Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-02-11
CHAPTER XIV.
Good Neus

Good News.
In the garden of the chateau %
Vieques, where the stiff, gray stoue
vases spilled again their hearts blood
OF scarlet and etching OF vines; where
the two stately lines OF them led down
TO the sundial and the round lawn-on
one OF the grifIin.supported stone seats
Alike and Pietro sat, where Alike and
Francois had sat FIVE years before.
AS they sat in the garden, they had
been going over the pros and cons of
his life or death for the thousandth
tine. Pietros quiet gray eyes we're
sad as be looked away from Alike and
across the lawn to the beech wood.
God knows would give my life
quickly if could see hip coming
through the trees there. as we used to
see him. mornings long ago. in his
patched homespun clothes"
Alike followed the glance consider
ingly, as If calling up the little, brown,
trudging figure SO well remembered
Then she tossed up her head sharply
-" Who P'-and then she laughed. II
shall be seeing visions next, like Fran.
co.'s" she said. Il thought It was he
back in the beech wood"
Il see no one Pletro stared.
But you have no eyes. Pietro--I can
always see thing two minutes before
you. Alike threw at him. There the
man"
oh" said Pietro. Your eyes are
more than natural. Alike. You see In.
wood; that Is uncanny Yes. |
him now. Mon dieui he is a big
low"
a peasant-from some other vii
iage," Alike spoke carelessly. Il do
not know him" and they went on talk
ing as they had been doing. OF Fran.
co.'s.
And with that. here was Jean Phil.
lippe Moison, forty now and fat. but
still beautiful In purple millinery, ad-
yancing down the stone steps between
the tall gray vases. making sym
phony of color with the rich red of the
flowers. He held a silver tray; a let.
ter was on II.
For mademoiselle."
Mademoiselle took ii calmly and
glanced at It, and with that both the
| foo;fnan and the Marquis Zappi were
astonlshed to see her fall to SILVER
| ing. as II In a sudden illness. She
caught Pietro's arm. The letter was
clutehsd in her other hand thrust back
of her
"Pietro!"
What is il. AIixe?" His voice was
quiet as ever. but his hand was around
her shaking fingers. and he held them
strongly. What is it, Alixe?"
She drew forward the other hand;
the letter shook. rustled with her
trembling 1T is--from Francois!"
Jean Philippe Nelson having
stayed to listen, as he ought not lift
cd his eyes and his hands to heaven
and gave thanks in general way.
volubly. unrehuked. BY now the un.
steady fingers of Alike had opened the
paper, and her head and Pietro's were
bent over 1t. deyouring the wellk known
writing Alike. excited, French. ex-
Ploded into a disjointed running com
ment.
From prison-our Francois dear
Francois" And then; Five years.
pietro' Think while We have been
fret And then. with swift clutch
again al the big coat sleeve crowding
against her: "pietrol See, see! The
| date It is only two months ago. He
was alive then: he must be alive now;
he is | knew II, Pietro. A woman
knows more things than q man"
With that she threw up her head
and fixed Jean Philippe. drinking in
all this. with an unexpected stern
glance. What are you doing here
Moison9 What manners are these o.
Then. relapsing IN a fash into pure
human trust and affection toward the
anxious old servant: "My dear, old.
good Mois0p--he is alve-M Monsieur
Francois is aiiye-in a horrible prison
in Italy But he Is alive. Nelson 3"
And with that. a sudden jump again
into dignity. Who brought this. Moi
SOM"
Jean Philippe was only too happy
to have hand in the joyful excite.
ment, Msdemoiselle. the young per-
son speaks little language But he
told me to say to monsieur the mar
CUTS that he was the little Battista.
Pletro looked up quickly Alike. IL
is the servant from my old home Of
whom ! spoke to you can not mag.
lac how Francois got hold of him. but
he chose a good messenger. May I
have him brought here's lie must have
something to tell as"