Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-08-06

might be vital, and who knew how
soon? He noted the swords and pis-
tolls hanging on the wall, hi marked
q light saber whose scabbard was
brightly polished as If the blade also
were kept in good order. On the table
ne saw the flint and steel with which
count Won Gersdorf lighted his pipe; he
stepped to the window and bent out,
scanning the wall. A stone coping
wide enough for a mans foot, but little
more, ran four feet below; 10 feet be-
yond the window it ended in the roof OF
a shed, a sloping roof where a mar
could drop down, yes, or even climb up
with ease. A man. that is, who had
ciimbed when a boy as Francois had
clfmbed-like a cat for certainty and
ilghtness. But what then, when one
was IN the court yard? It was walled
ABOUT with a stone wall 16 feet high;
THESE old ancestors Of Pietro, who had
built this place., had planned we'll to
keep Pietro's friend in prison.
SO Francois, not hopeful Of a sortie
by thai point, drew In his head from
the open window and took to examin-
Ing the walls OF the governors room.
Ihere were three doors-one from the
nall by which he had come. one behind
which he now heard the count moving
in his bedroom, and a third. The count
had gone through this last door one
night a month before into a dark,
winding. stone staircase. and disap-
peared for three minutes. and brought
up q bottle Of wonderful wine.
"A fine stock they put down there
the Italians who ruled here for 500
odd years." he had said. I've lowered
1t a bit. A good spacious wine cellar
and grand old wine. You will be the
better for a little" And Francois had
watched him as he put the brass key
back on the chain which hung from
his belt.
door opened, and the governor came
out, in great good hurnor and ready to
a and drink as became an Austrian
soldier. The dinner was brought in,
but Francois. for all his efforts to do
his part, could not swallow food, or
very little. The fever, the unrest burn
ing in him. made it impossible. Count
dinner was over; as yet Francois, talk
Ing, Laughing, singing, had eaten not
over half a dozen mouthfuls.
Certainly you are not we'll" he said,
II think the doctor should see YOU"
And hen he nodded his head and his
small eyes cleaned with a brilliant
thought. 7 know a medicine better
fingers were working at the chain Of
keys at his belt. Francois watched
them and saw the thin, old, brass key
which he slipped off. "a bottle Of
wine OF our Italian ancestors-yours
and mine, Beaupre"- h count
chuckled-"that will cure o Of your
ills for this evening at least" He slid
himself, MY little brass friend never
leaves the belt Of Albrecht Won Gers
dorf except to do him a pleasure, bless
him!" And then. Hold the candle,
Beaupre-well, come along down-it
can do no harm and l can't manage q
light and two bottles" ~,
So Francois followed down the
twisted, headlong, stone staircase
and found himself. after rather a
long descent, holding the lamp high,
gazing ~curiously about the walls of q
large stone room lined with shelves.
filled with bottles.
"a show, isn't it," the Count
light on this side." and he went on.
talking. THE wine is SO old that I
think it must have been stocked before
the time OF the last lord of h castle.
And Francois, holding the light, re-
Wondering the Marquis Zappt, thought
so too. The count pointed to a square
stone in the wall which projected
slightly, very slightly.
THAT is the door to a secret stock OF
some sort, I have always thought" he
said. Probably some wonderful old
stuff saved for the coming Of g OF
the heir. or a great event of that sort.
I wish I could get at It," and he stared
wistfully at h massive block. But
I can not stir 1t. And I don't Lot any
r but myself down here-not 4" The
count turned away n they mounted
the two stories Of narrow steps. for
the governors rooms were on h Sec
.ond floor, and the staircase ran from 1t
between walls, down underground.
s'The old chaps must have thought a
connect directly with their own room
for Battista tells me these were al.
ways the ooms Of the Za-of the
lords OF the CASTLE" the governor ex-
planned.
And to Francois. considering It, the
fact seemed IN odd one. And then the
governor set to work drinking Pietro's
It on his prisoner, how much more right
&c It the prisoner had than he. It was
"a wonderful old liquid, full OF q strange
dim sparkle, and OF most exquisite bou-
quet. As he drank It Francois silently
toasted It's owner on his return to his
own again. He took 20 little as to dis
gust the governor, but It put fresh life
leave the count, who was by that time
more than fairly drunk, he went up to
his cold, prison under the roof quieter
and more Ut peace than he had been for
months.
CHAPTER XXI
"A LOAF OF BREAD
The next morning Battista came In
with g name which to the observing
eye of his prisoner foretold distinctly
s0rne even4. He talked more than
usNal. and more gruffly and loudly. but
scoldings he swooped on Francois and
thrust 81 thick paper Into his coat and
ct the same instant his heavy left hand
VIA over Francois' mouth.