The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-11

 to amuse him; but when he came un- der his command as soldier, he found the boys weakness furnished occasion for the gravest fears.
 "I must get his discharge upon some pretext," the colonel thought. "That boy, in one of bis panics, is sure to de- sert, and then no power can s-ve him. It would be too cruel to see him shot in that way, and as sure as l am here, that will be his fate. But rd dome with such thoughts! Here to-day, gone tomorrow and, before Jules deserts, l may be lying on the desert sands, spitted through and through by an Arab lance."
 It was some time after that before the next engagement with the "Sons of the Desert" A portion of the French army had moved on some Arab stronghold, and taken it after days hard fighting. The march had been a hot and toilsome one, and the soldiers were utterly exhausted.
 "They must have rest tonight" :" said General Beaupre. "The Arabs are thoroughly routed, and they will not venture to come near us again for many day. The dogs have got their lesson now, from q to z, and they've left carrion enough behind them to feed an army of buzzards. Oh, no danger from them !"
 Colonel Hautecourt shook his head.
 "I have been in this country many years," he said, "and l have seen strange things. You have fought and whipped the enemy. You look around the desert horizon, miles and miles distant, and you see not a speck; but in minute, as if it rose from the earth, an army is upon you, and you hear that shrill "Alldh'" from north, south, east and west, till your ears are deafened."
 "The soldiers must rest" General Beaupre repeated. "Of course there's no protection left in these shattered walls; but post sentries at every weak point, have no fear of an attack to- night, or before we leave here."
 It was black, starless night. The
 
 the desert sand, and the clouded skies, betokened one of those rare tempests which sometimes visit the African desert. Jules, with his love of the outer air, had laid himself down near one of the breaches in the dismantled wall, before which a sentinel was mo- notonously pacing. The cool, green sward was pleasant to the boys heated cheek, and, as he lay there, he thought over the events of the day.
 He had been frightened, oh, horri- ply frightened, when the fighting be- gan, but he remembered what his colonel had said to him, about his drum having a voice. And then his arm grew stronger, and his drum seemed to say to him, "Be brave, Jules! Shame on a coward !"
 All at once the fear left him, and he felt as bold as any of his comrades And it was his dear drums doing.
 As Jules thought that, he drew his drum toward him and actually hugged and kissed it. Perhaps there was q good spirit in it. The Vendeans have many superstitions, and among them the existence of good or evil spirits in inanimate objects, and as far as super stition went, Jules was true peasant of La Vendee.
 Then his thoughts took him back home. He saw the interior of the cottage; his father smoking his pipe, his mother mending by the freight, his brother, grand Jean," coming in from stable and cow-yard, and Pierre and little Louise playing on the wide hearth. Yes, they were all there but himself, and he could see his mothers eyes full of sadness for her poor little soldier boy.
 He closed his eyes, for tears were streaming down his cheeks.
 He was startled by a strange, muf- fled sound just outside the breach in the wall. He raised himself on his elbow and looked out, but he could NO longer distinguish the figure of the sentry pacing his round. There was not much light, though the clouds were dispersing, but, as he strained his eyes through the gloom, he could make out several dusky figures steal- ing through the breach, and with a quick heart throb he understood that the sentry had been killed, and the Arabs would surprise the camp.
 If he uttered cry it would be too feeble to be heard by those heavy sleepers, and it would bring the Arabs upon him in a second.
 Again the old panic seized him, and he crouched down in the iong grass and weeds. When the Arabs had passed him it would be easy enough to make his escape and rejoin the main army, he thought; but then, could he, a French soldier, fly and leave his comrades to be massacred without an attempt to warn them?
 Numberless dark forms glided