The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-07-16

answered In low voice.
The general drew In an enormous
sigh OF relief. Thank God" he said
devoutly, and then put out HIS hand
fingers. MY Francois. you are dear az
my own son; you know r. You are
next to Alixe-before Pietro-ah, yea
much before Pietro You will under
stand Il Is not from nay lack OF at
lection that I put him before you In
Francois high strung. deeply stirred,
felt his hand throb suddenly In the
generate and the general felt It. too.
II am hurting you" the deep voice
said---and only one or two people In
the world had heard that voice 50 full
OF tenderness. II am hurting you son.
But listen. Francois. It was the dear
my dearest wish for years--that Alike
and Pietro should one day be married.
1t Is that which would be the crown
Of a friendship forged In the fires OF
battle fields. tempered In the freezing.
starving snow fields Of Russia, finished
~ hope never finished In all eternity"
The generals great frame was
shaking; silence cut across bis
speech. He went on.
such a marriage would carry on
ourselves, our friendship, and keep II
living thing on the earth long after
we had left. That thought is thrilling
to me: II II my greatest wish. Do you
see now why / was troubled when
yesterday I saw you, In the garden.
kiss Alixe's hand7 I was afraid the
child had given her heart TO you, and
that my dream. Alessandro'g and mino"
The spoke this as II 70 might
rever be realized"
Francois. his head bent his eyes on
the generals hand which held his.
answered very quietly. Il see" he said.
IT forgot" the general went on, al
most as IL he were alone and were
talking aloud TO himself. Il forgot
they were not real brother and sister.
my Alixe-such a wonderful lad as my
FrancoisI Yet did not dream OF the
change till yesterday. ! have gone
through much since then, but, thank
God. thank the good God. II Is not too
late. She does not love him. 1t haa
not gone further than what l saw,
FrancoisY He fired the words at the
young fellow In his natural manner
again. You have not put ideas into
her head more than what I saw?"
'No, my seigneur." The voice was
without infection: the look was still on
the big hand which held his own fast.
You would not take her from Pteero,
who, 1 am sure. loves her?"
Francois looked up sharply, but the
general did not notice. He spoke slow
~. II promised Pietro's father-'he
boy seemed to be out OF breath-"to be
Pietro's friend-always," he said.
The general smiled then and let the
fingers go, and turned to the letter on
tho table before him. "Goodl" he said.
"You are always what / wish, Fran
coils" and IT was quite evident that the
load was of his mind. II am contented
that no harm has been done to either
of my children. AS for you: however.
you are 20. You are fun Of ambition
aud soldier-craft and politics and fight
ing-there Is small place left for love
in such boiling kettle Of fish az you.
IL my girl has touched your heart a
bit, as IL looked yesterday, and the
genera. chuckIed gently--''well, you are
90 the wound will heal" He slapped
the letter on the table. Il must now
have a long talk with you on an inter
esting subject-yourself"
The general was by this In high good
humor A .spasm caught the face OF
the boy and left 1t pale. but the general,
busy at putting on his spectacles, did
not see When he turned to look at
him, Francois was as usual