The citizen., 1914-04-10


stood by him, and he did not lift his
head, his hstless eyes did not yet
shift their gaze from the broad land
scape. Alike, looking down at the
black head with its short curls set in
thick locks-after the manner of the
curls of Praxiteles' Hermes-was
startled to see many bright lines of
gray through the dark mass. Was ev-
erybody getting old? Francois with
the broad band Of white in his hair
and now Pietro-big little Pietro, who
had come to them and learned to ride
Cog and played with them. Was Pietro
getting old and gray?
By one Of the sudden impulses char
acteristic of her, her hand flew out
and rested on the curled head as il to
protect 1t, motherly, from the whiten-
ing of time.
And Pietro turned slowly and looked
up at her with eyes full of hopeless
ness and alteration. Such look he
had never before given her; such a
look no one could mistake except a
woman who would not let herself un-
derstand.
1T is good to be up and at the win
dow, isn't it?" Alike spoke cheerfully,
and her hand left his head and she
went on in a gay disengaged tone.
you will be downstairs in two or three
days now, and then it is only jump
to being out and about, and then-then
in a minute you will be well again."
"Oh. yes," Pietro answered without
animation. "It will not be long before
am we'll"
Look, Pietro;" Alike held out the
paper in her hand. Such queer let
ter! From Virginia. From the little
Lucy Hampton of whom Francois
talks. l don't understand it. Will you
let me read it to your"
Surely" said Pietro, and waited
with his unsmiling eyes on her face.
my dear mademoiselle, Alike read.
81 am writing to beg your forgiveness,
as have begged that of the Chevalier
Beaupre, for the very great fault
have committed. The chevalier trust
ed to me letter for you which was to
have been sent you only in case of
certain event; by carelessness which,
unmeant as 1t was, I shall never for
give myself, / gave 1t with other let
ters to our negro Sambo to be posted
at once. BY now it may have reached
you. / cannot tell IL I have made
trouble or not, but in any case, can
not rest without saying to you-as
well as to the Chevalier-how sorry
am. If you can find it in your heart
to forgive me, please do so, dear
mademoiselle. That l should have
made trouble for one as dear to the
chevalier as you are is deep grief to
me- He has talked to me of you. With
a very earnest prayer again for your
forgiveness l am, mademoiselle, yours
faithfully and sincerely.-Lucy Hamp-
ton Hampton"
Pietro looked bewildered. "What is
it about?" he asked.
81 wonder" and Alike laughed and
frowned at the paper in her hand. "It
seems Francois wrote me letter and
left it with little Mistress Hampton to
be sent in case of certain event.
What event? What a strange thing
for Francois to do! And then he came
to us here and said nothing of mys-
terious letters left cooking in Vir-
ginia. I cannot make it out, Pietro-
can you?"
mot T." said Pietro.
"The letter of Francois has not
come; that is certain; l wonder if the
negro Sambo lost it."
Probably" Pietro said. 'It should
have come before this one, otherwise. :"
1T is a riddle" Alike decided, "and
never guess them" Then, dropping
into a seat on the wide window-sill
"Pietro-you are letting yourself be
depressed"
The gray eyes met hers with some
thing that seemed wall of reserve in
their steady glance. II think possibly
miss having no exercise" he said
Il will feel more natural when l can
get about"
Alike looked at him. "You are eat
ing your heart out to be with Fran
co.'s" she said, and laid her hand on
his.
Pietro stared as if 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 SO, 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 hollow of the mans; slow red
crept into Alixe's face; there was con-
fusion in her brain. She had laid her
hand on that of her brother; her broth
er had taken 1t in his-and behold, by
witchcraft it was all changed. This
delicate big grasp 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