Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-09-09
CHAPTER NNN111-(Continued).

SGIll Il ldII SlICCl VI
paper with a few unsteady scratches
across it,. and sat down to live over
night a hard business at times. But
1t was accomplished. The colonel a
ridden to Norfolk for the day-had
FRANCOIS known of that, one wonders?
Lucy, waiting in that small stately
study with the dim portraits and the
Wld vague view acros the fields of the
James river. heard the gay hoof beats
of Aquarelle pound dow the gravel
under the window. hear Francois deep
gentle voice as he gave the horse to
Sambo, n waited one minute more,
the hardest minute of all. Then the
door had opened and he stood there
the miracle, as it seems at such mo
ments to a woman. possibly to a man
II all the gifts n qualities worth low
ing.
The light on the thick bronzed hair
with its dramatic white lock, the dag
onal of fresh color across the dark face.
the wonderful brilliant eyes. the strong
eanness of his hands-there was some
thing in each detail, as the two gazed
at each other in a short silence, which
caught at Lucy's soul That he was
short. and so unlike all the men she a
admired before. was somehow an added
charm. The compact light figure
seemed worth 100 big hulks of men.
The injured arm in its sling CAV her
a pang of tenderness, a thrill of Gag
erness to do anything, everything for
him. A tumult of these thoughts and
q thousand others beat about her as
Francois stood grave. alert. in the door
way. Then he had made his precise
DOW. and she had hear his voice say
Ing gently. Good morning, Madem-
oiselle." and the door was closed; and
they were alone together. In a flash
h felt that it could not be endured,
that she must escape. She rose hast
lily.
I'm sorry I must go; I car not
stay
But Francisco had laughed and ia
Ken her hand and was holding it with
a tender force which thrilled her. He
understood. She knew he understood
the shame and fear Of a roman who
has given love masked; she was safe
In his hands; she knew that. With a
sigh She left her fingers rest in his
n sat down again and waited.
Dear Mademoiselle Lucy" said the
deep j voice, my first friend in
Virginia. my comrade, my little
Why did Lucy grow cold and quiet
at these words of gentleness? Francois
was sitting beside her. holding her
hand In both his. gazing at her with
the clearest affection in his look. Yet
h braced herself against she did not
know what. The voice went on with
Its winning foreign Infections. it's slip
OF English now and then. and it's
Observation-Disclosures power of reach
ing the heart.
See, Mademoiselle," said Francois.
we are too real friends, you and 1,
to have deception between US. We
Will not pretend. o and 1, to each
others it not. Mademoiselle? There
fore ] shall not try to hide from you
that l heard that day those words SO
wonderful which you spoke to me so
Yfn U0rfhu QUO <l~,- 49,
words ever since. Mademoiselle, as I
lay i'll with this troublesome arm; ever
since-all the time. My heart has
been full of a qualification to you
which can not be told. l shall remem-
Der all my life: I shall be honored as
words. And because you have so
touched me. and have SO laid that little
hand on the heart Of me, 1 am going
TO tell you. my dear comrade and
scholar, what is most secret and most
sacred to me-"
Lucy's hand in his stiffened, but yet
she did not draw it way. Francois
had not begun the way a lover begins
Francois. What f~aithfuiness and
truth there was in n one answered
always to the truth and faithfulness OF
this a In Lucy Hampton there
was much of both; she left her hand
lying between the strong hands Of the
man who did not love her.
In as few words as might be, he
told her Of the peasant child who had
been lifted out Of his poverty bound
life with such large kindness that no
pound which held him to that poor. yet
dear life had been broken; who had
been lett all h love Of his first home
and yet been given a home and a train
Ing and an education which set him
ready for any career; he told of the
u -souled. blunt, Napoleonic officer.
the seigneur: of the gray. red-roofed
handsome silent Ptetro. and Of the I'M
failing long kindness Of them. Then
his voice lowered, holding the girls
hand still. he told her Of Alike, Of the
fairy child who had met him on tina
day OF his first visit and had brought
him to her father. the seigneur. He
described q little the playmate OF his
childhood, fearless. boyish in her in
trcpid courage. yet always exquisitely
. gir. He told Of the long summed
vacations Of the three az they grew up.
and the rides In the Jura valley. and Of
that last ride when he knew that he
was 70 go to- Italy next morning. and
Of how he, had faced the seigneur and
told him that he loved his daughter
and had given her up then, instantly.
TOR loyalty to him and to Pietro. And
b he told her OF the peasant boy in
xSA0eSo k1Oll0W IN q gray morning
light after tha night Of his escape
and how. by hand on the bride and
seat II the saddle. and ct last by the
long cuf1 Of tha black lashes he had
known the peasant boy for Alike.
Lucy Hampton. listening, was 30
thrilled with this romance OF q life.
long love that she ceuld silence her
aching heart and her aching pridS and
could bA-wtth = painful sick effort
but yet could be. utterly generous.
There u no midway IN mach Q case be-
tween entire eelnahneoD and entire
unS~elflshnesF. The young southern girl
nhama6.s cFnAllv hupf IN