Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-21

from the ground and held it out to the Gen,
eraL '1s this for you, mon Generalf" asked
he, with the utmost simplicity.
| Undo the wrapper and let us see the con-
tents" said the General, receding few
steps.
Paul Richard calmly placed the bundle on
the ground, and, kneeling beside 1t, pro-
ceeded to open the wrapper with the most
.Why,it isn't that confounded Arab at
| all, exclaimed he, as the ghastly contents
came to light.
1t was not the head of the Lion, with his
strongly-marked aQuiline features and tnlck
black beard, but woman's pale face, Dlooo-
stained, and with a look of intense terror
| left them even in death. The face of a
woman who in life must have been very
beautiful, and whose pallid features were
| surmounted by crown of auburn hair.
"Mille bombes," cried the old soldier, turn
ing to his captain. 1T is the little woman
| of the litter. Aha! the Lion was too sharp
for her, and she has paid the penalty OF her
intended treachery with her life."
eve had better move away from here"
observed the General. "The plot has evi-
| IDENTIFY been discovered-what is thfs?" he
picked up fragment of paper which had
escaped from the wrapper. You are an
Arabic scholar, Captain de Lancroi, and can
doubtless explain its purport to me-"
De Lancrof took the paper, upon which a
few characters were written in bold hand.
1.-THE doom of a traitress," read he. At
that moment a dropping fire Of musketry
was heard, followed Immediately by the
bugles of the infantry sounding the alarm
1--WE must not delay here" cried the Gem
eral, ''the Lion is making a dash for liberty.
Get your men together, de Lancroi, he must
not escape"
Followed by his aide-de-camp, the General
hurried from the spot.and Armand and Raoul
were left alone for an instant, as the sergeant
had been dispatched to get the troopers un-
der arms.
''She was pretty woman" mused de Ian
cro1, as he stepped down to get nearer view
of the pallid features. "But come along, my
friend, if fSidi-ben-Mahommed has really got
out, there will be some fun tonight"
that?" stammered de Lognac, pointing to the
severed head.
leave it," returned the captain, "ft won't
remain there long"
Armand de Lancroi was right for scarcely
had he and his friend turned their backs,
than there was a rush of several small ami
mails to the spot, and in few moments
chorus of growls and unearthly yells,
mingled with the quick patter of feet, showed
that the jackals were busy with their hideous
feast.
Sidiben- -Mahommed had made his arrange
ments well. Accompanied by some 50 horse
men, as reckless and desperate as himself,
he had made dash at the French lines
Cutting right and left with their keen yat-
"The Lion is loose" the little band made
good their retreat leaving only some Is of
their number behind them. 1t was noticed
that the Lion bore before him in his saddle
the fragile form of a young girl, doubtless
the rival who had reused the dead woman's
jealousy.
S1di-ben- -Mahommed and his men were
hotly pursued by de Lancroi and his, but
the Arabs had obtained too good a start and
got into the territory of an hostile Sheikh,
whittier the Chasseurs d. Antique did not
care to venture.
The Castle in the Clouds surrended that
afternoon, and after being plundered was
burnt to the ground.
One of the prisoners informed the General
that the Lion had caused watch to be set
on the dead woman, and so her plot had been
When taxed with her treach-
cry, she boldly confessed her intentions, but
her courage tailed her at the moment of
death.
This little episode gave Raoul de Lognac a |
distaste for Algerian warfare and on his re-
turn to Paris he found himself quite celeb
rity, and in many drawing room he re-
peated with much applause the story of the
Lions Bride.
TtypE E,rr>