Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/187

170 carrying baskets for nuts and berries in the autumn; he could see how gaily they romped along the white, dusty road, pushing one another down just for the fun of it, wrestling and playing at fighting, all good-humoredly, in the fullness of rude health. His sad blue eyes followed them as far as they could reach, and a sigh would come from his lips as they passed beyond his vision.

The little heir of Montarbre had been taught that it was the best thing in life to be born a noble, and not a poor peasant; but he would have given all the fine things he possessed to be a sunburned country lad, ragged and unlearned, if only like those he could run and jump and tussle, and play at fighting his mates. How gladly would he wear rough wooden sabots instead of the pretty buckled shoes that covered his idle feet! How happy it would be to come springing into the house after a five-mile tramp, hungry for