The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-07-03

WHAT nave uUuSl
But the brown waves OF hair with
the blue ribbon tied around them lay
motionless on his arm. And suddenly
thought shook him.
1T cannot bel" he gasped.
And Alike lifted her face, and the
exaggerated black lashes lifted, and
the blue glance lifted and rested on
Pietro's black hair bent down where
the light shone on the silver lines
through 1t. Up flashed her hand i'm
pulsively, gently--as Alike did things,
and touched the thick lock with an in
finitely delicate caress. Your hair
is all turning gray" she whispered in
two quick breaths, and at that, in some
occult fashion Pietro knew.
For moments they had no need of
that makeshift, language; the great
house was very quiet, and one heard
the horses stamping In the paved
courtyard and the grooms singing, and
yet one did not hear 1t. Distant sounds
came from the village, but one only
knew that long after, In remembering
that morning. All they knew was that
the ghost of lifelong affection Of
brother and sister stood before them,
changed by miracle to a shining
angel into whose face, for these first
moments, they dared not look Then
slowly, exquisitely, courage came and,
hand close in hand, they looked at
each other astonished, glad 1t was
Pietro and Alike still, the ancient play
fellows, the childhood friends-all the
dear familiarity was there yet, but no
longer were they brother and sister
And then, after while they began to
compare notes of things hidden.
When did you begin--to like me
this way, Pietro?"
Il don't know" answered Pietro
stupidity. Does 1t make any diner
ence?"
"A great DEAL" Alike insisted TITS
| important. It's historical"
But this isn't history" said Pietro.
Alike, however, returned to the
charge. Last year?'
Last year-what?" Pietro asked !;
he had already forgotten the question.
"Oh-that | began to-mon dieu-no.
Last year! Why, l think 1t was the
day came and saw you riding Cog"
"0h, Pietro-if you will talk only
nonsense!" Alixe's voice was -disap-
pointed. But why, then, didn't you
ever say SO before this? We are both
a thousand years old now. II you
loved me"-she spoke the word In a
lower voice-"why, then, we're you as
quiet as mouse about 1t all these
years?"
Il thought you cared for Francois, .
| Pietro said simply. And added, Didn't
your"
Alike considered. 81 don't-think-
| ever did. Pietro. Not really |
thought did perhaps. He dazzled me
--Francois-with his way of doing all
sorts of things brilliantly, and that
wonderful something about him makes
everybody love him. He believed in
his star; there was around him the
romance of the emperor's prophecy
and the romance of the career which
Is, we believe, about to begin now
there was always glamour about
Francois
"Yes," Pietro agreed. "The glamour
Of his courage, Alike, of loyalty and un-
selfishness; the qualities which make
what people call his charm. Francois
Is unlike the rest of the world, be-
lieve, Alike"
Pietro talked on, the silent Pietro.
as IL delivering lecture. He had read
much and thought much; it was sell
dom he spoke of the speculations which
often filed his scholarly mind; today it
seemed easy to talk of everything. Joy
had set wide all the doors of his be-
ing. Alike opened her eyes in aston
ishment.
"Pietro! You are-talking like a
book! But it is true; something OF
that sort has come to me, which
proves 1t to be true. | have felt al
ways that Francois had notes in him
which are not on our pianos" Pietro
smiled. looking at her.
And yet, Alike. you do not love
Francois, with all these gifts and all
his power over hearts-but only com.
monplace me?"
Alike Strengthened against his arm.
Monsieur the Marquis zappi, the gen.
tleman I-care for. is not common
place. thank you not to say it," she
shot at him. and then, melting to a
sudden intensity, she put hand on
each side of his dark face and spoke
earnestly. "Pietro. dear, listen. | be-
lieve always cared for you. When |
was little 1t hurt me to have Francois
forever the one to do the daring things
Do you remember how used to scold
at you because you would not fight
him?' Pietro smiled again Then he
was captain of the school and you only
private. and cried about that when
was alone at night. And when you
went off to Italy so quietly, with never
word said about the danger, | did not
know that you were doing fine deed
II thought it commonplace that you
should go back to your country, till
Francois opened my eyes"
"Francois?" Pietro asked.
Yes. The day before he went to