Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-08-13
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SACRIFICE.

Young Henry Hampton, thrilled to
the core at this drama, bent over him,
as Battista laid him O. the deck, and
looked up anxiously at Pietro.
rs he living?" he asked.
He was living, though for an hour
or two the devoted friends who cared
for him doubted if they had not got
him back only to lose him. But that
last effort of, the change to the ship
being past. when consciousness came
again he grew strong more rapidly.
Il thought-the Austrians-would
nab meas I came aboard" he whis-
pered, smiling gaily as he gasped the
words to Alike. 1T was-frm in nv
mind"
And Alike laughed at him n told
him that they were far out on the
Adriatic now, safe under the American
flag, n the Austrians left 200 miles
behind.
Even if they had-nabbed me-"
whispered Francois. those two days
with you would have paid"
And Alike shuddered a little and told
him to go to sleep and stop thinking Of
now forever.
MY Seigneur.' said Francois next
day when the general took his turn at
sitting by his bed, may l ask a ques-
tion?"
ANY question in the world, Francois,
MY oOA, lis SSlSIdl STOWleQ at Qlm,
as If the tender words were a defiance
to an enemy.
Francois hesitated. About Alike and
Pietro."
The general shook his head. "Ah,
that! That I can not tell you Fran
co.'s. Sometimes I believe that 1 have
been mistaken, that the general as
he stopped looked oddly at Francois
and smiled. Sometimes I believe that
even I, even Gaspard Gourguad, might
make a mistake in trying to play the
good God, and arranging lives. That
might be-yes. In any case I cannot
tell"
Francois, thinking deeply, hazarded
another question. HE loves her?"
Il believe so, indeed" said the gen
eral. He cares most to be with us
with her. All yes. I have no doubt that
he loves her. But why it goes no far
ther-sapristi! It is beyond me-that!
I would knock their foolish heads to-
gether, me-but that is not convenient"
Does she love Pietro?'
Mon Dieu! How can a mere ma
say that? She Is a oma I do not
know-not in the least" the general
exploded at him.
But Pietro loves herr" Francois
asked again, his wistful smiling eyes
searching the generals face.
"Yes-I am sure of it"
And Francois smiled.
"No one could help it" he said hal
to himself.
In a day more little Battista cams
into Francois cabin and put clothes or
him and wrapped him like a mummy il
coats and rugs, and carried him in hi.
in a hammock or the sunny side OF thu
ship. And the salt air blew on hi
face and he guiped 1t in, and by ant
by Alike brought a chair and sat b!
him n read to him, and Francois la!
quiet and wondered il heaven could b,
any Improvement on this.
Then, after a while. the book lay OF
the girls knee, and they fell to talk
ing. She told him about his mothel
and his father at the Ferme du Val
and the brothers n sisters, grown VI
now, and some OF them in homes O
their own. She told him about Pierre'i
new wife. who had been Jeanne Cour
tots. of Beaulieu. and how much the.
all liked her, and how she n Pterr,
lived at the farm and were to have 4
one day after the older Francois a n,
4 Claire had gone. About Tomas and hi
fine big shop at Delesmontes q toll,
Thin, and how little Lucie had marie,
the school teacher, and had a prett.
house in a street he knew well.
Then she told him about h animal
how the great era horses he ha,
known still drew h golden loads g
hay in from the fields, with thei
grandchildren drawing the next wagor
sIHow the ducks in the pond were v
dreds and were sent to the mar
} ket, and made much money TOR %
II Francois. Andshow that old gift OF III
lin choosing 0xen was making a fortun
for him-only now he playe
cards coming home fromsTnarket day
or at any other Time In fact. the gent
mother had made m stern rule e