Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-17

4 confused knot of horses and ofriders. for him to totter in time from their path. Cecil had refined up and shouted to them to pause They, inflamed with the perilous drink and senseless with fury, were too blind to see and too furious to care that they were faced by soldier of France, but rode down on him at once, with their curled sa- bers flashing round their heads. His horse stood the shock gallantly, and he sought at first only to parry their thrusts, but he soon saw that if he struck not, and struck not surely, Q few moments more of that moonlight night were all that he would live. He wished to avoid bloodshed, but it was no longer matter of choice with him, as his shoulder was grazed by a thrust which, but for swerye of his horse would have pierced his lungs, and the four riders, yelIng like madmen, fore cd the animal back on his launches and assaulted him with breathless vio- lence He swept his own arm back and brought his saber down straight through the sword arm of the fore most. The limb was cleft through as if the stroke of an ax had severed it, and, thrice infuriated, the Arabs closed in on him. The points of their weap- ons were piercing his harness when, sharp and swift one on another, three shots hissed past him. The nearest of his assailants fell stone dead, and the others. wounded and startled, loosed their hold, shook their reins and tore of down the lonely road, while the dead mans horse, shaking his burden from him out of the stirrups, followed them at headlong gallop through cloud of dust.
 "That was pretty cut through the arm. Better had it been through the throat Never do things by halves, friend Victor" said Cigarette careless ly as she thrust her pistols back into her sash and looked with the tranquil appreciation of connoisseur on the brown, brawny, naked limb where it lay severed on the sand, with the hilt of the weapon still hanging in the sin ewy fingers. Cecil threw himself from his saddle and gazed at her in bewil dered amazement. He had thought those sure, cool, death dealing shots had come from some spahis or chas- seur.
 q owe you my life!" he said rapidly "But, good heavens, you have shot the fellow dead''-
 Cigarette shrugged her shoulders, with a contemptuous glance at the Bedouin's corpse. ITO be sure. I am not a bungler."
 Happily for me, or had been where he lies now. But wait. Let me look. There may be breath in him yet"
 Cigarette laughed, offended and scorn- ful as with the offense and scorn of one whose first science was impeached
 Look and welcome, but if you find any life in that Arab make laugh of it before all the army tomorrow"
 She was at her flercest. Cecil, disre- garding her protest, stopped and raised the fallen Bedouin. He saw at glance that she was right. The lean, dark, lustful face was set in the rigid ity of death. The bullet had passed straight through the temples.
 Did you never see dead man be- fore" demanded Cigarette impatiently as he fingered. Even in this moment
 
 he had of her.
 He laid the body down and looked at her with 6 glance that, rightly or wrongly, she thought had rebuke init.
 "Very many. But 1t is never a pleasant sight. And they were in drink. They did not know what they, did"
 What divine pity! Good powder and ball were sore wasted, 1t seems. You would have prefeSTed to lie there yourself, it appears. I beg your par don for interfering with the prefer ence.''
 Her eyes were flashing, her lips very scornful and wrathful. This was his gratitude!
 Wait, wait" said Cecil rapidly, lay Ing his hand on her. shoulder as she flung herself away. My d&ar child, do not think me ungrateful. TStnow we'll enQugh sk,aald 7he-a dead rApn myself