The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-05-28
CHAPTER III.
WITHOUT FEAR

CHAPTER Ill
WITHOUT FEAR
The glider was at work gliding the
great hall on top of the church stee-
pie. Every 20 years this had to be
zone. M 1t was an event in the vii
iage, 1t was said that 1t cost much
money; there We're rumors that it cost
as much as 1000 francs. The glider
knew, of course, and the sure knew. but
neither of them told. Moreover, 1t was
dangerous. and. like all dangers, fas-
cinating.
The boys OF VicQues stood In groups
In the street with their heads bent back
watching the tiny figure of q man the I
crept up an Invisible ladder far In the
air. dashed to the side Of the steeple. Up
up 1t went, like a fly, crawling on
the fieche, and there was q sinking feel
ing In each boys stomach which was
delightful. to think how at any moment
mat creeping black spot. which was the
sliaer, might rall down, down. and be
uasned to pieces. They wished no Ill
10 the glider, who was a stranger not
OF their village, nevertheless II would
De a proud thing to say they had seen
MIN killed. Life and suffering mean
nothing to a boy, but an event Is a
pressure. Many of the girls turned
away their heads and cried out, "I cant
look; I'm afraid he will be killed. And
al this the boys felt superior. because
eney were not afraid but rather hopefuI
OF a catastrophe. There are points of
oinerence between boys and girls.
FRANCOIS however did not think about
the glider at all. yet his mind was on
the gliding Of the "a every minute of
the day. He wished earnestly. pas
~sionateiy. to crawl up that ladder and
De himself that fly against the feche,
: let nat ne could not possibly go
on living with self respect. that feat
being unaccomplished, He was a good
lad and an obedient one normally and
ne knew that his father and mother
would forbid such an attempt with hor-
ror, u that counted for nothing
against the strength of his desire. It
was a possession. an obsession; the
thought drew him as martyrdom draws
a fanatic. Three days he watched he
work. standing with the other boys, ali
their dark little heads bent back as
their eyes followed the invisible brush
which was nofselessly. slowly turning
the dull surface of the ball into a golden
lamp. hung on the blue sky. The boys
talked anon themselves about It
When I am a man I shall do s1,ch
work" Achill- Dufour announced In a
bold voice. Probably I shall be up
there some day where the glider is
now, and all Of o down below watch
ing me-"
And the other 1eered .eYou
You who fall over a fence-you in
deed" said his cousin Henri scorn-
1ully.. But as for me. I would not be
afraid to climb up there today" and
az lnat there was a chorus OF protest.
WHO was 1t. tell me, who was afraid
Who was that boy. Henri Dufour?"
demanded Pterrot Tremblay. and the
embryo Frenchmen Joined in a sar-
castle Ali" and pointed grimy fingers
at the mortified Henri.
That's nothing" Henri threw back
sulklIy. And l was not the only one
who was afraid. I offered to climb the
pole, and was afraid after-but none
or the others even offered. And It was
no great shame to me, for 1t Is dan
gerous to climb that pole. It is 20 feet
to the cross bars, and beyond tina 1t is
o. Zee yet to the small cross bars at
the top--it Is very high in the air.
~ feet Only Francois Beaupre of all
the village has yet climbed that flag
pole, and all the world knows that
Francois is different His stomach is
different; he has no fear of things, In
side him-Francois."
There was amurmur of assent. and
the hero put a friendly hand on the
shoulder of the discredited Dufour.
It's nothing" he agreed. TITS only
that / am born different. / do not feel
inside my stomach that thing which
~ Sd ~ pSiuS aIIalu. l 90 not know
that feeling. SO it is easy. 1t was not
much for me to climb the pole; it was
Just that I could do 1t"
And the boys, seeing their honor
saved, agreed heartily.
All h same.' Achille Dufour sug-
gested ungratefully, Francois would
not dare climb that ladder to the bail.
Dare your"
h great brown eyes OF Francois
turned about the group: the boys
waited eagerly for his answer. IL he
dared It was almost as IL they should
az! do 1t; 1t was always this one who
led into the dangerous places; always
this ono who went a BIT further when
the others courage failed they ex-
planned 1t pleasantly by that fortunate
lack in Francois inside mechanism
which produced In the Others the dis
comfort called fear, hindering bold
He has no Judgment Francois;
therefore, he fears nothing" they some
times put the case.
afraid OF nothing. Tho boys waited a
minute, eyes and mouths stretched, and
at length came the decision.
= dare" said Francois. Them the
dark heads caraA together In an un-
easy mass, n there was whispering.
At the dinner hour that day several
mothers of the village remarked that
their small lads were restless, hot In
tent as u on the black bread and
the soup OF CHOPPED vegetables and the
green aeans--au anxious to finish ana
get way Only the mother OF Fran
co.'s, however. reasoned from this that
mischief was brewing. When the slim,
wiry, little figure slipped from the table
ano out through n open door, she rose