The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-08-13

her ciincheo teeth.
HE IL the head Of my house!~ he
answered her. scarce knowing what he
answered. HE sbOuld bear the title
that / bear now. He II here IN this
misery because he is the most merci'
full the most generous. the most long
suffering Of living souls. II he die. II
II NOT they who have Killed him: 1t
II ff'
Settle with yourself for that SIM"
abe said bitterly. your remors will
not save him. But do the thing that
/ bid you II that renhorse be sincere.
Write me out here that title you say
he should bear and your statement that
he II your brother and should be the
chief OF your house. then sign 1t and
give It to me-"
He seised her hands and gaxed with
imploring eyes into her face.
"Who art tou7 What are your II
you have the power to do 1t. for the
love of God rescue him! 1t IL I who
have murdered him-1 who have let
him i've ON In this hell for my sake!"
She brought him pens and paper from
the Turks store and dictated what he
wrotei
hereby ahfn that the person serving In the
Chaneus d'Afrique under the name Of Louis Vic
tor Il my elder brother, Berthe Cecil. lawfully. by
inheritancs. the viscount Royaliieu. peer OF Eng
land. ! hereby also acknowledge that ] have sue
cseded to and borne the title Illegally under the
suppodtiea of his death. BERKELEY CECIL.
He let her draw the paper from him
and fold It away In her belt. He
watched her with a curious. dreamy
sence Of his own impotence against the
fierce and derry torrent Of her bidding.
"Can his life yet be saved?"
Ills honor may-his honor shall. Go
to him, coward. and let the balls that
kill him reach you. too, II you have one
trait Of manhood left In you"
Then. swiftly as a swallow darts. she
quilted him and few on her headlong
way down through the pressure of the
people and the throngs Of the marts
and the noise and the color and the
movement Of the streets.
The U was scarcely declined from
its noon before she rode out Of the city
on q half bred horse Of the spahis.
swift as the antelope and as Wild, with
her only equipment some pistols In her
holsters and d bag Of rice and d skin Of
water slthg at her s~addlebow. She
had d 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. nc 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. 20 men Of the army Of
d'Aumale had told her. She knew
what they had done she could dc.
Once only she paused, to let her horse
lie q brief while and cool his foam
faxed sides and crop some short. sweet
grass. Then she mounted again and
ngain went on In her flight The horse
was reeking with smoke and foam and
the blood was coursing from his tanks
as she reached her destination at last
hnd threw herself of his saddle as he
sank faint and quiyering to the ground.
whittier she had come IA to a 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 a care Of him and lead me to
the chief"
She spoke quietly, but a certain SEN
sation of owe and feur moved those
who heard. They hesltated to take her
message. to do her bidding. The n
whom she sought was great and su-
preme here as q king. They dreaded
to approach his stat, to ask his audi-
eiicc.
Cigarette looked at them q moment,
then loosened her cross and held 1t 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 a sol
dier's life Is lost. Co!
A few minutes and the decoration
was brought back to her and her de-
mand was granted. The marshal. lean
lag against a brass fieldpiece. turned to
her with the smile In his keen, stern
eyes.
What brings you lere?"
She cHmc up to him with her rapid.
~leopnrdlike grdce. 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. l have come from Al
giers since noon
"From Algiers" lie 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 life-thc life
Of a great soldier. Of a guiitless man.
He who saved the honor of France at
zarallR 10 to die the death OF mutineer
at dawnr'
what! Your chasseur?"
A dusky scarlet fire burned through
the pallor Of her fuce. but her eyes
never qualled. and the torrent Of her
~tioquence returned under the pangs Of
shame that were beaten back under the