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

sent out, With OrQerS 10 see the alnmunlClOn
delivered, and then to arrest both parties
and bring them to headquarters, cartridges,
bullets and ALL"
"And YOU saw Vieuxvert give those car
tridges to the Arab! !" exclaimed the Uiraaa-
diere, with look of loathing upon the trail
tor.
Eyes, I saw it, PImmortelle."
"Then take him to the commandant, and
out of my sightW
But as PImmortelle turned away, the pris-
oner for the first time broke silence.
"L'Immortelle, one word before you CO."
She fixed naughty stare upon his una
Dashed face.
"I have no words with traitors and assas-
SINS" said she.
"But anybody grants favor to dying
man." replied PEnfant-Perdu, confidently.
"And you may be sure that to-morrow's
sunrise will be the hour the commandant
will select for my last excursion into the
country"
"Well, what do you want % And, spite
of herself, her voice trembled.
"Come with us now to the commandant {;
YOU will be admitted, you are welcome ev-
erywhere, and it would be last pleasure
for me. Willyou ?"
II will come"
L'Immortelle presently stood with the
prisoner, his guard and the Arab, in the
tent of the commandant.
The colonel's voice was cold and hard
when, having heard all the testimony, he
turned to the prisoner, who still maintained
the careless, almost smiling unconcern OF
his manner.
corporal Vieuxvert, you have heard the
accusation and the proof. Have you any
thing to say.
"Nothing, mon nconanaa,,dant; there are the
cartridges, and there the bracelets, and there
the men who saw them exchanged between
Redbeard and myself. I offer no defense,
but I make, in my character of dying man,
one last request"
snake it,"
"It is that I may be allowed the use Of
my hands, and may help myself to one OF
those cartridges, to bullet, and to my own
empty pistol there upon the table. SOL
emnly swear, on the faith of Jean Vieux-
vert, to harm no one here-nO one but my.
self.''
Eagerly accepting the commandments nod
of assent, the late comrades of PEnfant-
Perdu loosed his hands and placed the
pistol and the ammunition within his reach
"Yes," said he, slowly loading the weap'
on, "it is prefectly true that I sold these
cartridges to the Arab, and that have sold
others before these, and it is just and right
that the man who puts a weapon in the
hands of the enemy should perish by thai
weapon; but 1 do not want to be shot by
Jacques, and Philippe, and Jules, and
Auguste, and the others whom / have been
comrade to so long, nor do | wish it said
of the Ninety-ninth Zouaves that they have
traitors among them, and that man has
been taken from their ranks to be shot fo1
treason and disobedience, so-good-by
PImmortelle !"
He smiled, almost mockingly even now,
as he kissed his finger-tips toward her, and
then, while she turned shudderingly away
he placed the muzzle of the pistol to his
temple and fired!
The cap snapped, but no explosion fol-
lowed.
"Peste 1t is so awkward when the cur
tains will not fall at the end of the play %
exclaimed PEnfant-P -Perdu, as he again fail.
ed to explode the charge.
SIT seems that Providence decides that.
ought not to die," remarked PEnfant.
Perdu, tossing the pistol upon the table, and
turning his eternal smile upon the face Of
Colonel Milmontain.
"What do you mean by this farce?" de-
lnanded the colonel.
'It means, mon c0nanadnd1nt," replied
/ Cluu, plChllS up ttAolhCi StbI =
ridge and tearing it to pieces, "that the
powder is made of charcoal, without any
aduteration of sulphur or saltpetre, and the
bullets are made of clay, cOlored and baked
It is some trouble to prepare them and put
them up in this nice cartridge paper, and il
Mustapha ell Refs likes to give me lOcket
and Redbeard a pair of bracelets, for my
industry, do not know why / should not
sell them as we'll as the bone rings and chess
men, and such matters that used to manu-
iacture. Am l right, mon commandment z"
"But, stupid fellow, why did you not say
all this to the sergeant in the first place''
asked the colonel, laughing outright.
81 wanted to see how those who had pre-
tended to believe in me would take my ap-
parent change of base"
He glanced at PImmortelle, who was look
ing at once angry, delighted, ashamed and
dubious.
eyes, yes, I see!" exclaimed the colonel.
"But you and PImmortelle will soon make
itup, especially with the help of these brace
lets, and I advise you, PEnfant-Perdu, to
try to get her consent to drum head we'd
ding, and make sure of no more separations.
And now, my children, goodnight"
But before she left the tent, PImmortelle
passed close to Redbeard, and said in his
ear:
'"There is snake coiling around the doudh,
and Zarah wearies for the strong arm and
sharp sword Of her lord"
The Arab started slightly, turned his calm,
dark eyes upon the face of the speaker, and
glided noiselessly out Of the tent.
The next day the horse that Corporal Jean
Lapin had ridden upon his reconnaissance
came limping into camp, covered with
sweat and the marks of cruel squirting, as if
he had been ridden fast and furiously for
many miles.
A few weeks after this there was a great
wedding in the camp of the Ninety ninth,
and Col. Milmontain gave away the bride,
and PEnfant-Perdu changed his nickname
to PEnfant-Trouve, and PImmortelle wore
the Damascus bracelets.