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


Young Henry Hampton, thrilled to
the core at this drama, bent over him,
as Battista laid him on the deck, and
looked up anxiously at Pietro.
'Ts he living2" he asked.
He was living, though for an hour
or two the devoted friends who cared
for him doubted IL they had not got
him back only to lose him. But that
last effort of the change to the ship
being past when consciousness came
again he grew strong more rapidly.
Il thought--the Austrians--would
nab meas came aboard" he whis-
pered, smiling gaily as he gasped the
words to Alike. 1T was-firm in my
mind"
And Alike laughed at him and told
him that they were far out on the
Adriatic now, safe under the American
flag, and the Austrians left 200 miles
behind. "
Even IL they had--nabbed me-"
whispered Francois, ''those two days
with you would have paid"
And Alike shuddered a little and told
him to go to sleep and stop thinking Of
Austrians, for they were out of his life
now forever.
my Seigneur," said Francois next
day VIXEN the general took his turn at
sitting by his bed, may I ask ques-
tion?"
ANY question in the world, Francois.
my son." the general growled at him,
as IL the tender words were a defiance
to an enemy. 81
Francois hesltated. about Alike and
Pietro."
The general shook his head. "Ah.
that! That can not tell you, Franz
co.'s. Sometimes / believe that I have
been mistaken, that" the general as
he stopped looked oddly at Francois
and smiled. Sometimes believe that
even ], even Gaspard Gourguad, might
make mistake In trying to play the
good God, and arranging lives. That
might be-yes. In any case cannot
tell"
Francois, thinking deeply, hazarded
another question. HE loves herr"
II believe so. indeed" said the gem
eral He cares most to be with us
with her. All yes, have no doubt that
he loves her. But why II goes no far
ther-sapristil 1t is beyond rne--that!
/ would knock their foolish heads to-
gether, me--but that is not convenient"
Does she love Pietro?"
Mon Dieu! How can a mere man
say that2 She is q woman. do not
know--not in the least" the general
exploded at him.
"But Pietro loves herr" Francois
asked again, his wistful smiling eyes
searching the generals face.
And Francois smiled.
mo one could help It," he said half
to himself.
In a day more little Battista came
into Francois cabin and put clothes on
him and wrapped. him like mummy In
coats and rugs, and carried him In his
arms up on deck, and there laid him
in a. hammock on the sunny side Of the
ship. And the salt air blew on his
face and he gulped II in, and by and
by Alike brought chair and sat by
him and read to him, and Francois lay
quiet and wondered IL heaven could be
any Improvement on this.
Then, after while. the book lay on
the girls knee, and they fell to talk.
ing. She told him about his mother
and his father at the Ferme du Val,
and the brothers and sisters, grown UP
now, and some OF them in homes of
their own. She told him about Pierre's
new wife, who had been Jeanne Cour-
tots, OF Beaulieu, and how much they
all liked her. and how she and Pierre
lived at the farm and were to have i
one day after the older Francois and
Claire had gone. About Tomas and his
fine big shop at Delesmontes she told
him, and how little Lucie had married
the school teacher, and had pretty
house In a street he knew well.
Then she told him about the animals
-how the great gray horses he had
known still drew the golden loads Of
hay In from the fields, with their
grandchildren drawing the next wagon
How the ducks in the pond were hum
dreds now and were sent TO the mar
ket, and made much money for lie
Francois. And how that old gift OF his
In choosing oxen was making a fortune
| for hirr--only now he never played
cards coming home from market day
| or az any other time IN fact, the gentle
mother had made one stern rule rol
| her family---no one OF them ever played
since that time a game OF chance.
And then Alike told Francois abou
! the castle. She told him about Jean