The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-07-09


we'll knit young body iii hfs military
anca Of an aristocrat. He smiled hss
brilliant exquisit smile into the older
Me- am a peasant" he said cheer
FULLY. 81 have nj house" Then into
the silence that fell he spoke simply
There are no officers OF my family.
no battles where my name was Known
The controlled glance of the stranger,
rested on him attentively. With that
Ine look Of Francois changed In a flash;
ms eyes blazed as he threw out both
hands IN q strong gesture. ut makes
no dlfference.' he cried MY life was
consecrated from Its start to the SER
vice of the house OF Bonaparte. it viii
count; I live because I believe that. I
know surely that l shall yet do a thing
worth while for a Bonaparte."
"A curious vivid glance shot at the ex-
CITED boy from under the dropping lids
OF TIE newcomer. Monsieur he said
quietiy, But mo one had time
to hear the rest. Because Alike had sud
oeniy thrown her arm about Francois
neck. and was crying out impetuous
words.
He is a peasant-yes. But he Is also
our brother, Pietro's and mine, and no
one"
"or half so good" Pietro put In with
his slow tones,
You are likely right" the stranger
agreed laconically.
And then without questions asked,
a rapid eager sentences. the three had
told him how it was; how Francois. re-
fusing to leave the cottage, was vet the
son or the castle. how Pietro had come
and had stayed, how the boys were at
school together; how in the vacations
they We're still sister and brothers,
whether at the castle or the farm; ali
this and much more the three poured
out to the silent lad who listened. Who
seemed to say almost nothing. vet
managed to make them feel at every
moment that he cared to hear what
they said. With that they were talking
about the village of vicques, and its
antiquity, and then of the old chateau;
and one told the legend OF the treasur
and Of h guardian dog.
Just over h wall there is the open
Ing where he appeared to old Pierre
Iremblay," Francois pointed out."And
Pierre was half witted ever after. I
know, for I have seen him myself. He
mumbled."
That is interesting" The Granger
spoke with more animation thar he
mad shown before-he was, after all,
Tor all of his reserve, a boy. II should
like an interview with that dog. /
must at least see his kennel. over that
wall! L VIII CllnD the wall"
Il no" Francois put in quickly.
TT is unsafe these last i've years. 1
have climbed 1t, but not in these last
years. You can go around and get i N
Dy another way II see the hole of
the dog"
The older boys eyes narrowed. II
thlnk should prefer to climb the
WALL" he said.
Alike spoke. IF Francois can not go
1t is impossible. He is the best climber
OF all the country. are you not then,
Frapcois?"
Yes" said Francois.
And Pietro echoed. 'Bu YES. All
the world knows it,"
7 think l should like to climb the
wall" the stranger repeated gently.
And he did. n others watching
anxfously, he crawled out on the un-
certain pile 10 feet in air. A big stone
crashed behind him; he crawled on,
Then. Il sea it." he cried, and waved
a triumphant hand. and with that there
masonry, and doyn came the great
blocks close to his hands-he was slip.
ping-he had Jumped. And as he
Jumped a heavy square of stone tum
bled with him n caught him, felleo
him pinned into the tumbling wall BY
his coat. And, above, the wall swayed
Then, in the instant Of time before the
catastrophe. Francois lar sprung Tx
cat into the center OF danger and los.
sened the coat and pushed the other
boy, violently Keeling, across the grass
out Of harms way.
Alike screamed once sharply. Fran
co.'s lay m%otionless on his face and the
great stones rained around him. II
was all owe in a moment; in a mo.
ment more a shout Of joy rose from
Ptetro, for Francois lifted his head an6
began crawling difficulty, with Pietro's
help, out Of the debris. There was a
cut on his cheek. a deep one, bleed.
ing badly, on the back of his hand; and
bruises were distributed over him, bu,
by a maricals he had come off with his
life and only SO much the worse. Nc
sooner was Francois on his feet thar
Alike startled them by turning on the
innocent and surprised Pietro In a per.
feet fury of scorn.
II Is not dead-but that 1.
not your fault" she threw al
him. You who love him SO much,
You let him go int that danger
"But-but 1 didn't know he was go.
ing. Alike" stammered Pietro. II,
was-so quick"
Quick? Yes, Francois was quick
Why weren't o quick, too? 1t is all.
ways Francois. Why don't you de
something brave once in a while? VIII
don't you make people admire you, no,
always Francois"
Continued next week.)