The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-06-18
CHAPTER vII-(continued).
Copyright, The BobbsMerril comparr,

| until the broken father could gather
himself and begin again. Little Fran
would stay with his father and prove
that III was not too young to make
money. AS he stood watching the
sheriff who moved gloomily about his
unwelcome duty he was aware OF a
horses hoofs beating down the road,
and he turned. In the midst of his
grief it was interesting to see the
Baron-General Gourgau coming, on
his bay mare Lisette. The general
drew up beside him and looked at him
sternly.
Where is your father" he shot at
him, and threw a leg over and vaulted
Off and flung the mares reins to the
lad, and swung into the great entry
and through the open door into the cot
tage.
Francois, though broken hearted, was
but IL, and it was q proud thing to hold
the seigneur's horse and pleasant to
see the spirited beast paw the earth
as he held her. He was so entranced
with this occupation that he forgot
his bruised life Inc his lost career en-
tlrely. Fol 15 minutes he forgot, and
the other children gathered around
him, and he ordered them away from
the horse and felt himself it's guardian
n an important person, with COM
plete satisfaction.
And at that, out Of the house came
the %seigneur, big and black-browed and
solid of tread, and with him that
broken-hearted father whose face re-
called all the tragedy.
FRANCOIS his father spoke, more
gently than ever he had spoken before,
Il have taken your future from you,
my son. The seigneur wishes to give
1t back. He wishes to make you his
consent" His fathers arm was
about his neck. The generals abrupt
voice took up the statement.
will you come and live with me in
the chateau. Monsieur the MARSHALL
he demanded roughly, kindly. Il will
ride a horse and shoot a gun and be a
soldier. You shall fit yourself for the
part which we know must be played
one day. Will o Gomez"
Francois, staring up with his great
eyes stretched, was dumb. Just now
all that he had hoped for in life had
been snatched from him.; more than
he had reamed was now offered in a
turn of the hand. For a moment it
seemed hat heaven had opened and a
miracle of JOY came down; then it
flashed to his mind that this dazzling
gift had a price. He felt the touch of
his father, the ruined, sorrowful father;
he saw in the shadow of the entry his
mother who listened; in a food he re-
membered their lifelong love and his
resolutions of five minute ago-the
hard life of labor and saving which he
is no halfway with a child.
With a whole soul Francois cast away
the brilliant dream and hardly felt ar
effort.
I thank you q thousand times, my
~Seigneur," he answered with decision
Il can not go with you. I must stay
and work for my father and my
mother"
There was silence for a minute in the
sunShiny garden; the children haC
wandered away; the men did not
speak; one heard only the mare Lisette
light forefoot and whinnied impatient
ly. Then h generals grave voice
sounded, more gravely than ever.
Francois Beaupre, o own a fine
lad" he threw at the dropping peasant
II would like to have him for mine
Since / can not, I shall try at least tc
be his friend. Monsieur the Marshal, II
must be as you say. But come to see
me at the chateau soon. I shall have
things to talk over with you"
Little Francois, absorbed in admire
ton Of the easy way In which the
seigneur threw a leg across the restless
Lisette, wishing desperately that he
might learn to ride such q horse, was
disconnected, as the dancing brown feet
cantered away, to feel his fathers
arms holding him suddenly, closely
and a wetness on his check.
why are you crying, my father" he
asked wondering.
Three weeks later, of all the sever
children only Francois and the baby
We're left with their father and mother
The others We're portioned out, one
here, two there, among charitable
uncles and aunts until the time should
rnD1a if over when "a Francois Shnl1C
prosper enough again to care for then
oil. He had rented a small cottage a
the other end Of the village, and Claire
in happy times a quiet woman of few
words, had suddenly acquired pro
nounced gaiety. The little feet of hel
seemed always moving about the poor
place and she sang at her work, Which
was a new habit.
How can you?' the elder Francoi.
asked one day, n she explained t.
him.
"A house without brightness Nigh
as well not be. In the other time 70,
were cheerful always-at present yo,
can not be, so 1 do it for you. Will
hope and work everything will com
right again, and I dare not stop hoping
or working. i dare not let grief take
hold of me, for it would choke me. w
have two children, and we shall ge
back the rest. Do not look backward
my Francois, where there was JOY, blu
forward, where there will be joy"
And the big Francois brought dow
his fist with a bang on the table. Il
is the right stuff that is in you. 1t i
the women who are brave. I will b.
like a il l may! I will stol
this whining and live like you. whom
l have ruined"
And he did it. So it happened tina
the memor of little Francois hel,
only pleasant pictures of those days o
sudden poverty: recollections of a bar
little place which shaped swiftly to at
tractiveness. of c~omradeship with hi
father in the business of money-get
ting of deep satisfaction at feeling
himself a factor In the growing hoard
and. above all, a recollection of that ex
quisite gaiety of his mother which hal
no likeness to resignation or duty, blu
rang with the unseltishness of love
Moreover. the hard labor to which h
had sentenced himself came in an un
expected and delightful shape.
CHAPTER VIII