Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-01-14

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 I'M
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 ant
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:
1T 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
down the street. but the elders paid
no attention. Francois disappeared in
to the church; the boys began to grow
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
1t attached itself like a crawling ey,
10 the side of the steeple; 1t moved up
ward. Henri Dufour. below in the
street, jumped as a hand gripped his
arm. He looked up frightened at La
Claire.
lis 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
J 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
! ara commanding.
The men pulled off their caps, and
, one answered respectfully: 1T Is lit
! tie Francois Beaupre, my seigneur; II
is a 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 III he looks down he is lost
the lad is a born hero or born luna
tic"
| The crawling spot up there showed
! dark in the sunlight against the new
gliding of the ball. Il stopped; the
t blot was fixed for a second: another
1 EttOAus FUN t1t tAOMu IOEt kdSHS,
. and excited broken sentences.
HE has the yertigol He is LOST"
. The dark blot chung against the gild.
r ing Then suddenly it moved. began
to make slow way downward, and a
= long sigh, like a 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 it was at the
bottom it disappeared into the trap
door. Every one began to talk volubly
at once; woman cried for Joy. then a
child spoke in high voice.
See she said shrilly. the mother
of Francois goes to meet hint
lie Claire was far down the street
gliding toward that church door
which was under the steeple. AS she
reached it the little lad came out, his
face flushed. his eyes shining with Elk
citement and triumph. She took his
hand silently, hardly looking at him
and turned so. quietly. without word
! of either joy or reproof, her face i'm
| passive. She had got her boy again
! from the dead. ii seemed to Claire
| and those first moments were beyond
words or embraces. To touch his warm
/ hand was enough. The man on the
! bay horse, trotting slowly along. saw
! the meeting.
1t Is a woman out OF the common
| that oue,'' he spoke aloud, she rules
| herself and the boy" And the boy
J looked up as he came-and smiled and
- tugged az his cap with the hand which
his mother did not hold.
r Good morning. m'sieur." he said
o with friendliness. and the rider stared
, "Secre bleu!' he flung back In his
/. strong sudden voice. 1T IS my friend
/ the marshal, Was II you. then, glued
|. up there? Yet another fashion to play
with death Ell? Nom dun chienl You
have a star of good luck-you are
saved for something great It must
be-"
"M'sleur the Marshal" he flung at
Q Francois, Come and see me in the
, chateau.
e There was a clatter Of gallopinE
+ hoofs. the bay mare and her rider
l. were far down the street
Who is il, my mo;her-the fierce
S gentleman" Francois asked.
{ You are fortunate today, Fran
a co.'s" Claire answered him. The good
r God has saved your life from a very