Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-09

well knit young body in his military
dress was carried with all the assur-
ance of an aristocrat. He smiled his
brilliant exqulsn sns4le into the older
boys face.
Me- am a peasant" he said cheer
fully. II have no house" Then into
the silence that fell be spoke simply.
There are no officers OF my family,
no battles where my name was known"
Inc controlled glance of the stranger
rested on him attentively. With that
the Q of Francois changed in a fash;
MS eyes blazed as he threw out both
hends in a strong gesture. 1T makes
no difference he cried. MY life was
consecrated from it's start to the SER
vice OF the house of Bonaparte. 1t will
count; l live because I believe that. I
know surely that l shall yet do a thing
worth while for a BoRaparte."
a curious vivid glance shot at the ex-
cited boy from under h dropping lids
quietly, II" But no one had time
20 near the rest. Because Alike had ud-
denly thrown heS arm about Francois
neck, and was crying Out inlpeteous
words.
He is a p~easant-yes. But he is also
prince is better than Francois-not
one." " -
Or hah go good" Pietro put in with
his slow tones.
You are likely right" the stranger
agreed laconically.
- And N IT. then y W without questions asked.
Old lin how it was; how Francois, re-
ruAng to leave the cottage. was yet the
son OF 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 h castle or. the farm. ali
this and much more the three poured
to the silent lad who listened, who
seemed to say almost nothing. vet
managed to make them feel at every
moment h a he cared to hear what
they said. With that they were talking
anout the village of Vicques, and its
and one told the legend Of the treasure
and of the guardian dog.
Just over the wall there is the open
lns where he appeared to old Pierre
Iremblay," Francois pointed out."And
Pierre was half witted ever after. I
Know, tor l have seen him myself. He
murnbled."
That is interesting The stranger
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. I
must at least see his kennel. Over that
waIe I will climb the WALL,
But no." Francois put. in QUICKLY.
1t is unsafe these last rive years. I
nave climbed 1t, but not In these last
years. You can go around and get in
the dog"
think l should prefer to climb the
wall" he said.
Alike spoke. If Francois can not go
1T is impossible. He is the best climber
Francois?"
Yes" said Francois.
And Pietro echoed. But yes. All
the world knows it."
4 think I should like to climb the
wall" the stranger repeated gently,
And he did. The others watching
~anxiously. he crawled out on the un-
certain pile 10 feet in air. A big stone
crashed behind him; he crawled on.
Then, II see it, he cried, and waved
a triumphant hand. and with that there
was a hoarse rumble of lossened
masonry, and doyn am the great
blocks close to his hands-he was slim
ping-he had jumped. And as he
jumped a heavy square of stone tum-
pied with him and caught him, felled
MN pinned into the tumbling wall by
his Goa And, above, the wall swayed.
Then, in the instant of time before the
catastrophe, Francois had sprung like O.
cat into the center of danger ana los
sened the coat and pushed the other
boy. Violently reeling, across the grass
out of harm's way.
Alike screamed once sharply. Fran
co.'s lay motionless on his face and the
great stones rained around him. II
was all over in a moment; in a mo-
ment more a shout Of joy rose from
P1etro, for Francois lifted his head ana
began crawling difficulty, with Pietro's
help, out of the debris. There was n
cut on his cheek, a deep one. bleed
ing badly, on the back of his hand. and
bruises We're distributed over him, but
by a maricale he had come off with his
life and only SO much the worse. No
sooner was Francois on his feet than
Alike startled them by turning on the
innocent and surprised Pietro in a per-
feet fury of scorn.
He is not dead-but that is
not your fault" She threw AZ
him. You who love him SO m,,eI;
You let him go into that dangerWg
"But-but I didn't know he was po-
ing. Alike" stammered Pietro III
was-so quick
Quick? Yes, Francois was onick
Why weren't you quick, too? II IL al.
ways Francois. Why don't YOU do
something brave once in a while? whv
don't you make people admire YOU. not
always Francois?'
CONTINUED next week,