The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-04-16
VIII.

VI Ills CndLiDiCCf hC oAo0A OoAah
the lengthy narrow room where the
men lay asleep along the bare floor.
What made life In the barracks of
Algiers SO bitter vas the impotency. the
bubjection, the compelled obedience to
q bidding that he knew often capri
clous and unjust as 1t was cruel, which
wns 30 uncomfortable to his natural
pride, yet to which he had hitherto
rendered Underwriting adhesion and
submission, less for his own sake than
for that of the men around him, who.
he knew, would back him in revolt to
the death, and be dealt with, for such
loyalty to him, In the fashion that the
vivandiere's words had pictured with
such terrible force and truth.
'Is 1t worth while to 60 on with it?
Would 1t not be the wiser way to draw
my own saber across my throat?" he
thought as the brutalized companion
ship In which his life was spent struck
on him all the more darkly because
the night before a woman's voice and
1 woman's fhce had recalled memories
buried for II long years.
This morning he reused the men of
his chambree with hat kindly gentle
ness which had gone SO far in its nov-
city as to attach their liking: made
his breakfast of some wretched onion
soup and a roll Of black bread: rode
30 miles In the blazing heat of the
African day at the head Of a score
of his men on convoy duty, and
returned jaded, weary, parched with
thirst. scorched through with heat,
to be kept waiting in his saddle,
BY his colonel's orders, outside the
barracks for three-quarters Of an
hour, whether to receive a COM
mand or q censure he was left in igno-
rance. When the th~ree-quarters had
passed he was told the colonel had
gone long ago and did not require him.
Cecil said nothing. Yet be reeled
slightly as be threw himself out of
saddle; a nausea and a giddiness had
come on him. The chasseur who had
brought him the message caught his
Arm eagerly.
fare you burt, corporal"
Cecil shook his head. The speaker
was one known In the regiment as
Petit Picpon. who had begun life as a
gamin of Paris and now babe fair to
make one of the most brilliant of the
soldiers of Africa. Petit Picpon had
but one drawback to his military ca
reer-he was always in insubordlna-
ton. The old gamin da~redevilry was
not dead In him and never would die.
and now he muttered a terrible curse
under his fiercely curied mustache.
'If the Black Hawk were nailed up
In the sun like a kite on d barn door. |
would drive 20 nails through his
throat"
Cecil turned rapidly on him.
"Silefice. sir. or | must report you.
Another speech like that. and you shall
have d turn at Eeylick."
Petit Picpon looked as c~restfallen as
one of his fraternity could.
"Send me to Bayliek IL you like, cor
poral." he said sturdily. II was in
wrath for you. not for myself
Cecil was infinitely more touched than
he dared for sake of discipline or sake
of the speaker himself to show. but
his glance dwelt on Petit Picpon With
a look that the quick. black. monkey
like eyes of the rebel were swift to
read.
II, know" he said gravely. 81 do not
misjudge you; but. at the same time.
my name must never serve as a pre-
text for INSTRUMENTATION. Such men as
Ao,.o IN ,lO,1rrn mn x-.fl hncf do ca in
making my duty light by their W self
control and obedience to the rules of
their service"
He led his horse away. and Petit Pic
pom went on an errand he had been
cent TO do In the streets for one of tle
officers.
Pic!Jon had been enrolkd In the chas-
keLrs at the same time with Cecil and.
following his gamin nature. had ex.
hausted all his resources of ~impudence.
righteousness and power Of torment.ne
on the ''aristocrat." somewhat disap
pointed. however. that the utmost in
genuitles OF his insolence and yer his
malign.ty never succeeded in breaking
the "aristocrat's" silence aud contempt.
uous forbearance from all reprisai.
One day. however, it Glanced that a
detachment Of chasseurs. Of which &c.
ell was one. was cut to pieces by such
an overwhelming a Of Arabs that
scarce a dozen of them could force their
way through the Bedoulns with life.
Cecil was among those few, and a iigh!
at full speed was the sole chance of re-
gaining their encampment. Just as he
had shaken his bride free of the Arabic
tlutch and had moved himself a clear
path through their ranks he caught
sight Of his young enemy, picpon. on
the ground. with a lance broken off in
his ribs. guarding his head with bleed
ing hands as the horses t%rampled over
him. TO make a dash at the boy.
though to llnger a moment was to risk
certain death, to send his steel through
nm Arab who came In his way. to lean
down and catch hold of the lads sash.
to swing him up into his saddle anil
throw him across 1t In front OF him and
TO charge afresh through the storm Of
imusket balls and ride on thus burden.
ad waa fba uorIx nf ton sacopda with