The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-02-19

color flushing his happy face. Then,
"Battista," asked the marquis, how
did you get the letter which you
brought mademoiselle?
my father" answered Battista Ia
conically.
How did your father get it?"
From the signor prisoner, my sig
nor"
Alike and Pietro looked at him at
tentively, not comprehending by what
means this was possible. Pietro, re-
membering the little Battista of old,
vaguely remembered that he was in
capable of initiative in speech. One
must pump him painfully.
Was your father in the prison
where the signor is confined?" Alike
| asked.
The little Battista turned his eyes
on her second, approvingly but
briefly. They went back without delay
TO their affair of devouring the face
of his master. But he answered
promptly. "Yes, signorina; he is there
always"
"Always?" Pietro demanded in
alarm. rs Battista prisoner"
But no, my signor."
What then? Battista, try to tell
u.s."
So adjured, little Battista made a
violent effort. He is one of the jail
ers. my signor."
"Jailers? For the Austrians?" The
face of the marquis took all the joy
full light out of the face of little Bat
tista.
MY signor," he stammered, "it
knew the castle. They forced him at
first, and--and it came to be So"
Knew the castle!" Pietro repeated.
What castle?"
Battista's eyes turned to his Mas
ter's like those of faithful dog, trust
ing but not understanding. What cas-
tie, my signor? Castelforte-the sig
nors own castle-what other?"
A sharp exclamation from Alike
summed up everything. Your castle
is confiscated; they use it as prison.
Francois is a prisoner there, Pietro!
All these years-in your own home!"
81 never dreamed Of that" Pietro
spoke, thinking aloud. Every other
prison in Austria and Italy have tried
to find him in. never dreamed of
Castelforte."
| At the end of the interview the little
Battista put his hand into his breast
pocket and brought out another letter,
thickly folded. Would mademoiselle
have him instructed where to find the
mother of the signor prisoner? He had
promised to put this into her own
hands. He must do it before he
touched food.
And Jean Philippe Moison, who had
lurked discreetly back of the nearest
stone vase, not missing a syllable, was
given orders, and the huge little Bat.
tista was sent off up the stone steps
between the scarlet flowers, up the
velvet slope of lawn, in charge of the
purple one.
Half an hour later the general
|
slowly, thoughtfully through the beech
wood, his face hardly"older than when
he had come to Vicques, but sterne1
and sadder; his still soldiery gait less
buoyant than it had been five years
ago.
He saw Alike and Pietro coming
joyfully toward him, running light
hsartedly, calling to him with excited
gay voices. 1t stabbed the generals
heart; quick thought came of thai
other who had been always with them
now dead or worse, of that other whom
these two had forgotten. And with
that they were upon him, and Alike
was kissing him, hugging, him, push
ing a letter into his hand, up hii
sleeve, into his face-anywhere.
"Father-good news--the best news
. almost the best! Father, be ready
for the good news.'i S
, Il am ready" the general growleC
impatiently. What is this foolery'