Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-09-04
The Stuty Teller.
VILLAIN AND SPY.
BY JANE G. AUSTIN.

Jean Jacques Rosseau VieXvert, COM
monty called pEnfant Perdu, was a corpo-
raj in the Ninety-ninth Zouaves, serving, at
the time of this anecdote, in Algiers.
1t was an offense punishable with death
for zouave to sell weapons or ammunition
to an Arab, and yet, as Colonel Milmon'
tain swore, the Beni-Snassens were better
armed than his own men; and to stray be-
yond the outpost Of the camp after dark
was to offer your bones to the jackals and the
wolves. A strict espionage was Instituted
and when one fine morning, Colonel Mil
montain, seated alone in his tent, received
the visit of villainous looking sub-corpo'
raj, he Immediately said:
t'Good morning, Jean Lapln. Whom
have you detected?"
"Good morning mon cone17eo3add'N. Ihls
morning an Arab, Mustapha el Rels oy
name, a leader among the Benl Snassens
met a corporal of Company X, Ninety
ninth Zouaves, in a deep ravine half mile
beyond the last outpost. A heavy package
of ammunition and roll of gold were eX-
changed between them, and then the Ara6
rode toward the desert, and the zouave re-
turned to camp" ,,,
''The name of the corporal:'' demanded
the commandant, sternly.
''VieuXvert, commonly called PEnfant-
Perdu," replied the informer.
"Ah. YES, PEnfant-Perdu ~ replied he,
slowly. can enemy of yours, Lapin, is ne
not ?"
81 was ordered upon this duty, mo" COM
naandant."
II know it; but it is nevertheless true
that PEnfant- -Perdu fought with you few
weeks since, and left you half dead upon the
field?"
ayes, mon conanatt,1ca1u."
"He spent ten days in the guardhouse,
and you a week in the hospital in conse-
quence?"
eyes, mon cOnlnao,eddnt."
"And all for no better cause than the
smiles of virandiere ?"
ssI had been four months making fool OF
myself to please PImmOrtelle, and she was
just beginning to smile upon me, when this
fellow came between, and took her away
from under my very mustache, mon COM
>n,andant."
''Not without her consent, however,
Lapin."
'He bewitched her, mon conaaaa1ddnd."
"It is common case, my poor fellow, and
all that have to say is, beware that no
private enmity or lust Of vengeance tempts
you to waste my time with idle or false re-
ports. 1t is better to be shot than to die
under the stick. You swear that your tale
is true, and that the zouave was Jean
Vieuxvert, corporal of Company *"
81 swear it, mon cOn1nadndd11t."
every we'll Now 60 and find the Red
beard, and tell him to come quietly to my
quarters at eleven O'Clock tonight. Here
is leave for the day. You will probably
find the Arab at his own douah-he seldom
comes into camp since the attempt to steal
his wife in his absence. / shall yet dlscov-
er and punish the offenders in that raid"
And the commandant fixed his piercing
gray eyes upon the pallid face of the spy;
who shuffled uneasily, wiped his forehead
with the back of his hand, looked, every
where but into his officers eyes, and muir
INJURED:
81 proved my innocence, mon conanaa'a-
dant" ;,
eyes; but I advise you to carry yourself
little carefully at the douah of the Red
beard to-day. They haven't much faith in
ulibis, these poor Arabs"
And then he released him, and Jean Lap
in, escaping into the out air, drew the long
breath of criminal who quits the torture
chamber. But the next breath he encoun.
tered, almost face TO face, young woman
in the the dress of a uird,adiere, who, cast
ing an inquisitorial glance at his face, said
carelessly, and with an intonation that gave
the double meaning of his name which was
the scourge of the informer's life:
"Good-morning, LIE Lapin. Which ofmy
comrades have you been getting into
trouble with the commandment now?"
"You are always cruel to me, Plmmor;
telle, and I-you never would let me tell
YOU how dearly love you"
WNo. T don't have much time to listen
to romances," replied the virandiere: "And
besides. LIE Lapin, some one might come
along and frighten you away before the
story was finished"
She laughed, showing all her fresh white
teeth beneath the scarlet lips Jean Lapln
had never touched, and walked away, whlle
he, kissing, serpent-like, an oath, retreateo
in the opposite direction. :: -,
"She, too! If 1 can include her in his
disorace and death! Or if they would put
her bound and gagged, into my hands for
punishment 20
So plotted Lapin, while PImmortelle, for