Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-06-17
CHAPTER v11-(continued).

uncle or aunt-there would IN q SnOtt
time be no home and no living for them
until the broken father could gather
himself and begin again. Little Fran
co.'s resolved that he would not go. He
would stay with his father and prove
that IL was not too young to make
money. AS he stood watching the
sheriff who moved gloomily about his
horses hoofs beating down the road.
and he turned. In the midst of his
grief 1T was interesting to see the
Baron-General Gourgau coming. on
his bay mar Lisette. The general
drew up beside him and looked at him
sternly.
Where is your father?" he shot at
him.. and threw q leg over n vaulted
Off and flung h mares reins to the
lad. and swung into the great entry
and through the open door into the cot
tage.
Francois, though broken hearted. was
but IL. n 1t was a proud thing to hold
the setgneur's horse and pleasant to
see the spirited beast paw the earth
as he held her. He was so entranced
with this occupation that he forgot
his bruised life and his lost career en-
tirely. For Is minute he forgot, and
the other children gathered around
h horse n felt himself its guardian
and an important person, with COM
4plete satisfaction.
And at that, out Of the house came
h seigneur, big and black-browed and
solid of tread, and with him that
broken-hearted father whose face re-
called all the tragedy.
Francois" his father spoke. more
gently than ever he had spoken before.
Il have taken your future from you,
my son. The seigneur wishes to give
1T back He wishes to make you his
child. Your mother consents-and l.
I consent" His fathers arm was
about his neck. The generals abrupt
Voice took up the statement.
will you come n live with me in
the chateau. Monsieur the MARSHALL"
he demanded roughly, kindly. II will
treat you as a son-yOu shall learn to
ride a horse and shoot a gun and be a
soldier. You shall fit yourself for the
part which we know u be played
one day. Will you Gomez"
Francois. staring up with his great
eyes stretched. was dumb. Just now
all that he had hoped for in life had
been snatched from him; more than
he had dreamed was now offered in a
turn of the hand. For a it
seemed that heaven had opened and a
miracle of joy came down; then it
gift a a price. He felt the touch of
his father, the ruined. sorrowful father;
he saw in the shadow of the entry his
mother who listened; in a food he re-
membered their lifelong love and his
resolutions Of five minutes ago-the
had planned for himself. There
is no halfway with a child.
With a whole soul Francois cast away
the brilliant dream and hardly felt an
effort.
II thank you q thousand times, my
C0fcrv1A,,N ~ H4 r,Skl.L l..::--
II can not go with you. 1 must stay
and work for my father and my
mother"
There was silence for a minute in the
sunshiny garden; the children had
wandered away; the men did not
speak; one heard only the mare Lisette
whom Francois held. who stamped her
light forefoot and whinnied impatient
ly. Then the generals grave voice
sounded, more gravely than ever.
Francois Beaupre, you own a fine
lad" he threw at the dropping peasant.
II would like to have him for mine.
Since I a not, I shall try at least to
u be as you say. But come to see
me at the chateau soon. I shall have
things to talk over with you"
Little Francois, absorbed in admira-
ton of h asy way in which the
seigneur threw a leg across the restless
Lisette, wishing desperately that he
might learn to ride such a horse. was
disconnected. as the dancing brown feet
cantered away, to feel his fathers
arms holding him suddenly, closely,
and a wetness on his cheek.
why are you crying, my father?" he
asked wondering.
Three weeks later. Of all the seven
children only Francois and the baby
were left with their father and mother.
The others were pOrtioned out, one
here, w there, among charitable
uncles and aunts until the time should
come, II ever, when LIE Francois should
prosper enough again to care for them
all. He had rented a small cottage at
the other end Of the village. and Claire
In happy times a quiet woman of few
words. had suddenly acquired pro-
nounced gaiety. The little feet of her
seemed always moving about the poor
place and she SAM at her work, which
was q new habit.
How can your" the elder Francois
asked n day, and she explained to
him.
"a house without brightness might
- well not be. In the other time you
can not be, 80 I do 1t for you. With
hope and work everything will come
right again. and I dare not stop hoping
or working. I dare not let grief take
nold OF me-. for II would choke me. We
have two children, and we shall get
back the rest. Do not look backward,
forward. where there win be3oy."
And b big Francois brought down
his INST with q hang on the table. ut
y the right stun that II In you. It II
the women who are brave. I will be
Z . woman IL I may! I will stop
this whining and live like you. whom
II 6ava rr13nA6 ~