Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-14
UNDER TWO FLAGS
By "OUIDA."

G.-C>.eo>..-S>sse,..So.
 Leaving the baggage where it was | jammed among the debris, he had struck across the country with Rake for the few leagues that still lay be- tween them and the city and had en- l tered Marseilles as weary foot travel CTS before half the ruin on the rails had been seen by the full noon sun. He then crossed unnoticed to Algeria, while through Europe the tidings went that the mutilated form crushed be- tween iron and wood on the Marseilles line was his and that he had perished | in that awful, ink black, sultry south ern night, when the rushing trains had met as meet the thunderclouds. He was drafted into the French army un. der two of his Christian names, which happily had foreign sound = Louis Victor-and laid aside forever his iden | tity as Bertie Cecil.
 From the extremes of luxury, indo- fence, indulgence, pleasure and extrav- agance Cecil came to the extremes of hardship, poverty, discipline, suffering and toll. From a life where every sense was gratified he came to a life where every privation was endured. | He had led the fashion; he came where | he had to bear without a word the curses, oaths and insults of corporal or lieutenant. He had been used to every delicacy and delight; he came where he had to take the coarse black bread of the army as Q rich repast.
 The severity and the dangers of the campaign with the French army had reused the sleeping lion in him and made him as fine a soldier as ever ranged under any flag. He had suffer l ed, braved, resented, fought, loved, hated, endured and even enjoyed here in Africa with a force and vividness that he had never drealhed possible in his calm, passionless world of other days.
 As he went now ih the warmth of the l afterglow he turned up in to the Rue Babazoum and paused before the en- trance of narrow, dark, tumble down, picturesque shop.
 A cunning, vixen head peered out at him from the gloom.
 "Ah, ha! Good even, Corporal Vlc- | tor!''
 Cecil, at the words, crossed the sill and entered.
 "Have you sold any?" he asked. There was slight constraint and he's itation in the words, as of one who can never fairly bend his spirit to the yoke of barter.
 The little, hideous, wrinkled. dwarf like creature, a trader in euriosities, S, 4;< Sv, disappointing this 1.-the limbed, hand some chasseur.
 "Not one. The toys don't take. Dag gers, now, or anything made out of spent balls and f;ssas one can tell an Arab story about go off like wildfire, but your ivory bagatelles are no sort of use."
 "Very well-no matter" said Cecil simply as he paused 8 moment before some delicate little statuettes and carv- ings, miniature-thingsc carved out of a piece of ivory or block of marble the size of horses hoof; slender cruci- fixes wreaths of foliage, branches of wild fig, figures of Arabs and Moors. dainty heads of dancing girls and tiny chargers fretting like Bucephalus. They were perfectly conceived and ex- ecuted. He had always had D'Orsay- like gift that way, though, in common with all his gifts, he had utterly neg lected all culture of 1t until cast adrift on the world.
 He fingered a moment, with regret in his eyes. He had scarcely q sou in his pocket, and he had wanted some money sorely that night for a com rade dying of a lung wound, q noble fellow, a French artist, who in an evil hour of desperation had joined the army.
 You will not buy them yourself?" he asked at length, the color flushing in his face. He would not have pressed the question to save his own life from starving, but Leon Ramon would have no chance of a fruit or a lump of ice to cool his parched lips and still his ago nized retchfng unless he himself could get money.
 "Myselfy' screeched the dealer, with a derisive laugh. Ask me to give you my whole stock next, MT. Corporal! These trumperies will lie on hand for a year"
 Cecil went out of the place without a word. His thoughts were with Leon Ramon, and the insolence scarce touch ed him. How shall get him the ice?' he wondered. eff had only one of the Jumps that used to float in our claret cup!"
 As he left the den military fairy, all gay with blue and crimson, like the fuchsia bell she most resembled, with meerschaum in her scarlet lips and world of wrath in her bright black eyes, dashed past him into the dark ness within, and before the dealer knew or dreamed of her tossed up the old mans little shrive1ed frame like shuttlecock, shook him till he shook like custards, fang him upward and caught him and set, him down bruised, breathless and terrified out of his wits.
 "Ah, curr' cried Cigarette, with volley of slang utterly untranslatable. 'aThat Is ho<y you treat your betters, is tt?- Wiser. monster, crocodile. serpent; He wanted the money, ana you rsTused it? Ah-h-h, scn of s.tan, ycu live on other mems miseries! Run after him, quick, and give him this and this and this and this and say you were only in jest and that the things were worth a SbaiIS'S ransom Gfau xo11 r1l1St Dof