Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-05

4AO SAAhS AAA
usual, and more gruffly and loudly, but
at last, after wandering about the room
some minutes, all the time talking,
scolding, he swooped on Francois and
thrust a thick paper into his coat n
at the same instant his heavy left hand
was over Francois mouth.
Not a word" he whispered, and then
THE loaf OF bread"
Francois. struck dumb and blind,
turned hot and cold, n his shaking
hand In his coat pocket clutched the
letter.
But Battista prodded him with his
hard forefinger. BE careful" he
muttered. n then again, 9TH bread"
and the door had changed. Battista
was gone
A strong man. who had not been shut
away from life. would likely have read
.ne letter instantly. would instantly
have examined the long round loaf ly-
ing before him. Francois was i'll and
weak n 1t was the first word for
ilve years from his own people, which
lay IN his hand; he sat as IL turned
10 stone. touching the paper as if that
were enough; he sat for perhaps Is
minutes.
Then suddenly a breathlessness came
over him that something might happen
oefore he could read it-this writing
winch. whatever it should say, meant
NE n death to him. Taking care not
to rustic the paper. deadening the
sound under his bedclothes, he read it,
kneellng by the bed. 1t was four let
ters-from his mother and Alike and
the general and Pietro; but the firsr
!hree were short. He felt. indeed, read
ing tnem. that no words had been writ
ten, that only the arms of the people he
loVed a strained about him and their
races laid against his, and that so,
wordlessiy, they had told him but one
Lll0C-their yln6vin0 Iowa Wool. loo
~, his intense temperament stretched
10 me breaking point by the last three
months or fearful hope. it was more
IMAM he could bear. He put the papers
against his cheek and his head dropped
on the ped. n a storm of tears tore
MS soul and body.
but 1t wal dangerous; he must not be
OH ms guard; he remembered that
sWlrtly. m with shaking fingers he
opened Pietro's letter-Pietro's letter
which, yellowed and faded but distinct
yet. m the small clear writing, is guard
ed today with those other letters in the
mahogany desk in Virginia.
ter began. and quick tears came again
at that word brother" which said SO
much: MY dear brother Francois
this Is not to tell you how I have
searched for o and never forgotten
you. l will tell you that when I see
you. This is to tell you how to get out
OF that house Of mine which has held
you as a prisoner when you ought to
have been Its welcome guest. When
Italy Is free we will do that over but
we must get you free first. Francois.
l am now within five miles Of you"
The man on his knees by the prison
bed gasped; the letters staggered be-
fore his eyes,.
II am living on a ship, and I will ex-
plain how / 0nf II uyhhr I 600 ,,o,, -
few days now. Francois. Every night
for a week. beginning with. tonight,
tnere Will be a person watching for you
IN Riders Hollow, from midnight till
daylight. After that we shall 60 away
Tor TWO weeks SO as to avoid giving
mont again every night for a week. You
do not know Riders Hollow, and it is
unnecessary to tell you more about 1t
than that 1t Is a lonely place hidden in
trees. and supposed to be haunted by
ghosts OF men on horseback; the peo-
" about Will not go there for love
or money except by broad daylight.
This is the way you are to get there.
In the wine cellar Of the castle, which
opens from the governors room-in old
times always the room Of the lord-in
that wine cellar, on the north wall, is
a square block OF stone projecting
slightly beyond the wall. II you press
the corner on the left-hand side
OF the stone under this, the big stone
above will swing out IN show an
opening large enough for q man to
pass. Going through. you close the
door by pressing h same stone, and
You then will find yourself In an UNI
derground passage which leads straight
hal a mile through the earth to Riders
Hollow. The passage is 500 years old
and only the family Of the Zappis has
ever know Of 1t. I went through it once
IN my boyhood with my father, and it
was In perfect condition.. SO I believe
that it will be now. It was built with
solidity-as n may believe. for If the
old zappis wanted it at all they wanted
1t in working order.
your part will be difficult, Francois,
but I belive you can do It. You will
have to get the key Of the wine cellar.
or else force the lock. Can you do
that? It IL necessary to do 1t, Francois,
for we can not get on without you, and
we shall from now live anly to set you
free. l send you something which MAY
be useful"
Francois dropped tho lstter and
picked up the long Loaf and tore 1t
apart. There was q file in the center. Az
II a powerful tonic had been infused
into him he felt strength and caimness
over and over. till he had them by heart:
then he concealed them carefully. with
the file. in his mattress. After that he
sat down and concentrated his mind,
with he new force working In 1t, on
his plan.
The governor was almost certain to
him down to dinner again In two
or three days; It vas . pity hat while
he was there. all but on me spot, he
could not possess himself Of the key
and escape. He thought over one or
two plans On that basis. Int they all
shtpwrecked ON the fact thai the guards
were accustomed to take him back to
his oom at II. and that, failing notice
from the governor. they would certain
" come to find out why if they were
called. They Would start II nllr.