The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-08-13


well and confident OF his rescue; yes,
and told him also how IL was Alike
who had waited every night for him in
Riders Hollow. and would let no one
take her place.
1T was the best Arrangement" said
the general For Pietro il too well
known--it would have been unsafe for
You both. And / am so much the old
officer that I should have been re-
marked instantly; also am heavy In
the saddle. But Alike passed easily
for some peasant lad with led horse
for his master; also she rides light and
so could save the horses, which was
important. for only two horses could
we have and they were to be In service
one knew not how long.
Francois asked feeble question.
"Ah--Pietro. He Is fine sort, our
Pietro. They adore him here In his
country. There Is farmer back there
who owed life and home to the Zappis,
to Pietro's father and mother. The
after dark and returned before sum
RISE but It was far. and hard on the
beasts. And risk for the good Giu-
seppi; but he was glad TO serve Pietro;
they adore Pietro.
Quite malapropos. the general leaned
over at this point and stretched out a
heavy hand and patted Francois pale
cheek and smiled and said. an he had
said so many years ago on that morn
ing when the news came OF the mar
quis' death. "It Is good thing to have
a son, my Francois" And Francois,
being fed shortly after. fell asleep like
a tired baby. .. a
And the next time he awoke It was
with new feeling; with desire and
hope to live. Pietro sat watching him
and brought him warm milk and held
his head up as he drank II. like a
woman. Then, In quiet slow tones, he
explained all the puzzle which Fran
co.'s had by now begun to wonder over
II seemed that Just before little Bat,
tista had brought Francois letter 70
Vicques.. Pietro had received another
unexpected letter, from Colonel
Hampton In Virginia, whose estate lay
next the 5000 acres OF land which the
Marquis Zappi had bought is years
before. Colonel Hampton wrote with
two requests. The first was that the
Marquis Zappi should come to Vir-
ginia. or send some one with authority
to look after his property. The land
was going to rack and ruin for want
OF management; the uncontrolled
slaves on the place were demoralizing
to the neighborhood. Colonel Hampton
had done what he could but he had not
the power OF master, and moreover
ne was busy with his own large es-
tate. The marquis should come or.
send a qualified agent at once
The next object Of the letter was to
ask that the marquis should receive
and entertain the nephew of Colonel
Hampton, Mr.. Henry Hannton, who,
sailing on Colonel Hampton's ship, the
Lovely Lucy. would bring this letter
to the marquis. The ship would 90
first to England and discharge there
her cargo of tobacco and after that IL
was to be at the service of young Mr..
Hampton. to visit such countries OF
Europe as he might choose for six
tiers to people in England but none
elsewhere. and Colonel Hampton would
be Obliged IL the marquis would re-
ceive him at his estate of Castelforte
and let him see something OF Italy
from that point OF vantage. The mar
quis might then. II he thought good,
return TO Virginia in the Lovely Lucy,
and either set matters on a firm
enough footing to be left. or else
which the colonel thought the better
plan--stay with them and become q
country gentleman OF Virginia. The
colonel had heard that there had been
political trouble in Italy. but hoped
that at this time the country was at
peace and the marquis comfortably
established In his own castle.
All this the young marquis. an exile
Of five years from his native land, had
read at the chateau OF VicQues. He
had considered deeply as TO what he
might do about Carnifax, his estate In
Virginia. He could not go himself for
he was in close connection with the
work Of Italian patriots outside and in
side of Italy: with Mazzini in London
with others In other places. And he
did not know any one whom he could
send.
So the matter stood when the big
lo6 hYnNH -
letter to Vicques. And when Alike had
appealed to him to take Francois lib
Grafton on his shoulders, with the
thought OF the secret passage and the
vaguely outline plan OF escape had
come to him the recollection of Colonel
Hampton.s letter and the long sea
voyage to Virginia
So when Mr.. Henry Hampton land
ed at Calais. a tall and very handsome
and very silent young man took quiet
possession of him and told him that
he was the Marquis Zappi and that
Mr.. Hampton was to go with him to
the chateau Of Vicques in the Jura
There was certain gentle force about
this young marquis which made OPP
position to his expressed wish some
thing like banging ones head against
a stone wall. Mr.. Henry Hampton had
planned going direct TO Paris, but he
went to Vicques. And on the journey
OOWn the MARQUIS Aapp1 opened out q
plan which richly rewarded him for his
pliability Mr.. Hampton had some
what clearer ideas on italian politics
than his uncle; he knew enough to de-
| test the Austrians and to have a keen
sympathy for the long, heroic losing
| hght--so far losing--of those devoted
men who were counting their lives as
nothing for united Italy. The scheme
OF helping to rescue prisoner out of
an Austrian fortress was an adventure
such as made his eyes dance. Mr..
Hampton was 81 and full OF romance,
romance as yet ungratihed. So. Pietro
told Francois, this long explanation
over, the Lovely Lucy was anchored at
an unimportant island outside the port
for which they were bound, and
Francois and the others were to 90 on
board and set sail promptly for some
port OF France. There the general,
Alike. Pietro and little Battista were
TO besput ashore, and Francois was to
sail across to Virginia with Mr..
Hampton and take possession for
Pietro OF his American Estates.
Francois, lying in bed with his eyes
glowing like lanterns, listened. But as
his friends finished he broke out, with