Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-09-04

yOut and immaculate Sisters OF Mercy who
shared her duties were never welcomed.
Presently she caught sight of the hand
some, careless, saucy-looking Enfant Perdu,
saluted with mocking affectatfon of re-
spect.
"Good-morning, my dear little corporal.
What new wickedness have you to report ?"
"Only the same old sin of coveting what
does not belong to me, I'mmortelle," re-
piled pEnfant-P Perdu, drawing little paper
parcel from his pocket and offering it to
the vivandiere, who curiously opened it,
and displayed medal or locket of pure,
yellow gold, wrought in the Saracenic style.
cept IT, it." 1e ,,,,,, oooon+ = y, o,.o,.;n ad
PImmortelle, attaching ii to the chain about
her neck. "That goes without saying, my
child! That is, if there is no blood upon
it don't like men killed for my adorn-
ment, even if they be but Arabs"
"Not even an Arab was killed. for that
trinket, ma belle; I got it in fair barter"
L'Immortelle looked sharply, not to say
sternly, into the face of her companion, :,
'L'Enfant-Perdu, take care that you don't
get your name changed to pEnfant Pendu
(The Hung Child,'0 said she, severely, and
went her way to the hospital.
"I'll be little civil to the fellow, and get
his secret out of him as easily as monkey
coaXes an oyster out of his shell" ," was the
climax of the viva,adiere's reverie, as leaving
the hospital, she walked along through the
camp and reached the quarters of Company
X Just as the men went to dinner.
A shout of welcome greeted her appear
ance.
"See here, PImmortelle! A soup, for
which Victor, Francois, Gervase and have
IN
George, sticking his bayonet into the seeth-
ing caldron and dragging up an animal that
may have been rabbit, but looked uncom-
monty like cat
"Thanks, George; but I am looking for
a rabbit not yet cooked" replied PImmor-
telle, dryly. "Where is Jean Lapin?"
Every one laughed, but no one could re-
ply. The sub-corporal had not been seen
since early morning, and in spite of Pen
fant-Perdu's earnest invitation to seat by
his side and share of his mess of beans and
hard bread, the viuaaadiere shook her head
and moved away toward her own little tent.
"Le Lapin had been to make report to
the commandant, and knew by the evil
look he cast upon me that this report was
revenge upon me; but I personally have
done nothing of which an i'll report could
be made; it is therefore one for whom l
care that is threatened, and all the world
knows that PEnfant-Perdu is the only man
for whom care the puff of a cigarette, and
LIE Lapin is, for that and other reasons, the
deadly enemy of PEnfant-Perdu it is there
fore my poor boy who is likely to be the
object of this, spy's information; and he,
what has he done? Been trading with the
Beni-Snassens, of course, for here is the
proof" ,...
And she angrily twitched the locket about
her neck. "But that is no crime, except
for one commodity, and PEnfant Perdu is
not the traitor to furnish our foes with
weapons to use against us, his comrades
No, no; 1 will not insult him SO much as
even to ask the question; but what, what
has he been about ?" ......... ..
rs And hastily dispatching her coarse repast,
the riuandiere wandered restlessly forth
again, and this time quite to the confines of
the camp, and so near to the outpost nearest
the desert that she saw horseman come
galloping from that direction, stop and give
the password and exchange some sentences
of gay chat with his comrades, before pass
ing on. The next moment he passed her
with mocking salute, and PImmortelle's
hardy bloom paled for an instant as she re-
cognized Jean Lapin, and caught the evil
triumph in his eyes.
"Must have had leave of absence-must
the commandant. And that track-yes, it
leads to the douah of the Redbeard-in the
pay of the commandant, also-and the look
of triumph on the face of LIE Lapin? Come,
PImmortelle, you have your work cut out
for the next four-and-twenty hours, and first,
my child rest and sleep, for tonight you
will wake"
And with her soldierly facility for rest,
whenever rest was practicable, the Uiuandiere
returned at once to her tent and lay down to
sleep, secure that nothing more would be
done before nightfall upon the side of the
enemy, as she now classed LIE Lapin, the
commandant, and Redbeard, his Arab satel-
lite.
L'Enfant-Perdu was desolate. Let him
try as he might, no moment of that day or
evening afforded him the opportunity so ar
IDENTIFY desired, of an interview with his
mistress, who was always either asleep or
busy with her invalids, or out of the way
altogether.
That night, few minutes before eleven
o'clock, the UtUandiere, prowling in the vi
cinity Of the commandments tent, encounter
ed a gliding shadow, whose white draperies,
stealthy step and crescent.jeweled fez be-
spoke an Arab.
Meeting the viud,1diere, he avoided her,
and pursued course leading quite away
from the commandant's quarters. Linn
mortelle also made detour, and returned
just in time to see the Arab glide behind the
door-curtain, and disappear in the recesses
of the tent. Again she retreated, and, sure
that she could no longer be observed by the
sentinel, reapproached quite at the rear of
the tent, and crept close to the canvas walls,
with the naive purpose of listening to what
passed within.
But the conversation, carried on in low
topo of yora in tho central division of the
canvas dwelling, was all but inaudible to
the listener, when the stern voice of the
colonel became distinguishable, saying,
"To-morrow at sunset, and Lapin will be
there with force to arrest him" when
heavy hand was laid upon her shoulder,
and voice whispered in her ear:
"Come away, quick, ma ME! Jules
Beauven is looking the other way, not to see
you. Quickn'
Grinding her white teeth, PImmortelle
twisted herself free, and, springing to her
feet, glared into the eyes of PEnfant-Perdu
with an expression Of scorn and pity, and
one ashamed to have had man for q faith
er! !" she strobe away.
Had she remained ten minutes longer,
she would have seen the Redbeard come
forth and take his way through the camp
until, reaching the quarters of Company X,
he prowled hither and thither, evidently
looking for some one, whom he presently
found in the person of Jean VieuXvert,
rEnfant-Perdu, returning disconsolately.
A gesture and look were sufficient for
the quick -witted Frenchman, and, with
simply a nod, he followed the Redbeard to
a shadowy nook behind the tents, and as the
Arab paused, asked, carelessly
"Well, Beni-Snassen, what do you want
e in nar