Hutchinson gazette., 1900-08-23
VANDIER,
So04@o0@40~4@904t4 t404009e&

OLD friend, yes, as was hDylnB, rus
cal more or less" And the speaker,
n broad shouldered, blond bearded man
in uniform, launched forth into H.
rade against the Arabs that from any
other man would have brought down
swift vengenCe from these hardy fell
lows from Algeria But Vnndler's
CHEEKY smile and kindly sympathy for
the very men he was engaged In exc
Grating was proycrbiaI beneath the
white tents that dotted the sandy plain
around us,
, We, the Judge OF ElA2ereg and ], the
military doctor, were seated nt Van
dier's table. In spite of the disparity
of our positions-Vandler had risen
from the ranks 10 seTgeantcy--w
loved him for his gcnolity, devotion
No his duty and, above all, to his fam
ply for whom he lived breathed and
Thought
No, decidedly our good friend was
exempt from the risk other men had
incurred. llnt whnt did worry me wns
ihis perpetual and incuruble fondness
FOR wlnging anything feathered that
came within gunshot, despite the
stringent uws that forbid such sport,
Eand the danger he, as guardian OF
fhese snme laws, ran when he infrlnged
upon them,
wonder silently whether the Judge
was deceived by this excuse OF an old
friend, ns | glanced at the sweet
faced little wife and her bonny chill.
drcn | resolved to repeat my warnings
10 Vnnder nt the first opportunity.
Alas! Fate willed It otherwise,
The dny after our pleasant little visit
u was returning from long and some
what cheerIess journey into the heart
OF tbe desert whittier had been sum.
moned 10 relieve q suffering Arab, b,when
4 was stopped by n crowd Of people,
headed by my friend, Garien, the
judge
"Quick, doctor" he cried, I'm Off to
lei Azereg Nandier has been assassin
atedl"
"Dcad?" l repeated, chilled to the
heart,
''No, but n pistol shot in the groin,
He is IN grent danger"
Mechanically ! heeled my horses
head in the opposite direction and gal
Hoped rapidly along beside Garien, who
informed me that the police were al
ready on the spot,
The minutes grew into hours in my
distorted fancy; | hoped my colleague
had been summoned in my absence for
felt myself too excited TO handle my
patient with III calm deliberhtlon
80 necessary to physician, But then,
would he be still living when we ar
rived?
"0h," cried the village smith, as We
dashed into ElAaereg, "he is alive and
the murderer has been caught. Justice,
your honor, justicc!"
Our horses dashed by him, up the
narrow street, hating OF their own u .
cord before Nnnder's little cot,nga
with its soft, green vines that had cost
him so many hours of patient care.
"Justicel Justccl Death to the
Arab The cry came from distance,
then closer and closer as the villagers
drew nearer the wounded mans dive i.
ing.
We entered hurricdly, As had hoped
my colleague had proceeded me. Van
dier, his face intensely drawn with th
agony of his wound, lay among ,tha
white sheets that were spotted with
few drops of blood Nine, Nandier
knelt sobbing by his bedside The doe
Dor Strengthened as he saw u.s.
ale still lives, You will have time
TO take his deposition"
Nandier opened his eyes with a
groan.
"Ohl" he whispered ut Is all over
with me. Watch over Marie and my
little ones The government must pro-
vide for them now DO not abanu Il
them"
could not answer; my grief tug.
ged at my throat, and nodded sorrow.
fully, Again the doctor spoke;
ITO save his strength will repeo,
the story Of his mishap. Listen car
fully, Vandier so that you can sig
the declaration when it is finished.
Vandier nodded, and his face set in
more dolorous lines than before.
"Vandier was shot at very short
range; just how cannot sny as il is
AAhDOnSlDlt W |lllt NOuuu. DOllS
Arab contriyance, loaded with stones
perhaps. The murder is n well known
rascal, Chenef Omar Abdelkaderl q
yonder vt Mahoudi. lie has just been
arrested Nander was returning from
the farm of Pavanni in his runabout
He was alone, armed as usual with his
gun and cartridge belt, both carclessly
thrown under the seat. Everything
seemed as usual until he approached
El Azereg,when this blackguard sprang
upon him from the bushes at the road
side, and without word shot at him
Vnndier, though gravey wounded
reathed for his gun, the trigger caught
and the gun went off, the bullet pass.
ing through the floor of the cottage
This accident gave the ASSASSIN time 10
escape in the brush, but not before the
Victim had recognized him as n scamp
fwho had just been imprisoned for six
months for theft. Then, by supreme
Aeffort of his will, he managed to drive
INTO the village"
Poor Vandier. e had fallen n vic.
tim to his hnsty words During the
narrative his pallor had increased, and
ps the judge glanced up, expectantly
awaiting his affirmation of the details
the opened his eyes with an expression
tof anguish have never seen before OF
since on any face, thank God.