The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-06-30

sergeant, keep an eye on him. be
| will sham like the devil, or poison you
And this man." There was a slight
scarcely perceptible change in the in
Election of his voice. note of some
thing that might have been surprise
or even more than that-uneas sinesS
The man whom he confronted held
himself with a cool, undisturbed dig
nifty.
Richard"
Have you no surname?"
No"
Destinn glanced at the lieutenant,
who, after hurried glance to his note
book, shrugged his shoulders.
"No. 4OO5-calls himself Richard
Nameless, my colonel"
"a nom de guerre, presume. Your
last profession
Traitor"
"You are English?"
Il am nothing"
There was a troubled pause. The
man had answered fuently in French,
without hesitation and without inso-
lence. And vet his easy self-confidence
Jared in that atmosphere of cowed
and broken humanity, and was by con-
trast almost challenge. The momen-
tary interest died out of Colonel De
stinn's eyes, leaving a cold anger.
THAT fellow is dangerous" he
jerked back over his shoulder, ana
passed on.
Corporal Goetz hesitated an instant
before the man thus summarized. He
measured him, and the recruit an
swered the keen, deliberate gaze with
the same steadfastness. A mutual rec
ognition had been acknowledged: steel
had rung against steel. Then sudden
ly the recruits fiery blue eyes focused
themselves on something beyond, and
their eXpreSsion-that Of a man start
ed into an instant's self-betrayal-
caused the corporal to turn sharply.
A rare vision had appeared in the
dull, colorless square. The iron gates
had been opened, and against the back
ground of the green avenue beyond
there stood a woman-a slender, beau
tiful woman, such as but few Of tae
lost, degraded inhabitants of those
white walls had ever seen. She came
slowly toward them, the lace sunshade
framing the lovely golden head, her
soft muslin dress revealing each
movement as something exquisitely
balanced, absolutely free and confident
In its youthful grace and health.
Colonel Destinn," she said, Il hope
you are not angry with me. l have
come to find my husband
He lifted his hand reluctantly but
instinctiyely to his KEPT.
Il heard that Captain Arnaud's wife
had arrived" he said roughly "Per-
NIT me to inform you that Captain
Arnaud left the barracks half an hour
ago, also that you have no business
here and are interfering with my busi-
ness. The sentry should not have let
you pass"
He did not want f" she explained,
"but 1 told him that knew you and
that you would be furious if he re-
fused"
w you ONeESl6pDeO
the limits of truth"
Pardon me. / do know you But
since I intrude, l will make good my
retreat Good evening. my colonel"
She turned her back on him and be-
gan to walk with untroubled dignity
toward the gate. For an instant he
hesitated. then overlook her.
II have word to say to the SEN
try" he said significantly. 81 will ac-
company you. You say you know me.
l have not seen you before"
That is quite possible; but l have
seen you" They had reached the gate
and she stopped and looked up at him
do you want to know when?'
81 am interested, confess"
at was about year ago at night
time. l was sitting under the trees
in the Cercle des OFFICERS. listening to
the band. l remember it was rather
dark. except for the lanterns, and the
faces of the natives had made me
nervous. Then came bugle call and
l was really frightened. | thought it
,
instead you rode past-at the head of
your regiment
Il remember" he said. his face full
of hard triumph. .''It was the night
won my wager-one hundred and fifty
kiIometers in three days"
He was silent moment. driving
his spurred heel into the sandy gravel.
Then he locked up at her.
"Why did you come to Algiers?" he
said abruptly. why. above all. did
you come to Sidi-bel-Abbes? What is
there for a tourist to see here? Sand
II was a tourist. / came on a mis-
sion-to find my brother"
Your brother?
"He was lost" she said almost in
a whisper. He had done wrong-and
my father is stern mamie ran
away--and we were afraid. We fol-
lowed him to Algiers, and then we lost
trace. We never found him" The
tears had gathered in her dark eyes.
Colonel Destinn--I do not know why
l tell you this. It is silly of me.
loved him more than anything else in
the world. You won't understand"
He laughed roughly.
"Oh, madame, even l understand
loss"
You? thought She stopped
with her eyes on his blanched face.
ooh. colonel. l am SO sorry. Somehow
| didn't think of you like that"
His curt gesture interrupted her.
Madame. we have grown too seri-
GUS A poet of yours said that loss is
common to the race. | can only hope
that your loss may be mended."
And yours, Colonel" she said soft
~.
milne can never be rpended mad.