The Faulkland quiz., 1892-06-25
THE TWO MARAUDERS.
ADAPTED Bv Isabel sMIrHsoN FROM THE
FRENCH OF EDMoND THERy.

THV8Wn. The little troop hrriseu
U-Bou-Ziz at noon and pitched u
tents, intending TO stay there- ~
sight hours. The horsss@nng ou
hsrnessed, and apx'glanced int
called upon to-S>n7where the water.
SAl.su t ~ tr>saTge and ripe. One O
~ tall fellow with black hail
TX long moustache, looked 80 otter
and so longily at the tempting fruit
that the officer in command remarked
it, and said:
"Artilleryman Corniflard, ii you will
attend to your work instead Of eyinl
those melons, you will not get the
collie"
The Msrseillais bowed his head and
seemed 20 be absorbed IN tying up the
hay, but his brain was in reality busy
with plans for capturing one of those
delicious melons.
their fodder, the Commandant gave the
order to the bugler, and at sound oi
the welcome call the soldiers rushed to
mess. II was served in the open air,
and the scene was curious one. One
man complained of the small size oi
his portion; another, not finding
enough vegetables in his bowl, tried
to distract the attention of his neigh
Dor In order TO purloin some from
him; one grumbled that the soup was
too salt; the next man called the cook
a thief, and so on, all the remarks be-
ing seasoned with those forcible ep-
ithets so often heard from the lips of a
French trooper, especially in the army
of Africa. ~
Two eytillerymen, bedfeilows and
chums, sat leaning againt the same tree
eating their dinner in silence. One
had the black hair, bright eyes aud
bronze-hued skin of the Children OF
the Desert; the other was CornifIard,
the lover of watermelons. When they
had finished their meal, and the smoke
from thoir pipes was rising in white
curls, the Frenchman broke the ST.
lence, saying:
"Do you like watermelon, Sidi?"
NO." replied the Arab dryly, and
the other, knowing his comrades
weakness changed his mode Of attack
by saying;
"What do you think of the brandy
they give us2"
There was no reply in words, but a
smacking of the lips from the laconio
Arab told Corniflard that his shot had
taken effect, and after pause he said
slowly;
''Don't you think, my friend, that
quart of that, is worth more than
slice Of watermelon?"
you need my help" said the acute
native.
''What would you give to have my
ration of brandy every morningP"
asked the Marseillais, and his com.
rade's eyes glistened with eagerness
So "You will ask Zoo much, " he said.
''No inde>d," returned the other,
''if You want to drink my brandy
every day until we reach Tiaret, you
have only to go with me tonight to the
watermelon field whicl we saw this
morning."
There was a pause, but Sidi alesl
had often during his last five years
service in the French army forgotten
the verses in the Koran forbidding
tfrstHke5 ness.
~ ssfna viii be four gool satians
earned M haff an hour. "sn,s-d The willy
Marseill lis, and tnen Sidi's passion for
strong drink carried the day against
the fear OF punishment, as well as the
Prophets prohibition, and he nodded
his head in token OF assent.
The French camp was plunged in
end dead silence reigned
where few hours before there had
been so much animation. Nothing was
except the sentinels who
marched with their guns ready, their
eyes fixed on the blackness round
them, their ears on the alert.
Two dark figures came out Of tent
and glided toward the sentry's Gordon.
Hidden by the tsll bushes which sur
rounded the camp, they waited until
the sentinePs back was turned and
hen dartcd away, hurrying, silently
through the darkness, AMI feeling no
ear at the sound of the wild beasts
Thich roamed in the woods. At last
hey reached the farm. 1t was sur
;oundod by wall and the gates were |
ocked, but in two bounds the Mayaud- |
'rs were on top, and after assuring
themselves that nither the owner nor
lis dog was on the watch, they drop
oed into ths garden, and with wolf |
ike tread surned towards the water
Melons.
Cornidard, who was good Judge.
apped on the rind of several melons
o test their ripeness, and was about to
ut of fine large one, when his com
ade suddenly raised his head aud
HListenr"
The cry of an owl was heard at
hort distance.
"That is nothing" said the French
pan carelessly, but at the same instant
he mournful sound was echoed from
within the farm.
yThe Jakoubas are coming" mnr-
nuAed Sid, and sven us he spoke the
,ap(Eas repeated close by, ami the two
bers had barely time to hide
hselyes in hay-rick, when the
ste was thrown open. Six tall Arabs
1 mountain-triDe entered, each one
lad In long white burnous, and with
hem was the proprietor OF the farm.
They sat down on the ground in
ircle at only a few PAGES from the
ay-rick, crossed their hands on their
reasts, and then, having invoked
.ilah and Mahomet, began discus
ion to which Sidi, who understood
heir language, listened anxlously. The
srmer had sent information of the ar
wal OF French column at O-Bow-
izi to the chiefs of the Jakoubias.
n insurrection was already planned,
at in spite Of the assurances of sue
ass which they held ont to their CO.
shgionists. these chiefs remembered
ie terrible result Of the Abd-el- Kader
and he -itated tounfurl the
'andard of the Prophet until somo
,tual victory was gained. They knew
lst hundred European heads car
ed in triumph from tribe to tribe, !
onld suffice to secure general up.
sing. and these heads now seemed to !
within their grasp. The French
oops, it was agreed, should be taken
Y surprise the next night.
"Remember," said the Musssulman
liefs to the farmer, ''if you play any s