The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-09-17
CHAPTER xxxvI1.
II THIRD WISH.

THE THIRD WISH
on the 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 Alike at the chateau Of Vic
ques.. She carried 1t to Pietro's room
where he sat in a deep chair at q win
dow which looked over Delesmontes
valley and the racing Cheulte river, and
the village strung On the shores. Els
elbow 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 him. and he did not yet lift his head,
his t~fstless yes did not yet shift their
gaze from the broad landscape. Alike.
looking down at the black head with
Its short curls set In thick locks-after
the n or the curls of Praxiteles'
Hermes-was startled to see many
bright lines Of graz through the dark
mass. Was everybody getting old?
Francois with the broad band OF white
in his hair-and now Pietro-big little
Ptetro, who had come to them and
learned to ride Coo and played with
them; Wa Pietro getting old and
BY one of the sudden impulses char
VI ACAp hGE LdIlu IlGW OUT HIlQ
rested On the curled head as II to pro-
tect II. motherly. from the whitening OF
time.
And Pietro turned slowly and looked
up at her with Eyes full OF hopelessness
n alteration. Such a look he had
never before given her; such a look no
one coul mistake except a woman who
would not let herself understand.
1T Is good to be up and at the win
dow, isn't it?" Alike spoke cheerfully,
n her hand left his head and she
went on In q gay disengaged tone.
You will be down stairs In two or
three days now. Inc then 1t Is only a
jump to being out and about, and then
then In a minute o viii be well
again"
"oh. yes," Pietro answered without
animation. 1T win not be long before
/ am well.''
Look, Pietro''; Alike held out the
paper IN her hand. Such q queer let
ter! From Virginia. From the little
Lucy Hampton of whom Francois talks.
/ don't understand II. VIII you let me
read 1t to your"
Surely" said Pietro, and waited
with his unsmiling eyes on her face.
My dear Mademoiselle," Alike read.
II am writing TO beg your forgiveness,
as / have begged that OF the Cheval-
Ter Beaupre, for the very great fault 7
have committed. The Clearwater
trusted to me a letter for you which
was to have been sent you only In case
of a certain event; by a carelessness
which, unmeant as II was, o shall
never forgive myself.I-I gave 1t with
other letters to our negro Sambo to be
posted at once BY now IT may have
reached you. Lean not tell II / have
made trouble or not, but in, any case,
1 can not rest without saying to you
-as well as to the Chevalier-how sorry
7 am. If you can find 1t In your heart
to forgive me, please do so, dear Mad
efnoiselle. That I should have made
trouble for one as lea to the Chevalier
as you are is @ deep grief to me. He
has talked to me of you. With a very
earnest praye again for your forgive
ness I am, Mademoiselle, yours faith
fully and sincerely-Lucy Hampton
Hampton"
Pietro looked bewildered. What is
It about?" he asked.
IT wonder" and Alike laughed and
frowned at the paper In her hand. 1T
seems Francois wrote me a letter and
left 1t with little Mistress Hampton
to be sent In case Of q certain event
| What event7 What a strange thing
for Francois to dol And her he came
to us here and said nothing of mys-
tOrious letters left cooking in Virginia.
! can not make It out, Pietro-can
your"
moi l." said P1efro.
"The letter OF Francois has not come;
that e certain; wonder II the g
Probably Pietro said. TT should
have come before thu one, otherwise"
TT Is q riddle" Alike decided, land
I guess them" Then, dropping
into a seat on the wide window sill.
S~Pietro-you are letting Yourself be
The gray eyes met hers with some
thing that seerned a wall Of reserve IN
their steady glance. II think possibly
I miss having no exercise" he said. II
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 50. to the win
dow and the view Of the valley and the
river and the village. A moment they
sat SO. the girls hand loose In the hol-
low OF the mans: q slow red crept into
Alixes face. there was confusion in
her brain. She had laid her hand on
that OF her brother her brother had
witchcraft 1t was all changed. This
delicate big IA that held her was
not brotherly; through all her veins
suddenly she 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 Ptetro, his set pale face toward
the window. his eyes gazing out, held
her hand. With that the world had
reeled and was whirling past her.
Pietro had caught both her hands In q
tight grip and had drawn them against
him. was holding them there, was
looking at her with a face which not
even she. this time. might mistake.
Alike" he said. II know you don't
care for me. ! know o love Fran
COTS. ! did not mean eve to speak,
but when you put your hand on
mine"
He held her palms together and
parted the palms and kissed the finger
tips, first of one and then OF the other,
as IL he kissed something holy.
II shall speak again, but this
once / will. / always loved you-one
must I knew always that a slow
silent person like me would have no