn them against
him, was holding them there, was
looking at her with face which not
even she, this time, might mistake.
Alike" he said, II know you don't