South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-03
Continued from Friday. }


So that the princes secretary sped
back to England, sore in heart TO miss
the friend of his lifetime at his side
in the good fight to come, yet too
whole-heartedly ready for the work
10 be anything but an eager sword
in the princes hand. The day for
which he had longed all his life was at
hand. The general had sent him of
TO IL with a rough soldierly blessing;
Alike had kissed him sssterly, his
mother had stood in the farm house
door, shielding with her hand those
calm saint-like eyes. and he saw her
lips move as he looked back and
knew what she said as she watched
him ride away TO fight for Prince
Louis. To fight for the prince! Who
could tell If ever he might ride back
down that familiar road under the
chestnuts?
But it was all as IT should be; he
was entirely happy. He had asked
three wishes of the good fairies. as
should be emperor-that he might
become a Marshal of France under
another Bonaparte''-that Alike
should love him. The first two he
believed about to be realized. The
last? It was not now the time to
think Of that Alike had kissed him
goodby. That would more than do
till the fight was over. So he sped
back 10 London. missing Pietro, but
hopeful and buoyant. And in Lon
don there was q letter for him from
Virginia.
Dear Francois" Lucy began. ITO
think that the first letter Sent to you
by Harry's wife should be to tell you
that she has betrayed your trust in
her. l am distressed beyond words,
for l have made a mistake which may
mean distress to you, You remem-
Der the letter TO Alike which you
trusted to me to send her in case any
thins should happen to you? | had
e in my hand the week after my we'd
ding when l had gone upstairs t.
get other letters for Europe which
my father had commanded me to
send by the next packet. And in some
stupid unexplainable way / slipped
yours-your precious letter-among
them in place Of one to my fathers
agents in London, and I hurried down
and gave the parcel TO Sambo, who
was waiting to ride TO Norfolk with
them. And then Harry and I went
away on a visit to Martins Brandon
for three days. and it was only when
came back that l discovered the
dreadful mistake / had made. Can
you ever forgive me? Harry and
thought over every possibility Of STOP
ping 1t, out there seemed to be no
chance. Are you very angry with me,
dear friend CT Harry's and OF mine 2"
The letter went on with reprOaches
and regrets and finally slipped into
tale OF a new happy life which Fran
co.'s had made possible for the two.
He read il over several times. His
letter to Alike, which should have
been sent only after his death, had
gone to her. What then? She would
know that he loved her; that he had
loved her always; that he would love
her forever; that the one wish Of his
life had been that she should love
himself-not Pietro. He had said
that in the letter: that was all He
was glad that she should know,
though he would never have told her
in life. 1t was done and he would
find out now if Pietro indeed cared
for her. If she cared for Pietro. And
if not, then one had waited long
enough: then at last-the joy of the
thought choked him. Through the
years of remuneration that hope had
not died. And now his letter had
gone and the consequences must fol-
lOw-after the fight. Everything
must go till after the fight. Alike
had not had the letter before he saw
her. this last time in Vicques; he was
sure of that as he thought back and
remembered each word. each look OF
those short hours. But she would
have 1t soon; in fact she had IL now
likely; his heart beat fast-she knew
now that he loved her.
knock came at the door of the
room in the London lodging where he
sat with Lucy Hampton's letter before
him. Fritz Rickenbach stood there;
his highness would like to see the