The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-01-30
CHAPTER lII.
Without Fear.

great ball on top OF the church steeple.
Every twenty years this had to be
done, and it was an event in the vii
lage. Moreover, it was dangerous, and,
like all dangers, fascinating.
The boys of Vicques stood in groups
in the street with their heads bent
back, watching the tiny figure of
man that crept up an invisible ladder
far in the air, dashed to the side of the
steeple. Up and up 1t went. like fly,
crawling on the f1eche, and there was
a sinking feeling in each boys stom-
ach which was delightful, to think how
at any moment that creeping black
spot which was the glider might fall
down, down, and be dashed to pieces.
Achille Dufour suggested, Even
Francois would not dare climb that
ladder to the ball Dare your"
The great brown eyes Of Francois
turned about the group; the boys wait
ed eagerly for his answer. 1t was al
ways this one who led into the dan
gerous places; always this one who
went a bit further when the others
courage failed
Il dare" said Francois. Then the
dark heads came together in an un-
easy mass, and there was whispering.
At the dinner-hour that day several
mothers of the village remarked that
their small lads were restless, not in
tent as usual on the black bread and
the soup of chopped vegetables and
the green beans-all anxious to finish
and get away. Only the mother of
Francois, however, reasoned from this
that mischief was brewing. When the
slim, wiry, little figure slipped from
the table and out through the open
door, she rose and followed and stood
in the great entry watching him race
across the field toward the church. He
veered but once in his straight path
to turn to the Prilpoteaux cottage.
where the glider lodged while in Vic
ques.
How soon will one be at work up
there AGAIN." he asked through the
window Of Auguste Philpoteaux sit
ting at his dinner, and the man an
swered good-naturedly:
ut may be in half an hour, my boy,
Not sooner" And Francois raced on.
By this time a boy here and boy
there had stolen from their dinner
tables and were gathering in groups
dove, the street, but the elders paid
no attention. Francois disappeared in
n % to
breathless.
1T will take some minutes for the
stairs" one said, and they waited.
Two minutes, three, perhaps five;
something rose out of the trap-door
leading to the platform from which the
steeple sprang--a figure, looking very
small so far up above them. Instantly
it attached itself, like a crawling fly,
to the side of the steeple; it moved up
ward. Henri Dufour, below in the
street, jumped as a hand gripped his
arm. He looked up frightened at La
Claire.
rs that my Francois?" she demand
ed sternly, but the boy did not need to
answer.
With that, by degrees people came
from the cottages as at some mysteri-
Gus warning and stood silent, afraid to
breathe, watching the little figure
creeping up, up the dizzy narrowing
peak Of the church steeple A rider
galloped down the road; seeing the
groups, he pulled in his bay horse and
his eyes followed the upward glance
Of the whole village.
who is it?" he flung at the nearest
knot of peasants; his voice was abrupt
and commanding.
The men pulled off their caps, and
one answered respectfully: 1T is lit
tie Francois Beaupre, my seigneur; it
is child who has no fear; he is al
most at the top. but We dread 1t when
he descends."
Mon dieu!" the man on horseback
growled. IF he looks down he is lost;
the lad is born hero or a born luna
tic"
The crawling spot up there showed
dark in the sunlight against the new
gliding of the ball. 1t stopped; the
blot was fixed for a second; another
second. From the crowd rose gasps.
and excited broken sentences.
He has the vertigo! He is lost!"
The dark blot chung against the gild-
ing. Then suddenly it moved, began
to make slow way downward, and a
long sigh, like ripple on water, ran
through the ranks of people. No one
spoke; all the eyes watched the little
figure slip down, down the unseen lad
der in the air. At last 1t was at the
bottom; it disappeared into the trap
door, Every one began to talk volubly
at once; a woman cried for JOY, then
child spoke in high voice.
&c.," she said shrilly, "the mother
of Francois goes to meet him!"
LIE Claire was far down the street.
gliding toward that church door