Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-03-27
CHAPTER XIV.
Good News.

In the garden of the chateau of
Vicques, where the stiff, gray stone
vases spilled again their hearts blood
OF scarlet and etching Of vines; where
the two stately lines uf them led down
to the sundial and the round laWn-on
one of the grifin-supported stone seats
Alike and Pietro set, where Alike and
Francois had sat five years before.
AS they sat in the garden, they had
been going over the pros and cons Of
his life or death for the thousandth
time. Pietro's quiet gray eyes were
sad as he looked away from Alike and
across the lawn to the beech wood.
God knows l would give my life
quickly IL / could see him coming
through the trees there, as we used to
see him, mornings long ago, In his
patched homespun Clothes"
Alike followed the glance consider
ingly, as II calling up the little. brown,
trudging figure sc well remembered.
Then she tossed up her head sharply
WHO and then she laughed. ri
shall be seeing visions next. like Fran
cois," she said. II thought 1t was he
back In the beech wood"
Il see no one" Pietro stared.
But you have no eyes, Pietro-I can
always see a thing two minutes before
you." Alike threw at him. "There-the
man"
"Oh." said Pietro. .sYour eyes are
more than natural, Alike. You see in
to a wood; that is uncanny. Yes. l
see him now. Mon dieu! he is a big
fellow"
IA peasant-from some other vii
lage," Alike spoke c~arelessly. IL do
not know him." and they went on talk
ing. as they had been doing. OF Fran
co.'s.
And with that, here was Jean Phil.
lippe Moison, forty now and tat, but
still beautiful in purple millinery. ad-
vancing down the stone steps between
the tall gray vases, making a sym
phony of color with the rich red Of the
flowers. He held a silver tray; a let
ter was on it.
For mademoiselle."
Mademoiselle took 1t calmly and
glanced at 1t, and with that both the
footman and the Marquis Zappi were
%astonished to see her fall to shiver-
ing, as II in a sudden Illness. She
caught Pietro's arm. The letter was
e~Iuteted in her other hand thrust back
Of her.
"Pietro!"
What is 1t, Alixe?" His voice was
quiet as ever, but his hand was around
her shaking fingers, and he held them
strongly. What is It. Alixe?"
She drew forward the other hand;
the letter shook. rustled with her
trembling. ct is-from F~rancois!"
Jean Philippe Moison having
stayed to listen, as he ought not, lift
ed his eyes and his hands to heaven
and gave thanks in q general way,
volubly. unrebuked. BY nov the un-
steady fingers OF Alike had opened the
paper, and her head and Pietro's were
ben. e asrour.ns the well Fly
writing. Alike, excited, French, ex-
ploded into q disjointed running COM
ment.
From prison-our Francois-dear
Francoisl" And then: Five years,
Pietro! Think-while we have been
free!" And then, with a swift clutch
again at the big coat sleeve crowding
against her: "Pietro! See, see! The
dAte-it is only two months ago. He
was alive then; he must be alive now;
he + ~ knew it, fietro: woman
knows more things than a man."
, With that she threw up her head
and nxed Jean Philippe. drinking In
all this, with an unexpected stern
glance. What are you doing here,
Mofson7 What are these7"
Then. relapsing in a Hash into pure
human trust and affection toward the
anxious old servant: my dear, old.
good Moison-he Is alive-Monsieur
Francois IL alive-in . horrible prison
In Ita1yi But he is alive, Moison!"
And with that, q sudden jump again
Into dignity. who brought this. Mol
sonfs
Jean Philippe was only too happy
70 have = hand In the Joyful excite
ment "Mademoisesls. the young psr.
son SPEAKS little language. But he
told me to say to monsieur the mar
Quis that he wa the little Battista-"
Rietro looked up quickly. alike, It
= the servant from my old home Of
whom I spoke to you. l car not tmag-
Inc how EranoOss so& noid Of MIN. but
he chose . good messenger. May I
have hin brought herof he must have
something to tell uAs