The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-17

THE THIRD WISH.
On h day when Francois in Lon
don read that letter Of Lucy Hampton's
which had awaited his return from
france, q letter from Lucy Hampton
reached Anxe al the chateau Of Vic
Quss.. She carried it to Pietro's room
where he sat in q deep chair at a win
oow which looked over Delesmontes
valley and b racing Cheulte river, and
the village strung on the shores. His
e1oow on the stone window sill, his chin
in his hand, he stared at the familiar
picture.
Alike. coming in without knocking at
the open door, stopped across and stood
by MIN, and he did not yet lift his head,
ms hstess eyes did not yet shift their
gaze from h broad landscape. Alike,
!eokins down at the black head with
It's shor curls set in thick locks-after
the manner OF the curls OF Praxiteles'
aermes-wa startled to see many
bright lines Of gray through the dark
mass. Was everybody getting old?
francois with the broad band Of white
IN his hsir-and now Pietro-big little
PisSre. who had come to them and
earned to ride Cog and played with
them. Was Pistro getting old and
gray?
By Of the sudden impulses char
aetertstic OF her, her hand flew out and
rested on the curled head as If to pro
tect 1t, uotherly. from The whitening of
time
And Ptetro turned slowly and locke
up at her with eyes full of h-opelessness
ana alteration. Such a look he had
never before given her; such q look no
one could mistake except a woman who
Would not let herself understand.
II Is good to be up and at the win
dow, isn't tt?" Alike spoke cheerfully.
ana ner hand LETT his head and she
went On In a gay disengaged tone.
You viii be down stairs In two or
TIRES days now. and then it is only a
Jump to being out and about, and then
then In q minute you viii be well
again"
"oh. yes" Pietro answered without
animation. TT viii not be long before
I am we'll"
Look ,Ptetro"; Alike held out the
paper In her hand. Such a queer let
ter! From Virginia. From the little
Lucy Hampton of whom Francois talks.
l don't understand 1t. VIII you let me
read 1t to you?"
Surely" said Pietro, and waited
with his uns1ntling eyes, on her face.
~ NY NY a eesr Ma q Alike read.
as / have begged TIA. Of the cheval..
Ter Beaurre. for the very great fault I
have committed. The Clearwater
trusted to me a letter for you which
was to have been sent you only In case
Of q certain event; by a carelessness
which, unmeant as 1t was, o shall
never forgive myself I gave it with
other letters to u negro sambo to be
posted at once. BY now 1t may have
reached you. I can not tell If I have
made trouble or not, but in any case,
I can not rest without saying to you
AS well as to the Chevalier-how sorry
l am II o can find it in your heart
to forgive me. please do SO, dear Mad
emoiselie. That I should have made
trouble for one as dear to the Chevalier
as you are Is a deep grief to me. He
has talked to me of you. With g. very
ness I am, Mademoiselle. yours faith
fully and sincerely-Lucy Hampton
Hampton"
Pietro looked bewtldered. What is
1t about?" he asked
Il wonder and Alike laughed and
frowned at the paper in her hand. "It
GEMS Francois wrote me a letter and
left It with little Mistress Hampton
to be sent in case of a certain event
What event? What a strange thing
for Francois 70 dol And then he came
to us here and said nothing Of mys-
FERROUS letters left cooking In Virginia
I can not make 1t out. Ptetro-can
you?"
Mot L" said Pietro.
THE letter OF Francois has not come:
that is certain: I wonder If the negro
Probably" Pietro said. TT should
have come before this one. otherwise"
I 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
thing that seemed a wall Of reserve in
fhn1r ptaQ Hv Cr1onon n fhf~1r ~~-19Ll.,
l miss having no exercise" he said. ~
will feel more natural when I can get
about"
Alike looked at him. You are eating
your heart out to be with Francois"
she said. and laid her hand on his.
Pietro started as II the light touch
had shaken him; then slowly his large
fingers twisted lightly around the
small ones. and he turned his face
again. holding her hand SO. to the win
dow and the view Of h valley and the
river and the village. A moment they
sat SO. the girls hand loose in the hol-
low OF n mans; a slow red crept into
Alixe's face; there was confusion In
her brain. She had laid her hand on
that of her brother: her brother had
taken 1t In hts-and behold. by a
witchcraft 1t was all changed. This
not brotherly; through all her veins
suddenly b 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 lace toward
the window. his ayes gazing out, held
her hand. With that tho world had
reeled n was whirling past her.
Pietro had caught both her hands in a
tight grip and had drawn them against
him. vas holding them there. was
looking at her with q face which not
even she. this time. might mistake.
Alike" he said. II know you don't
care Tor me / know you love Fran
coils. I did not mean ever to speak,
o when Q put your hand on
He held her palms together and
parted the palms and kissed the finger
tips. first of one and then of the other,
as II he kissed something holy.
4 Shall never speak again. but this
once will. I always loved you-one
must, I knew always that a slow
silent person like me would have no
chance against a fellow like Francois,
So l have kept still. and it was hard.
. It won't be so hard now that you know.
Are.you angry. Alixe?"
ALIKE. with her head bent 40 that
Pietro lii not see her face, with her
head bending lower-lower, suddenly
was on her knees by the chair and her