The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-06-09
CHAPTER v.
Colonel pe.tInn Of tho legion.

Colonel Dcstinn OF tho Legion.
a thin.voiced chime from som,
'fowcr IN Sidl.bel. Abbes announced III,
bour--four o'clock.
Colonel Destinn looked up From
where he sat he could see the barrack
yard, and, beyond, the great stretch oil
ocher plain rolling TO the horizon. A
little TO the right an Arab mosque lift
Ell its white mlnarets against the sky
which hung Opprcssiyely over the pant
ing, ilfeless country.
In the narrow, meanly furnished
room the atmosphere was sitting
Colonel DeSinn's guest drew back into
the thin patch OF shadow. Colonel
Dcstinn himself smiled. and the thin
nps under the iron.gray mustache be-
came indescnbably ruthless.
''Yes. you are quite right, Mr. Lowe"
he was saying in his suaye French, II
have something 10 sell--somethlng
quite valuable. In fact. But do not
choose 10 sell II to you. that is ALL"
Stephen Lowe glanced up, His de
tormlty was very obvious at that mo,
uent He looked old. and physical cx,
haustion had stamped out the last
trace Of beauty from his thin features.
why noty" he asked
els not that my affair."
Colonel DcstInu brushed n speck of
dust from his dolman His slate.gray
eyes flashed. He rose. and Lowe had
mo choice but 10 rise also,
II have made you an indefinite offer,
Colonel Destlnn." he said, "Oue day
4 may come with something different
md perhaps then you VIII reconsider
what you have said No life can be
bound up definitely anywhere, not even
I'm a desert. Colonel pestlnn."
The officer did not answer, appeared
even to have forgotten bis guests ex-
istene. stephen Lowe went out, clos.
fng the dcor softly behind him.
Someone tapped at Colonel Destlnn's
door,
"if You please, my colonel, yestcr.
days batch from OrAn.' ..ss......
y,.a Colonel nestlnn lifted his head,
st is we'll You will accompany
me, corporal. How manyT
FIFTY"
1--WE shall need them"
He picked UP his kept and led the
way down the passage, the corporal
following close beside him, HIS features
composed In military Indifference.
In the center OF the yard limo Of
men had been drawn up, Neither the
violent abuse OF the sergeant nor the
comments OF ralefaced lieutenant,
much less the uniforms, had been able
On transform them into soldiers Only
one thing was common 10 them all
misfortune. IL was written In every
baGgard face in every language OF DC.
Kpair, from reckless defiance TO sullen
resentment ana stole resignation.
Toioucl hestinn read the language with
thc rapidlty OF custom BEFORE each
recruit he stopped an Instant, his hard
eyes picking out the broken refinement
OF the prodieal from the brutality Of
fugitive crime And at each he jerked
out an imperative question,
Your manner
"Iohanu Harding, my colonel"
-FrcfcssicnT'
Doctor"
Sergeant keep an eye on him, He
Will sham like the devil. or poison you,
And this manr' There WAS slight,
scarcely perceptihle change In the IN.
nectioa az his voice note OF some.
thing that might have been surprise
or even more than that--unea slness
The man whom he confronted held
himself with cool. undisturbed dis.
nifty.
Richard"
"Have you no surrlamey'
"No.n
Destinn glanced az the lieutenant.
WHO, after hurried glance to his note
book, shrugged his shoulders
NO, tsS--cal,s himself Richard
Nameless. my colonel"
"A nom de sueyre. presume. Your
aast profession