Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-09-24

L1et ietteT SraSped IN MS hand, and
stood waiting.
"Sire!" he said.
FRINGE louis flung out his hand with
a gesture of inpulsiveness strange to
ms controlled manner, yet not out OF
drawing to those who knew him well.
An, Francois he cried. Let the
titles go for tonight. Say, Louis as
on that day when we first saw each
other; when the four children played
together in the old chateau ruins. |
have a great desire to hear some one
VINO loves me speak my name, simply
as friend to friend. With all those
good fellows'-and he tossed a wave of
the hand to the door which the CON
spirators had left him-"with my Of
ncers, II is necessary to keep up for
mality--I realize it. But you, my in
spired peasant, are different. You
stand in no class; you would guard my
dignity more quickly than /, myself. I
can trust 1T to you. The memory of my
mothers voice calling me Louis is in
your heart; call me so, then, tonight,
my friend, as If we were indeed the
brothers We once had to be for five
days" And Francois smiled his RAJ
diant, exquisite smile n answered
quietly. But yes, my brother-Louis."
And went on. II believe I shall not
sleep tonight, Louis. J. believe I am
too happy to Sleep"
AS one reads a novel for relaxation in
the strain of a critical affair, Prince
Louis caught at the distraction of this
SIDE issue. The next morning was
banned to the last detail; there was
nothing to do till daylight, yet he could
not sleep at present. Here was a
of some sort. He sank back
on Inc cushions of the couch of Lieu
tenant Aladenize's smoking room and
put his feet up lu~xuriously, and slowly
lighted a cigar of Havana.
Tel me-" he ordered, and the
gentieness of appeal was in the order.
'Sire'-the yourg man began-and
corrected himself. Louis" he said.
The Prince smiled dimly. Since our
landing have known that a wonder
Iul thing has happened to me. 1t is
he spoke lower-''it is the love of the
Woman who is to me the only one in
the world"
Prince Louis, extended on the couch
smoking. q picture of expressionless
lnattention. missing not an infection,
cast ms mind back rapidly many years.
lhere, a vague memory now, he found
a picture of a spirited. Whitehead, little
girl framed in the ruins of the old
castle; of a boy stepping to her side
champion her sudden embarrass-
inent. The heavy-lidded eyes turned a
kindly glance on the erect figure in it's
new uniform of an officer of the For
tieth.
Il congratulate you, mon ami" he
gently. us it by any chance the
delightful little Mademoiselle Alike of
the old c~hateau?"
aup turned scarlet. He was a
marvellous man, this Prince Louis. How
had he guessed?. She loves me I
have here a letter in which she tells
me that she loves me-. Will his high
ness read it?" With an impetuous step
forWard he held the paper toward
Louis NAPOLEON.
Il thank you," the prince said grave
ly. He read:
FRANCOIS. what you have wished all
your life is true. The good fairies have
granted n of your wishes before the
battle. That they will give you the
other two on the day of the battle is
the belief Of your Alike
And below was written h%urriedly.
"Pierto sends his love-"
The prince gave back the letter with
q respectful hand; then looked at
inauiringly. ".What you have
coils laughed happily. "One must ex-
il it will not tire his ~highness.'
And he told, in a few words. of that
day when his self restraint had given
way and how. when his guard
was down and he was on the
point of telling his lifelong secret
Y some spirit of perversity-
angel-had caught Alike, and she had
accused him of wishing always that
she might love Pietro. And how.
.eshed in h a same net of hurt reck-
lessness. he had answered in her own
manner-.Yes,. he had sad, at was
which had been the wish Of his
Alike might love Petrol"
And ErQ nNniS Ia y,rHn1 rrn SY,r So
simple ENHANCEMENT to the prince, the
night before the battle. Zone sees
h is quick and ciear-sighted, my
he said. For The knew we'll
even then 1t was not that I wished" He
stopped, for in the quiet contained look
IF the listener an intangible some
hing struck q chill to his %delicately-
LOUISE" he cried out. "You do not
think ! mistake her-mistake-Alixei"
Prince Louis saw the dawning of
Rapidly he considered.
Was 1t. well to take away a mans hap
piness and courage just before a fight?
He remembered some words Of
Francois spoken three years before,
worlds whose dramatic baroness had
truck him. When a knight of the old
Time Went into BATTLE the young man
had said. The wore on his helmet Tie
of his lady, and the thought Of
ler In his heart. A man fights better
20" Very we'll. This blind knight
should nave his letter, with the mean
ng he had read into it, for his lady's
badge. and he should fight tomorrow
n thought of her. in his heart.
Fhe letter suggested another mean
to sophisticated Louis Bonaparte.
put there Is nc need to hasten the feet
p unhappiness. The resonant French
yoice spoke at last in an unused ac-1
,ent of cordiality and the Prince lied.
ungrudging -graciousness.
mistaken, my Francois! Not at all.
little billet-doux breathes love for
IN each line-there is no question!
SUI, mon ami, you have not finished
story" So Francois explained
bout the letter left with Lucy
hampton and its. premature sending.
That has reached her now-she
now that I love her. she knows
has really been my lifelong wish
-she has hurried this and his hand
his note tenderly-she hasI
lurrted this to me before the night
hat 4 might know her love also-that
might light before for you, my
3rtnce---Louis-with that JOY IN my
leart" Prince Louis, hia head thrown
,ack his responsibilities eyes watching
.she rings Of smoke which he puffed
rom hid ~mouth-ring after ring,
nn,'nsangsi dream-like procession to