The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-09-18


I rite me out here that title. you say
I he should bear and your statement that
he is your brother and should be the
chief Of your house. then sign it and
give it to me- 8
He seized her hands and gazed with
imploring eyes into her face.
IS ~ ho are you What are you? If
/ you have the power TO do it, for the
love of God rescue him. It is i who
have murdered hint who have let
him live on in this he'll for my sake.'
u She brought him pens and paper from
the Turk store and dictated what-he
wrote:
81 hereby affirm that the person serving in the
Chasseurs d Antique under the name of Louis Vic
tor is my elder brother, Berthe Cecil, lawfully, by
inheritance, the Fiscount Royallieu, peer Of Eng
land. hereby also acknowledge that / have sue
ceeded to and borne the title Illegally under the
superstition of his death. BERKELEY CECIL.
He let her draw the paper from him
and fold it away in her belt. He
watched her with curious, dreamy
sense of his own impotence against the
fierce and fiery torrent of her bidding.
Can his life vet be saved z"
His honor mdy-his honor shall Go
to him, coward, and let the balls that
kill him reach you, too, if you have one
trait Of manhood left in your
Fl Then, swiftly as a swallow darts, she
quilted him and flew on her headlong
way down through the pressure of the
people and the throngs of the marts
i and the noise and the color and the
movement Of the streets.
The sun was scarcely declined from
B its noon before she rode out Of the city
on half bred horse Of the spahis,
swift as the antelope and as wild, with
her only equipment some pistols in her
holsters and a bag Of rice and a skin Of
water slung at her saddlebow. She
had a long route before her. She had
many leagues to travel, and there were
but four and twenty hours, she knew
well, left to the man who was con-
demned to death; four and twenty
hours left open for appeal, no more, be-
tWixt the delivery and execution of the
sentence. There were so miles be-
tween her and her goal. Abd-el-Ka-
der's horse had once covered that space
in three hours, so men of the army of
d'Aumale had told her. She knew
what they had done she could do.
Once only she paused, to let her horse
lie a brief while and cool his foam
faxed sides and crop some short, sweet
grass. Then she mounted again and
=. -. -.
again went on in her fight. The horse
was reeking with smoke and foam and
the blood was coursing from his tanks
as she reached her destination at last
and threw herself off his saddle as he
sank faint and quivering to the ground.
Whittier she had come was to for
tress where the marshal of France, who
was the viceroy Of Africa, had arrived
that day in his progress of inspection
throughout the province.
Have care of him and lead me to
the chief
She spoke quietly, but certain sen
sation of awe and fear moved those
who heard. They hesitated to take her
message, to do her bidding. The one
whom she sought was great and SUI
preme here as king. They dreaded
to approach his staff, to ask his audi
ence.
Cigarette looked at them moment,
then loosened her cross and held it out
to an adjutant standing beneath the
gates.
Take that to the man who gave it
me. Tell him Cigarette waits and
with each moment that she waits sol
diers life is lost. Cor
A few minutes and the decoration
was brought back to her and her de
mand was granted. The marshal, lean
ing against a brass feldpiece, turned to
her with the smile in his keen, stern
eyes.
What brings you here? p
She came up to him with her rapid,
leopardlike grace, and he started as he
saw the change upon her features. She
was covered with sand and dust and
with the animals blood fecked foam
: Monseigneur, have come from Al
giers since noon
rom AlgiersY' He and his officers
echoed the name Of the city in incredu-
lous amaze. They knew how far from
them down along the sea line the white
town lay.
Since noon, to rescue a 1ife-the life
of great soldier, Of a guiltless man.
He who saved the honor of France at
Zaraila is to die the death of mutineer
at dawn! = ~
What! Your chasseur?' p
A dusky scarlet fire burned through
the pallor Of her face, but her eyes
never quailed. and the torrent Of her
.eloquence returned under the pangs Of
shame that were beaten back under the
noble instincts Of her love.
I. Mine, since he is a soldier of France;
yours, too, by that title / am come
here from Algiers to speak the truth in
his name, and, by my cross, by my flag.
by my France, / swear that not hair
of his head shall be touched, not a drop
of blood in his veins shall be she'd! Z,
u