The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-07-02
CHAPTER XII.
THE CAsTLE CHnDREN.

ImperceptibIy to the child. the life of
Francois swept into q changing chan
mel. More and more he belonged to the
general the castle; less and less, though
he still lived with them and was faith
fal to them. did he belong to his father
and mother and the village life. After
a few months an event came which
separated him from the old order
sharply.
There was q farm In the Valley
DelesmonteS-flve miles 1t was from
Vicques--which was dependence Of
the seigneury; for centuries the same
family had held 1T, and 1T was consid-
cred the richest holding for a peasant
in that part Of the world. Just now
the family ali at once came to an end.
1t was necessary to find new tenants
and the general offered the place to
lie Francois and La Claire. Even in
their best days they he'd not been so
prosperous as this would make them.
1t was large farm Of 400 acres, with
a big house, with gardens and farm
buildings and many horses and cattle
a rich. great place for them and for
their children. There could be no ques-
ton as to accepting the offer. They
could have their family together once
more and give them advantages beyond
what had ever been planned; it was a
new start in life. And LIE Francois
Va
could be trusted now to make the most
of II. 1t was almost miracle to hap
pen In old. quiet. little Vicques, where
changes came mostly by slow years
not often by thunderclaps. Yet beau
tlful as 1t was. there were. drawbacks.
One must leave ones village where
ones self and the grandfathers and the
great grandfathers and before that 9TH
ers. had been born and buried; one
must leave ones old house down the
street there. and the dream of buying
1t back, which had kept despair out OF
these months Of poverty; moreover,
what about Francois?
La Claire and LIE Francois, sitting
stiffly on the fine chairs in the gem
erals library, where they had been
brought to hear the great news, asked
that question suddenly in breath. The
general glowered at them from deep
eyes.
"There is the screw" He fired the
words at them like hot shot and La
Claire shrank a little.
There's always a screw somewhere
In every good thing. This time it's the
boy" '
There was a silence. Claire tremtled.
The boy is your boy" the seigneur OF
OF the castle went on, quietly enough,
and then In a flash brought his fist
down on the table with roar. but,
ny heaven, ne 3 my DOy, TOO, now. He 3
miracle Of boy and love him like
a son and ] want to give him such a
chance in life as / would have given
had he been born my son. Are you GO
ing to stand In the way or THAR"
Like bullets the words struck La
Claire; she saw the way they led, and
she rebelled at fate. It was cruel, now
when they were able again to do all
for the child which they had planned,
to take the child away: yet that very
ability to do for him was the gift OF
the man who wanted him. What could
she say7 f@a
1T VIII 60 hard with the lad to give
US NJ" she brought QUE softly.
"He won't give you up; / should not
respect him II he gave you up" the
general Numbered. and the two peas
ants breathed more freely. This great
gooa fortune was not. after all. the price
Of their son.
BY degrees the three came TO an ura-
dergtanding. And the peasant parents,
seeing how the general, an he had said.
did indeed love their boy; seeing also
that no had q power beyond theirs to
develop him; seeing that advantages