Evening star., 1933-06-25
CHAPTER XXXXIX.
Riccoli Again


by an accredited emissary of the vi1er,
rode through the streets Of the citadel
that, mighty, impressive, and impreg-
nahle, frowned down upon the town.
Orderly" called Col. lie Sage.
Otho stepped into the room, smartly
saluting.
Margaret Of Yelverbury, and making
arrangements tor her safe arrival at
that famous place.
'.She tells me she would like to have
q word with you, before the caravan
and escort start of;
Thank you, sir
well, my boy, I should be giving
the young lady tea in this room, IN
few minutes. I am very busy. You
shall deputize."
Thank you, sir"
"Oh. you English" calculated Col.
lie Sage as he strode from the room
~Face of stone-if heart OF fire"
"Othol"
Margaret"
I'm not crying, Otho :"
Margaret, this is absolutely the hap,
piest day in all our iives-so far OF
course, you're not crying.
"Otho, you will take care of your
self?"
Cotton wool, Margaret"
look. / am coming out to Africa again.
Dear, can. I must. I shall"
Otho shook his head.
ITO some perfectly good town, Otho.
Eidi bel Abbes, Algiers, Oran. What
ever garrison town or depot is nearest
to where you are"
Otho smiled.
TOO good to be true, Margaret. I
may be in some desert outpost, or some
hoe like this, for the rest of my
service"
Also, you may not. Did you know
that Col LIE Sage Is married?"
NO What about ftp"
well, he is And I'm coming out
to visit his wife. Dear Otho! I'm
going to stay with her. And Col. LIE
Sage is going to stay with her, too.
And he's going to bring his orderly.
See?"
Margaret! Margaret, there's so much
to say, one can say nothing. What can
one Say?"
have got something to say, darling.
And that's about Col LIE Sage too.
From Col LIE Sage, in fact. Darling,
he wants you to leave the rapks."
Leave Joe Mummery and the other
Yes darling. Yes, otho. Look. 1t
might shorten the time for u.s.
do you know, otho, that you have
made very desp impression upon Col.
LIE Sage? Do you know what he
actually limited at? A commission!
AS he said, you are gentlemen "a
Milford in factD, clever linguist,
great fighter. as brave as lion, and,
as he put it, inexorably faithful unto
death.
ALSO you have distinguished yourself
uit
your men he might have failed against
Riccoh and in the taking of the castle"
"Oh rot! Stopsit, darling, do. Don't
lets talk about me. Let's :"
Let's what?"
This, and this, and this. and
"otho, you will take your chance,
won't you?h
We'll, aren't I?"
'sYou know what mean, darling.
You will take your chance, otho, for
my sake?"
Desert Joe and the others who came
with me? No."
But think what you'd be able to do
for them"
I should think, If I left them in the
lurch."
But darling, we can't marry on
halfpenny a day! We could marry at
once, when you'd got your commission.
Look, darling-I know. You talk 1t
over with Joe Mummery and the other
two, after you've seen Col. lie Sage
again. You will, won't you? Promise
me that. shall go away so much hap
pier. Almost happy, Otho, if you'll
promise me that"
Otho smiled as he took Margaret IN
his arms again
Il promise that" he said.
Col LIE Sage knocked, in the ap-
pointed manner. upon the door of the
room that had been Riccoli's quarters.
and was now his prison.
Guard the door outside" said he to
the legionnaire who opened the door,
and sprapg to attention.
Removing the key frem the lock and
pocketing it, LIE Sage turned to RiccoH,
who sat at his table, nervously drum
ming upon 1t with his fingers, and who
eyed him with a feverish. pale anxiety.
you've come for my help. LIE Sage?"
he began. But it will be on terms, on
terms shall refuse to i. :"
Listen, Maj. Ricccli," interrupted lie
Sage 1.-The citadel, town, and country,
OF Mekazzen, are now in my hands
for France"
"The whole of what was your column
Is here, garrisoning the castle, picket
ing the town, and patrolling the secret
routes by the GASES and hidden water
holes
"I have now a quorum Of officers for
a council of war, and I could try you
this very day. by court-martial If did
so, you would be found guilty; you
would be sentenced to death; and
would myself superintend the carrying
out of the sentence, at dawn tomorrow
The firing party. under Maj Langeac,
woulo consist of those legionnaires
whom I know to be faithful, loyal and
obedient soldiers of France.
But I shall not have you tried by
court-martial"
Riccoh smiled.
II will take it upon me to spare
France that scandal. There shall be no
great Riccon affair, eclipsing in shame
fulness and European popularity the
Dreyfus affair; eclipsing because poor
Dreyfus was an innocent man, whereas
you. Maj. Riccoli. are guilty man
a traitor to your country, your army
and your oath
mo. There will be no court-martial. :"
Riccoh laughed,
I'm sure there won't, my good lie
Sage" he said
mo No court-martial, and no scan
dai Do you see this revolver, Maj.
Riccoli? And do you remember a little
episode Of many years ago, in which a
revolver figured prominently? Do you
remember my telling you that 1t con-
tanned one cartridge? And do you re-
member my, spinning the chamber
thus?
And after all, it proved to be
empty.
"Once again, offer you a revolver
Maj Riccoh.'
Riccoh extended an eager hand, seiz-
ed the revolver and-presenting 1t at
lie Sage's face, pulled the trigger And
again. and again.
"No, no. Maj Riccol," smiled LIE
Sage. Il had not forgotten what you
did on the occasion to which I allude
You fired at me then, with what you
e{xr+h ao& fa{v hot